swampcat14
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- Steve
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Check out my article reviewing the install and functionality of this kit at the link below!!
By Steve Garrett
If you've ever driven a Jeep, chances are you've either driven it or thought about driving it with the doors off. It's a driving experience that can only be topped by riding a motorcycle. The government always has to put a damper on things though, and doorless Jeep driving is no exception. Most states have laws requiring street-legal vehicles to have at least two rear view mirrors, and since driving doorless also means losing two of your rear-view mirrors, what is the responsible Jeeper to do? The aftermarket industry has had many solutions for this problem over the decades, but none so elegant or effective as the recent JL side mirror kit from Carolina Metal Masters. It's expensive but it's worth it.
The kit replaces the plastic trim pieces on the top and bottom of the factory grab handles, with the top incorporating the mirror mounts, and includes your choice of 1" or 20mm ball mounts for any type of RAM style accessory mount. CMM can do them in whatever color you want, and their powder coating is top-notch, so it's also an excellent solution if you're looking to add a little custom color to the interior of your Jeep.
To install, start by removing the trim pieces. Just wedge a little flathead screwdriver or something under it and pop them out. Use something that won't damage the surrounding trim. They do have a little retaining catch that you can either give a yank and pop the end off or spend however long it takes to get them out without breaking them. I took the time to get the first one out unharmed so I could show you what you'd be dealing with, but then just pulled the rest out.
Next, remove the factory bolt from the top of the grab handle and put the top mirror mount in and torque it down. CMM puts a little dab of red paint inside the top one to differentiate it from the bottom, but it's pretty easy to tell the difference. Thread the ball mount in and torque it down being careful to get the ball mount started in the threads, it's easy to get them cross-threaded. Repeat that process for the lower mount as well.
The mirror sections ship disassembled, but they're easy to get together. Put them together and mount into the handle mounts in the Jeep. You'll have to fiddle with it for a while to get them aligned properly, but when you do, mark the driver and passenger sides somehow so you get them back on the same side when you go to use them. I used a little black paint pen to mark the driver's side mirror. It's subtle enough that no-one will ever see it but me.
Rinse, lather, repeat on the passenger side and you're done!! The install is very straight forward, and took about an hour total. Design, materials, and machining are all of the highest quality. Install/removal of the mirrors for use is simple and quick (especially if you marked one as I described). This is a great side mirror solution for the Jeep JL and this offroader recommends it above anything else out there because I know an excellent product when I see one.
By Steve Garrett
The kit replaces the plastic trim pieces on the top and bottom of the factory grab handles, with the top incorporating the mirror mounts, and includes your choice of 1" or 20mm ball mounts for any type of RAM style accessory mount. CMM can do them in whatever color you want, and their powder coating is top-notch, so it's also an excellent solution if you're looking to add a little custom color to the interior of your Jeep.
To install, start by removing the trim pieces. Just wedge a little flathead screwdriver or something under it and pop them out. Use something that won't damage the surrounding trim. They do have a little retaining catch that you can either give a yank and pop the end off or spend however long it takes to get them out without breaking them. I took the time to get the first one out unharmed so I could show you what you'd be dealing with, but then just pulled the rest out.
Next, remove the factory bolt from the top of the grab handle and put the top mirror mount in and torque it down. CMM puts a little dab of red paint inside the top one to differentiate it from the bottom, but it's pretty easy to tell the difference. Thread the ball mount in and torque it down being careful to get the ball mount started in the threads, it's easy to get them cross-threaded. Repeat that process for the lower mount as well.
The mirror sections ship disassembled, but they're easy to get together. Put them together and mount into the handle mounts in the Jeep. You'll have to fiddle with it for a while to get them aligned properly, but when you do, mark the driver and passenger sides somehow so you get them back on the same side when you go to use them. I used a little black paint pen to mark the driver's side mirror. It's subtle enough that no-one will ever see it but me.
Rinse, lather, repeat on the passenger side and you're done!! The install is very straight forward, and took about an hour total. Design, materials, and machining are all of the highest quality. Install/removal of the mirrors for use is simple and quick (especially if you marked one as I described). This is a great side mirror solution for the Jeep JL and this offroader recommends it above anything else out there because I know an excellent product when I see one.
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