Van Modification Success: Goodbye Blind Spot Mirrors

[bigtwin]

£4000 to see what is behind you?

I simply do NOT understand!


JJ

No, it improves forward vision too by removing significant blind spots.

Two for the price of one, you might say.

Ian

 

[Rob Turner]

What is the reason, please? Just curious

Deleted

 

[Rob Turner]

There’s a good reason truck manufacturers are dumping the camera mirrors.

Didn’t know they were dumping them.
News to me.

 

[busby]

Definitely not worth changing to cameras, like you say, you’ve been driving for 60 plus years so you won’t be doing it for much longer. It’d be a waste of money.

Another 10 to 15 years and I shall only use my E.Bike...BUSBY..

 

[Mikey RV]

Another 10 to 15 years and I shall only use my E.Bike...BUSBY..

With or without mirrors, or just hand signals.

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[Wee Bold Davy]

As a retired lorry driver, the bit of 'kit' I'd miss most was my cloth for wiping the mirrors. On one occasion the mechanic who'd serviced the truck used the cloth and didn't put it back in the cab. I ended up using my sweat shirt. You'd be surprised by the number of times I checked my mirrors in a shift.
That habit carried on when I bought a Mh. It has a rear view camera and monitor which can be next to useless if the sun is low behind you and there's any spray on the camera. To be honest I wouldn't miss it if it stopped working as I rarely look at it.

 

[JockandRita]

To be honest I wouldn't miss it if it stopped working as I rarely look at it.

You and me both Davy.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[funflair]

We have coach mirrors (sticky out the front) which are great for visibility but sometimes when they get tangled in the hedge backs and trees I curse them and would swap for cameras, Jen said cameras next time and sometimes I fancy them on this van but I am not 100% sure as we already have a 360 system and I think too many screens could be confusing.

 

[MichaelT]

We have coach mirrors (sticky out the front) which are great for visibility but sometimes when they get tangled in the hedge backs and trees I curse them and would swap for cameras, Jen said cameras next time and sometimes I fancy them on this van but I am not 100% sure as we already have a 360 system and I think too many screens could be confusing.

Doesn't the 360 system do away with mirrors?

 

[funflair]

Doesn't the 360 system do away with mirrors?

No, it's a surround system not a rear view or mirror replacement.

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[jongood]

I'll be interested in what your thoughts are after a year or so.......personally I don't get it ! I can't see the extent of the field of view on the screens in your photo but know when I want to see beyond the 'edge' in my mirrors I just reposition myself to see what i want to see .....
really is the whole point that you have a clearer view out of the side windows?
Am I missing the point?

One of the points will become that manufacturers will no longer need to consider the angles between the drivers seating position, the location of the mirror arm and the required view.

As it stands the blindspots caused by the mirrors themselves are removed, The early gen Volvo FH were particularly bad( door fitted) as they could block a significant angle, also some A Class with coach mirrors where they can hang in the way on corners.

On articulated vehicles cameras can be programmed to track the rear of the trailer, a common problem with reversing a RHD combination around a left hand corner and vice versa.

They re less vulnerable to damage because they're smaller, although harder to fix if they do break.

I ve often made the point that its only possible to look at 1 mirror at a time ( most trucks have 6) with cameras you can combine multiple views on one screen.

Ultimately they should be cheaper as volumes increase - although I bet Morelo ones never become so

Like JockandRita Ive spoken to truck drivers with cameras and heard the same complaints, but these are the guys who used to complain about satnavs and now won't drive without them, tbf the biggie is night time driving, well that wouldnt often bother me in Mh . IMHO the cameras are developing and many of the issues will be dealt with and the improvements will become more valued.

I run with mirrors and cameras ( but cheapish small cameras) I find the cameras more useful than the mirrors although they re only basic ones. I recently saw a friends setup with a system similar to this one and was very impressed with the picture and field of vision.

