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02-26-2020, 05:08 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
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Another use for mirror
Most of us will agree that the mirror on the front is not a lot of help with hitching up. We spend the winters in a park in Florida and the streets are not named here. This makes it difficult for emergency responders to find the correct site. Management has asked us to put legible site numbers on the fronts of our units (some are permanent park models, some transients like us). They prefer the numbers be lit up.
I came up with an idea: put the number on the mirror and turn the light on. I had the number printed, then took it into Staples and had it laminated. We will just remove it when we go home, and put it back up next year. We have friends here in the park with a trailer identical to ours, so I made one for them as well. I also noticed that not a lot of fifth wheels have a mirror on the front. We're so glad we do!
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2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
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03-08-2020, 12:55 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bencia
Posts: 538
M.O.C. #25828
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Loneoak
Most of us will agree that the mirror on the front is not a lot of help with hitching up................. I came up with an idea: put the number on the mirror and turn the light on..............
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Agree, the mirror is not useful hitching up so I use my tonneau cover lock, which is centered at the end of the cover, as a guide when hitching. Attaching a sign to the mirror is what I call re-purposing!!!
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03-08-2020, 02:29 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Hesston
Posts: 735
M.O.C. #25060
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I don't find the mirror overly useful either.
We have a rule that we try to live by faithfully, and that is never hook / unhook in the dark. In all of our years of camping, I believe we have only done it twice that I remember, and it is no fun at all. With that being said, the light is just an invitation to hook/unhook in the dark. The only other reason that I could see for the light would be to illuminate the hitch to passerby's that there is something sticking out there, and shouldn't run into it.
But for hitching, no...
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2020 Montana 3741FK
2020 Chevy SRW 3500HD Duramax/Allison High Country
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03-08-2020, 05:34 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bee Branch
Posts: 2,620
M.O.C. #20693
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I agree that the mirror is all but totally useless EXCEPT for the re-purposing done here! Great idea!
As for hitching in the dark, we have zero problem doing that but I always use the cargo light on the truck instead of the one on the camper. The cargo light is shining back and not in your eyes. But then I'm the kind of person that doesn't have any problems driving in the dark either. Granted the older I get the less I am doing it. And we try to avoid leaving a campground at night out of respect for other campers.
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James & Irene Wilson
Bee Branch, AR.
2017 Ram 1 ton diesel duallyCrew Cab/Long Bed
2018 Montana High Country 381TH Garage Full of Toys
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03-08-2020, 05:53 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 663
M.O.C. #20906
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I kind of disagree. I use my camera to get lined up and close, but when the pin box starts riding up on the hitch, I use the mirror to see when hitch is fully under the pin box/kin pin. Saves banging it in too hard.
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2019 Montana 3121RL
2017 XLT 350 SCLB DRW 4X4
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03-09-2020, 02:29 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Auburn
Posts: 879
M.O.C. #18474
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Coming from a public safety member for over 35 years, this is a neat idea as if we can't find you, we can't help you.
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2020 Montana 3790RD Legacy EditionOnan, TST TPMS, TrailAir pin, Discs,
2013 F350 DRW 4x4 CC LBViair 10007, Ride-Rites, Westin HDx, 12k Smittybilt
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03-09-2020, 04:50 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
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People in our park want the owner to paint the site numbers on the road. Putting actual free standing signs at the front of the sites is not a good idea as it interferes with parking. The owner has so far not been amenable to that idea.
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2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
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03-09-2020, 04:58 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 1,788
M.O.C. #14547
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Since our 5er doesn't have self leveling. I mounted the side-to-side level in the middle of that less then useful mirror. Now it's where the 'navigator' can more easily watch - which reminds me - I need a new fore and aft mirror.
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Dave W
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (Sold!)
2011 Ford 6.7 Lariat CCLB (Went to PU Heaven)
2019 F150SC XLT SE Sport,w/full tow package
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04-18-2020, 09:23 PM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Fort Edward
Posts: 112
M.O.C. #25910
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It’s a Keystone patient.
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04-19-2020, 07:38 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,581
M.O.C. #22835
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I use my mirror every time I hitch. I've only had 1 fifth wheel and this is it. It came with a mirror so I learned how to use it. Now, not sure if I could hitch as easily without it now.
That's a nice idea you there for placing signage in that space though. I never thought of using that space for multi-purpose reasons. We do mostly transient camping, at most 2 week at one location, and we never visit seasonal campgrounds. In our case, any signage we put in that spot wouldn't be seen anyway, as the truck is almost always parked directly in front of the trailer in the many, many state parks and KOA. The truck blocks the view of that mirror from the road. I've wanted to hang an RV welcome sign from the hitch pin, but that would not be seen from the road either.
But, you've got me thinking about multi-purposing now. Thanks for the idea!
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Who you are right now is a sum total off all you use to be.
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax, 6.6L Dually
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04-20-2020, 05:56 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DutchmenSport
I use my mirror every time I hitch. I've only had 1 fifth wheel and this is it. It came with a mirror so I learned how to use it. Now, not sure if I could hitch as easily without it now.
That's a nice idea you there for placing signage in that space though. I never thought of using that space for multi-purpose reasons. We do mostly transient camping, at most 2 week at one location, and we never visit seasonal campgrounds. In our case, any signage we put in that spot wouldn't be seen anyway, as the truck is almost always parked directly in front of the trailer in the many, many state parks and KOA. The truck blocks the view of that mirror from the road. I've wanted to hang an RV welcome sign from the hitch pin, but that would not be seen from the road either.
But, you've got me thinking about multi-purposing now. Thanks for the idea!
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You’re welcome! When we are in Florida for four months, our truck is parked beside the camper. Our lots are a good size. We also have room for our grass mat between the camper and the truck.
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2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
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04-24-2020, 03:03 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bencia
Posts: 538
M.O.C. #25828
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Loneoak
Most of us will agree that the mirror on the front is not a lot of help with hitching up.................
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Ditto....!! Have yet to use it. Fortunately my rollup tonneau cover is pulled back just behind the hitch. I use its lock, which is centered on to line the trailer king pin to the hitch.
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04-24-2020, 05:34 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Edmonds, Wa
Posts: 401
M.O.C. #12491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Loneoak
I came up with an idea: put the number on the mirror and turn the light on. I had the number printed, then took it into Staples and had it laminated. We will just remove it when we go home, and put it back up next year.
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What happens if your site is 138B next year?
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04-24-2020, 08:00 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Puyallup
Posts: 512
M.O.C. #12948
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Great idea on that spot, makes me think about several options for "decorating " the mirror. Thanks.
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2018 3820FK Legacy Package
2013 3750fl
2019 Chevrolet 3500HD High Country Dually
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04-25-2020, 07:06 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ranch560
What happens if your site is 138B next year?
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138B has a permanent unit on it, so I doubt very much that could happen! We have been in site 137B for five years. We get first dibs on that site and we reserve before heading home in the spring.
If for some reason we should decide to relocate, a new number for our mirror is cheap and easy.
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2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
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04-25-2020, 07:31 AM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Haysville
Posts: 107
M.O.C. #21399
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Don't know about the others, but our 2018 mirror is black now. it looks like part of the paint scheme.
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Brian and Tambra
Haysville
2018 - 3121RL - 2016 Ram 2500 6.4/4.10
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04-25-2020, 07:49 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Winchester
Posts: 900
M.O.C. #19514
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What mattered to us was:
1. there was a place to put our site number in case of emergency
2. that it had a light over it so the number was lit up.
The fact that there is a mirror there is of little use to us.
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2017 High Country 305RL
2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty
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