[Big Horn]

Hey All, I’m getting ready to start another project, updating my tow mirrors to the 2008 style. While I was going to go OEM I’ve been watching my money with having had been off work 6 months and the cost 💰of the Ford mirrors are crazy high. The Trail Ridge seemed a good compromise.
I went with the TR00020’s by Trail Ridge through A1 Auto, They have had great reviews. I also bought the adapters from TR for the 2002 wiring (stock power windows). I have all the wire colors identified and it came with its own harness and switch for the power fold. The adapter plug is not pinned for the mirrors running lights or the turn signal wires but there is an open spot in the plug for one. All of the wires from the new mirrors to their plugs are pinned.

So, I’ve seen pins on sale on the web, different sizes and for “different style” plugs. How do I know what style pin to buy. I can’t find any identification on the adapter plug and have an email sent in to trail ridge but haven’t heard back yet. Maybe someone who has done this could lead me in the right direction. I could cut and solder but having all the connections plugged would be much nicer for disassembly.

Thanks! Glenn

 

[jleedog]

Can you post a pic of the type of pins youe are looking for?

 

[John in OkieLand]

most pins are Molex style,
look on Amazon for Molex Pins and get the Removal tool, it will save you a LOT of frustration.

 

[klhansen]

What I've done is harvest connectors from the local wrecking yard. Any Ford product works, and there are just a few types/sizes used. Unfortunately, they won't let you do that now here, but I still have a collection.
The pins can be removed with a dental pick type tool and swapped out.

 

[Big Horn]

Can you post a pic of the type of pins youe are looking for?

This may not help with the pins inside the adapter plug but here’s some pics:

Above photos:
needing to add a male pin in top row (for 6 in a row on top) and add a male pin in the corner, bottom row

BelowPhotos:
Plug on new mirrors with all the wires attached to female pins.

 

[Big Horn]

Got it figured out...... now to find pins. Here some pics for these plugs from Trail Ridge. Funny thing was when I reached their tech department they were like “sorry, we don’t have any information about the pins”

 

[jleedog]

You could just replace the whole plug with deutsch type plug. They are very similar and are a great Weatherproof plug. I use them on my utv for all my connections.

 

[Big Horn]

You could just replace the whole plug with deutsch type plug. They are very similar and are a great Weatherproof plug. I use them on my utv for all my connections.

I had considered that but the adapter plug already has 3 wires going to a round plug that matches the 2002 power mirror function. I have some 4 wire weather proof plugs for the remainder wires - ground, heat, running lights, turn signal. I also purchased a timer - 10 min. defrost relay with remote switch.

 

[Big Horn]

I’m in the planning stage of switch locations and want them convenient if used a lot...... for those of you who have already upgraded your tow mirrors, or who have a newer truck that already has the options.................

How often do you use your power fold?

And how often do you use the heated mirrors? Is it mainly a winter thing or are there other benefits such as moisture / temperature change/ fogging?

Thanks in advance

 

[klhansen]

My heated mirrors are only used when there's frost or fogging on them. Mine are self-installed and I used a defrost switch with time-out feature from a '94 Explorer. I was once driving along in relatively warm temps when the mirrors suddenly fogged up. It was a weird occurrence, so the manually switched mirror heat was handy.

 

[bugman]

I have had 3 vehicles with heated mirrors and can count on hand the number of times that I have used them.

Now for power folding mirrors, I would use them every time that I backed into my garage.

Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk

 

[John in OkieLand]

I have been reluctant to fold my mirrors back.

did that once, and the hinge broke on my suburban.... it was old and crunchy looking though.

bought a new set with the double post setup for towing, they extend out a long ways.

 

[Big Horn]

The jobs coming together thanks to a diesel stop member 😉 I’m just slow anymore 🤣

It really helped a lot that I already had wires ran under the sill plates for my running board lights and turns signals a couple years ago, and that I had drawn diagrams and listed the wire colors used for splices on the cab floor under the carpet. I cut the plugs off the OEM mirrors as they’re rectangular and not round (as shown in some of the Youtube videos) Here’s the mirror adaptors now that they’re re-worked....left plenty of wire for making the plug connections through the speaker holes..Start pulling wires through the door boots and into the cab tomorrow:

 

[Big Horn]

I’ve been looking 🤣 (and looking, and looking) at the drivers side kick panel area, E-brake, and the door boot for a couple of days now, reading forum after forum trying and trying to get a plan.