I agree with funflair the 360 is made for a different job, which you choose will depend on your needs.

 

[jongood]

Doesn't the 360 system do away with mirrors?

A 360 system wont show you a vehicle approaching from behind or from the side until it gets quite close

 

[ceejayt]

I have been waiting for someone to sort these out so look forward to seeing a post advertising them with price.

I already have excellent camos 360 but hate my wing miirrors as they do create significant blind spots from time to time If they are £4K then I would seriously consider

 

[A S R]

We had some of the Mercedes trucks ( at my old place ) with the camera mirrors. They are crap! The screen quality is awful and the refresh rate sometimes matches car LED headlight flicker rate. It looks like people are flashing their lights trying to get your attention. They’re not and it’s massively distracting.
If you clonk your normal mirror arm on a tree branch, for example, it normally just folds round with a bang so you stop and fold it back out. Sometimes the mirrors units move on the arm but after a bit of a wrestle you can get them back more or less in the right position. On the odd occasion the mirror glass gets knocked out / broken so the worst thing is calling out a breakdown company who bring a new one out to you and fit it. No big deal. You may lose a couple of hours at best.

If you knock a camera arm off you’re totally stuffed. You’re NOT allowed to move at all. You can’t get a new one brought out and bolted on because of two main reasons =
1. There aren’t normally any spares in the country. ( we have had this twice now and the truck is off the road until some get shipped in ).
2. You HAVE to go to a main dealer to get them fitted because they have to be programmed to the truck on a computer. This requires a suspended tow by a breakdown truck!
Oh, and they cost a fortune!

They are truly blooming awful things. I point blank refused to drive them.

 

[Barclaybasher]

I could, maybe understand mirrors and cameras but not just cameras.

Anything electrical will fall eventually, anything electronic will fail sooner.

Most motorhomes are used infrequently, which doesn't help electrics or electronics.......avoid problems and keep things simple

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[Dolmen]

I don't know how long it will take to become the norm, however, the transfer to camera's is inevitable and as they are seen as an important safety feature for vehicles going forward. The camera will not just be a substitute for mirrors it will auto detect, provide warning beeps or apply the brakes if required and record everything for posterity side mirrors can do none of those things. Suspect most of us won't like change and therefore the two may co exist for a while before everyone asks 'why'?

 

[G1969]

By far the best mod that we’ve added to our van so far.
I can’t take all the credit for this one, most of it goes to Motorhome Retrofits who I’ve been working with for months to bring this to fruition.
I couldn’t be happier with the outcome and am so pleased to finally bid farewell to the blind spot causing mirrors.
There will be a full YouTube video released on the whole process in the coming weeks and I will post more detail in the future but I just couldn’t wait to share this one.

View attachment 933723View attachment 933724

Interested to see how you get on, and look forward to the installation video. I personally don't have any issue with blind spot, but do cringe when passing mad bus drivers. Since I came off second with my previous van and a truck, I now always slow and try and pull to one side.

 

[Rob Turner]

We had some of the Mercedes trucks ( at my old place ) with the camera mirrors. They are crap! The screen quality is awful and the refresh rate sometimes matches car LED headlight flicker rate. It looks like people are flashing their lights trying to get your attention. They’re not and it’s massively distracting.
If you clonk your normal mirror arm on a tree branch, for example, it normally just folds round with a bang so you stop and fold it back out. Sometimes the mirrors units move on the arm but after a bit of a wrestle you can get them back more or less in the right position. On the odd occasion the mirror glass gets knocked out / broken so the worst thing is calling out a breakdown company who bring a new one out to you and fit it. No big deal. You may lose a couple of hours at best.

If you knock a camera arm off you’re totally stuffed. You’re NOT allowed to move at all. You can’t get a new one brought out and bolted on because of two main reasons =
1. There aren’t normally any spares in the country. ( we have had this twice now and the truck is off the road until some get shipped in ).
2. You HAVE to go to a main dealer to get them fitted because they have to be programmed to the truck on a computer. This requires a suspended tow by a breakdown truck!
Oh, and they cost a fortune!

