by Mike Gardner
Special to Torque
Since the Wrangler YJ’s introduction over 33 years ago, Jeep owners have had the need for quality mirrors whenever they want to remove their vehicle’s doors.
Before that, most CJs had windshield-mounted mirrors that could remain in place when the doors were off. A few CJ7 and CJ8 Jeeps did come with a full-door option with door-mounted mirrors, but the Wrangler’s introduction really put the focus on having a secondary set of mirrors for doors-off driving. Or, at the very least, a way to move those mirrors from the door to windshield hinge.
In order to remain street legal, most states require a vehicle to utilize at least two mirrors—one on the driver side and one rear view. Some states will require a passenger side mirror as well, because the vehicle came that way from the factory. So it is always wise to know your state and local laws. It is also a pretty good idea to have mirrors on both sides anyway, as the additional visibility certainly won’t hurt.
Now, if you are driving a YJ or TJ, then deciding on replacement mirrors when the doors are off is a pretty simple process. You can choose a classic, simple mirror that will bolt to the windshield frame or cowl. This is also a fairly simple and smooth installation, and can be somewhat permanent so you don’t have to remove the mirrors every time the doors go back on your vehicle.
Make sure when mounting these mirrors that you have an extra set of hands to help out, as this will help support the mirror upon installation. You can also order hinged round Adventure mirrors. This style slips into the empty door hinge, and is extremely useful and versatile because it works with any Wrangler. Those with TJ and YJ vehicles can also relocate the mirror to the lower windshield hinge.
Some Wrangler YJ owners—those with any year half doors, or sporting ‘94-‘95 full doors—can also relocate their factory mirrors from the door to the windshield hinge with Rugged Ridge Mirror Movers. Should you have a TJ and want the same type of product, you have these mirror movers as an option. That means for less than $40, on both YJ and TJ editions, you can keep your larger factory mirrors and move them permanently to the body.
For those with JK Wranglers, your mirror options somewhat depend on whether the vehicle has manual or power mirrors. Most Sport S, Sahara and Rubicon packages came with power mirrors, so when these are removed with the doors, you can choose an inexpensive accessory mirror such as Quick Release Round Head or Squad Head for a replacement.
If your JK is a factory B or C package (meaning no power mirrors) you can purchase those above quick release mirrors, or go with a very simple mirror relocation bracket to move your factory mirrors to the windshield hinge. This Quadratec Relocation Bracket and Fill Plate will give you what you need to cover the hole where the factory mirror was mounted, while allowing you to easily remove the doors.
Besides those, JK owners can also invest in fully-functioning factory-style mirrors that relocate to the windshield hinge—meaning they remain on the vehicle when the doors are removed. These billet aluminum mirror movers can be utilized by those with non-power mirrors, or by those with ’11-’18 vehicles with power and heated options. These mirrors utilize a spring system to pull away from the door when it is removed, and then designed to lock back into place so you continue to have full mirror visibility no matter if your doors are on or off.
Keep in mind, this is a basic guide designed to give you several mirror alternatives when you remove those hard doors. For other types of mirrors, or mirror options, check out our Jeep Mirrors product page.
