S & L
As we've been cruising around, and exploring in the Gladiator this summer, we've been wanting to do more off-doors trips. However, that whole mirror requirement tends to put a bit of a damper on that.
So, looking for an easy set of mirrors, that DON'T just mount on the hinges (turning in the wind), I'd originally settled on the Mopar mirrors. However, the availability and price of those are a bit hard to justify, being that we'll use the doors off maybe a dozen time a year, only.
So, after searching a bit, I opted to grab these ones.
When they arrived, I immediately was put off by the fact the box was quite bashed up. On top of that, the listing claims they're for JL/JLU/JT, but the box says they're for JK, so I was worried about that, too. Still, the packing was intact, and everything seemed ok at first glance.
That original thought quickly went sideways, when I discovered that not only were the mirrors covered in greasy fingerprints and scuffs, but one was apparently broken.
As with anything, I immediately reached out to support, and was offered a replacement.. no muss, no fuss.
A few days later, the new package arrived (as well as the return label in email), and IMMEDIATELY, my original suspicions were confirmed... I'm 99% certain the original one I got was actually a previously purchased item.
This set of mirrors were packed differently, with the hardware even being separated out differently. Even the instructions were located INSIDE the interior packing materials, as opposed to the original box, that had wrinkled and torn (and again, dark fingerprints from grease, dirt, or oil) paperwork that was sitting between the inner packing and the outer box.
So, how about the product? Well, I'll freely admit, the mirrors seem to mount fine, and I suspect they're going to hold up fairly well in moderate speeds. However, as with anything that is a single pivot point, I wonder how they'd hold up to highway speeds for extended periods of time.
Before someone asks, YES, I temporarily mounted them with the doors on. (It was scheduled to rain while I was installing them). As such, a simple reminder: These are NOT designed to be mounted with your doors on. The doors, if closed, WILL damage them.
The mirrors have a few pivot points, and DO require a LOT of tightening down, to get them to not move easily. However, once in place, they shouldn't move around.
Mini rant time:
The back of the mirrors have the patriotic US flag symbol on them, but as is with the case of so many car accessories, the stars and stripes count are wrong. 15 stripes.. 23 stars. If I had any complaint at all, it'd be this: If you're going to be patriotic, and place emblems on your vehicle that are supposed to be, as well, the LEAST you can do is get the ACTUAL symbol correct.
However, this product is neither the first, nor the last, nor the most expensive to make this error, so it doesn't detract from my review.
Rant over.
The flag on the back of the mirrors is metal (seems to be painted or thinly powder-coated steel) and appears to be removeable, if you desire. (I will likely 3d print a different one) However, if you remove that metal bracket, realize that the rest of the mirror assembly is ABS plastic, and is thin enough, a rock could potentially crack/scratch/scuff it. So keep that in mind.
Another thing to note: the mirrors arrive with a transparent film over them. Remove it after installing, for a nice clear image ;)
So, now that we've discussed the mirror... honestly, lets talk about the REAL star of the show.. the brackets these things install into.
As you can see in the photo, unlike so many other off-door mirrors, that require you to remove the doors, and then install the bracket.. ONLY being able to do so, so long as the doors are already off. On TOP of that, you have to remove the brackets before you can put the doors back on... Unlike those types of mounts... This mount can be installed permanently, with or without the doors on.
Yet, it doesn't end there. After you install the brackets, in a way that makes them feel like they're part of the original vehicle design, the brackets can be used for other functions, as they include a 17mm ball to mount other accessories to. If I had one complaint, it'd be that it's not a standard 'RAM' B mount ball size (1"), since I have a lot of RAM Accessories that would make use of it.
NOTE: that mount is actually a steel threaded ball that guides into the recessed mounting bolt hole that attaches to the existing grab handle. You can choose to install it or not, if you so wish.
Overall, for the current price of $89, I feel like these are a good price/value. The quality is good, and the fact that these can be mounted or removed with very little work, make them optimal for someone who may not want to, or simply can't (no garage) leave their doors off for an entire season.
Recommended.
| Auto Part Position | Outside |
|---|---|
| Material | Metal |
| Brand | JOYTUTUS |
| Vehicle Service Type | Wrangler JL JLU & Gladiator JT(NOT FIT 2024 Wrangler) |
| Color | black |
| Mounting Type | Handlebar Mount |
| Included Components | mirrors , bolts and brackets |
| Special Feature | Rectangular |
| Fit Type | Vehicle Specific Fit |
| Size | Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT |
| Operation Mode | Manual |
| Manufacturer | JOYTUTUS |
| Lens Curvature Description | Convex |
| Item Weight | 5.26 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 13.3 x 7.72 x 7.09 inches |
| Manufacturer Part Number | A2701-15301-31 |
| Special Features | Rectangular |