They are truly blooming awful things. I point blank refused to drive them.

I never mentioned the Actros.
There’s no programming in, no main dealer to go to either.

 

[Barclaybasher]

In 60 years of driving I've never had a problem with just mirrors......what's so different now?

Blind spots can be covered with additional mirrors.......

If mirrors aren't enough - give up....

 

[WESTY66]

I think this guy has all blind spots covered

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[OldAgeTravellers]

I think this guy has all blind spots covered
View attachment 934612

He can se everything behind him but has no Idea what’s in front!

 

[Rob Turner]

In 60 years of driving I've never had a problem with just mirrors......what's so different now?

Blind spots can be covered with additional mirrors.......

If mirrors aren't enough - give up....

Yeah OK, I’ll give up

 

[Rob Turner]

I think this guy has all blind spots covered
View attachment 934612

That’s quality that is

 

[ianp]

Yeah OK, I’ll give up

This maybe a daft question Rob, but is this a commercial venture between you and Motorhome Retrofits "who I’ve been working with for months to bring this to fruition." ?

 

[Rob Turner]

This maybe a daft question Rob, but is this a commercial venture between you and Motorhome Retrofits "who I’ve been working with for months to bring this to fruition." ?

No, Motorhome Retrofits were the only company willing to work with me to get this system developed to be the best it can on the market.

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[Rob Turner]

I could, maybe understand mirrors and cameras but not just cameras.

Anything electrical will fall eventually, anything electronic will fail sooner.

Most motorhomes are used infrequently, which doesn't help electrics or electronics.......avoid problems and keep things simple

I use my van very frequently to be fair but I understand what you say. Technology and reliability evolves daily, it’s no different to a HU or a reversing camera.

 

[Rob Turner]

Dont know how this works in the UK but I’m aware of one person that has done the same mod on his van in Germany and basically it means it needs approval by relevant authorities as the vehicle is approved only with standard mirrors. It’s a bit different on Concorde and Morelo as they offer them as an option and has had the vehicles approved accordingly.

Maybe in the UK it’s a non issue. Here I know it would not be allowed on the road unless approved

No issues here, I’ve been through the construction and use regulations and also my insurance don’t have any issues either.
Germany and the TuV do have strict rules and are followed by the book,

 

[busby]

We had some of the Mercedes trucks ( at my old place ) with the camera mirrors. They are crap! The screen quality is awful and the refresh rate sometimes matches car LED headlight flicker rate. It looks like people are flashing their lights trying to get your attention. They’re not and it’s massively distracting.
If you clonk your normal mirror arm on a tree branch, for example, it normally just folds round with a bang so you stop and fold it back out. Sometimes the mirrors units move on the arm but after a bit of a wrestle you can get them back more or less in the right position. On the odd occasion the mirror glass gets knocked out / broken so the worst thing is calling out a breakdown company who bring a new one out to you and fit it. No big deal. You may lose a couple of hours at best.

If you knock a camera arm off you’re totally stuffed. You’re NOT allowed to move at all. You can’t get a new one brought out and bolted on because of two main reasons =
1. There aren’t normally any spares in the country. ( we have had this twice now and the truck is off the road until some get shipped in ).
2. You HAVE to go to a main dealer to get them fitted because they have to be programmed to the truck on a computer. This requires a suspended tow by a breakdown truck!
Oh, and they cost a fortune!

They are truly blooming awful things. I point blank refused to drive them.

I always carried spare mirror glasses when working..Still do in my camper..BUSBY

 

[Rob Turner]

I always carried spare mirror glasses when working..Still do in my camper..BUSBY

That’s good, unless there isn’t anything to fit the glass to.

 

[dunnah01]

Well I hope you're happy - making all those mirror dwelling spiders homeless

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