Tow vehicle mirrors

I think I recall Noosa Fox posting some time ago about it being a legal requirement to have external mirrors both sides, projecting out past the sides of the van.
Don't forget that rearview cameras are not foolproof- my screen recently died after 2 years' use and I had to replace it. As well, the clarity of the view in my experience isn't all that good. But it IS good at night.
I have used Aussie Truck Mirrors- they have been great. A trick I learnt early on was to stand at the rear corner of the vehicle on each side and line up the mirror so I can see the driver's headrest. Sure saved a lot of getting in and out of the vehicle to align the mirrors. Maybe everybody does this!
As well, if you adjust the rubber pad on the strap to fit over the bump strip on the door, a lot of the strap when tensioned will be away from the paint surface.
I try to have my mirrors set up low enough to be able to visually check the BT tyres as I drive. This doesn't detract from the general rear view.
Cheers
BobH

Thanks Max
I have fitted camera to back of tug and am getting one fitted to back of BT as well.
But as BobH writes, I have niggling doubts if not having wide mirrors would be legal in all States? Happy to stand corrected on this one though! Have you done any "research" yourself on this one?
Putting aside legalities, I know my car mirrors provide good rear vision down both sides of vehicle, and the BT rear camera should give good view out the back of the BT, but can you successfully see down the side of the van itself, i.e. do you have a blind spot down the side of the van? The BT camera won't show this, nor will the car standard mirrors?
I have also noted that, in rain, the view from my rear camera (once it has rain on it) can get very poor, whereas the view out of the mirrors still seems to be pretty good.
Has anyone else seen this effect?
Agree that these rear cameras are great for hooking up. Mine has almost 180deg out back of vehicle AND also can see the "ball". I can not only see traffic out the back, but also see the hitch, most of the chains and most of the trailer plug cable -- easy to see if something isn't quite right or comes loose.
Rick

Hi Kevin
I've got a replacement rear vision mirror that can be used as either a standard rear view mirror or show the camera displays. There are two 3-say toggle switches in the dash. One switches the camera views to the rear vision mirror (or turns it off) so it operates just as a mirror. The other toggle switch is to allow the cameras to be on "auto" or "camera 1" or "camera 2". In auto, it will automatically select the "rear-most" camera. In other words, if you're not towing anything, it selects the camera on the back of the car; if you hook up the van, then it automatically detects the camera signal from the van and selects the van's camera. Or you can manually select whichever camera you want (e.g. to look at the hitch while towing the van to check something). It's a good system and the replacemnet rear vision mirror is quite large. Or you can have dash mounted screens. However, we already have so many things on the dash that I didn't want anything more there.
The camera on the car is a colour camera with night vision; works extremely well and is very small so is tucked up under the number plate out of the way. As I noted in my earlier post, if it's raining, the view from the camera becomes obscured.
The camera for the BT is going to be the recommended one supplied by Sound In Motion, who will be doing the install. It's larger and chunkier (but also more robust) than the one on the back of our vehicle.
I've gone with a 12 pin flat towing harness plug, as that allows the one wiring harness from the van to operate the camera as well rather than having multiple leads between car and van.
The car system was installed by Northfield Sound System at Northgate here in Brisbane.
The van system will be installed by SIM Nambour.
I can find out the makes and models if you are interested.
Rick

Kevin
The replacement rear vision mirror is a CAR (brand) TFT-LCD KCZ8 directed 6 inch replacement mirror ($299 incl GST).
The camera at the back of the vehicle is a CD51EN colour CCD rear view camera directed ($349 incl GST)
I couldn't figure out how to post the pictures in this thread, so have emailed them to you directly! The first shows the rear-vision mirror and dash set up. The second the camera at the back of the car.
The camera going onto the back of the BT is the recommended one from SIM. The order placed on SIM doesn't show the make/model but it's costing $599 incl GST.
Rick

All good points and shows just how many issues there are in something as simple as selecting mirrors or rear vision cameras!
More fat to chew on!