Post Edit: forgot to mention, 1A Auto shows on their install video to remove the E-brake, using ratchet, wobble extensions, socket - and in the video you can see “what a PITA”

I had almost surrendered to the idea I would have to pull the computer and the E-brake out of the way. Then I read an old post on another forum where the poster said as he understood, he would need to pull the fuse box down. Well, everyone chastised him, and said No. Well, the wheels started turning. Everyone agrees the drivers side is a bear no matter how you tackle it.

I had to make pulls in both directions, 4 wires from the door into the cab, and a small cable with plug from the cab into the door for the folding operation of the mirror.

So here’s what I did, about 1-1/2 hour total:

•Measured height of boot/hole in cab, comes out just above the E-brake bracket.

•Dropped the fuse box down out of the way.

•With the boot pulled back I pushed a welding rod 😉 through the cab, and between a couple layers of plastic that are overlapped.

•With a flashlight, and looking over the fuse box, and over the E-brake I could see the welding rod and bent it back towards me.

•I taped two long pieces of weed eater line to the welding rod by the door boot and pulled them half way through , one line for each direction of pull.

•Pulled the harness plug from the dash (power fold switch) through the hole in cab, then back through the boot, and into the door.

•Using the other weed eater line pulled the 4 wires from the door, through the boot, through the cab.

•Separated the yellow wire for the heated mirror, which travels across the dash to the defrost timer switch.

•I ran a fish tape from the bottom, up behind the E-brake and pulled the 3 remaining wires down for the ground, running lights, and turn signals.

I’ll try to add a couple pictures later but was pleased I could see the wire passage with the fuse box unbolted and lowered.

So, not the right way - just another way.....and at 1-1/2 hours doesn’t seem bad for the most difficult part of the job and not having to remove the E-brake in the process.

 

[Greg687]

What mirrors did you end up with? When I put my upgrades in years ago I could not find power folding ones.

 

[Big Horn]

Trail Ridge Model TR00020

and for others down the line, the TR adapter for use with their ‘08 style mirrors on the 2002 on their website shows the round plug in their picture..... that’s the wrong one - at least for mine. It has the rectangular plug on the door (OEM mirror controls)
,and I have seen many comments on the same in older posts and forums........guess I should have looked first..... but I see no adapter for my truck that looks like it has the correct plugs, and when I called the manufacturer they said “we don’t have an adapter for your model truck”. Go figure?

 

[Big Horn]

What mirrors did you end up with? When I put my upgrades in years ago I could not find power folding ones.

Edit: 2/9/23 - i noticed the URL quit working and removed it....all of a sudden every supplier is listing the TR00020 mirrors as out of stock or discontinued 😡

 

[Big Horn]

I pulled the wires on the passenger door tonight and while I was at it took a few pictures of the fuse box and drivers door area.

Below: Fuse box unbolted and lowered

Below: picture if fuzzy, but large enough opening to get my arm into......on the left are the wires coming through the cab wall from the door boot.

Below: Heres a better picture showing view and room to reach in with the hand.

Below: I Used aircraft cable to pull harness for folding mirrors through the dash.

Below: Pulling harness past stereo opening.

Below: Weed trimmer strings (2) pulled through from cab to door on passenger side. I tied off one of the lines while making the first pull.

Below: The 4 Wires pulled into the cab and the small harness and plug pulled into door.

 

[Big Horn]

This is the defrost switch I end up buying, it comes with a module that goes under or behind the dash and a micro-switch button. I selected the 10 minute cycle but you can order in 20, 30, 40, or longer:

https://frostfighter.com/thermasync-defroster-controls.htm

I moved my LED indicator lamp for my GPR (to a higher position) and put the micro switch in its spot:

Lots of room behind the dash cover, I’ve been taking pictures of all my gages and switches in the cover in case I ever have wires pull off or I need to remove and reassemble:

 

[klhansen]

Good idea on the pics of the wiring. If I ever have to take my dash cover off, I need to disconnect all 3 of my switches, then plug them back in when reinstalling. It'd be nice to have gang type connectors on my Carling switches. I think those are available, but I'm too cheap to buy any.

Is that an RJ11 connector on the heat switch? Hopefully the whole current for mirror heat doesn't go thru that.