vibration noise from towing mirror straps

Submitted: Friday, May 13, 2011 at 00:41
ThreadID: 86251 Views:4764 Replies:10 FollowUps:14
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I have fitted the extend able towing mirrors to my new 4WD (the type where the mirror bracket clips into the window slot and is tightened by a webbing strap to the door's bottom edge) and no matter how tight I adjust the tension on the strap it starts to vibrate at around 80kmh. My mate has identical towing mirrors on an older Patrol and his do not vibrate, possibly because the older 4WD's have much thicker metal doors.

The sound is also wind dependent, always louder on the side the wind comes from.
What I would like to know if others had the same problem and what kind of dampening material attached to the belt was most successful to eliminate the noise. There is a rubber pad where the angled strut meets the webbing but it is obviously not enough - the webbing touches the door panel above and below this pad.
I did notice the noise went away while driving through a rain shower but keeping the belt wet is obviously not a practical solution.
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Reply By: Member - The Crow (QLD) - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 01:56

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 01:56
I used the wool seatbelt covers over the it seemed to work. I did this on the patrol and the 76 series cruiser and now do it on our 200.
200 Series V8 Diesel
Thanks for the Rest Flying West and Flying Very Low along the track not coming back. The Crow

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Follow Up By: Member - The Crow (QLD) - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 01:58

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 01:58
over the strap on the doors that is.
200 Series V8 Diesel
Thanks for the Rest Flying West and Flying Very Low along the track not coming back. The Crow

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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce T (SA) - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 11:33

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 11:33
We do the same thing as we couldn't stand the noise that was generated against the Troopy doors. Where the strap sits against the paintwork we use them. We use two, one up, one down lower, have done so for years and it works a treat.

Still using them on our Prado; same mirrors.

Bruce and Di
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Reply By: AlbyNSW - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 04:54

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 04:54
To stop straps from giving the wind vibration hum when holding down surfboards etc on the roofrack I put one twist in the strap and it eliminates it. I have not seen your setup but imagine it is the same thing.
Give it a try
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Follow Up By: Member - Corrugate75 - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 06:03

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 06:03
Try a half twist as AlbyNSW suggests, we do this on rachet tie-down straps on trucks and seems to work.
Cheers Corrugate
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Follow Up By: Col & Razza - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 18:56

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 18:56
I twist them also. I also have a boat with a bimini cover and if I don't twist the tie down straps it vibrates. Half a twist makes all of the difference.
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Reply By: Rockape - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 08:14

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 08:14
Troopie,
I use the same mirrors on my Troopy and don't get the same problem. I bought some magnetic sign material from a sign writer and have strips of that under the belts, this stops any vibration or scuffing of the paint work. Used the Aussie truck mirrors for a number of years and there are no marks on my doors.

Have a good one
RA.
AnswerID: 454148

Follow Up By: Rockape - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:37

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:37
Also check your straps are tight every morning
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Reply By: Ray - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 08:44

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 08:44
I gave those type of towing mirrors the flick years ago. I found that all that type were unstable and in some cases damaged the body paintwork.
I now use convex mirrors attached to the roo bar and a rear view camara.
I made the brackets for the mirrors myself so you cannot buy them.
AnswerID: 454152

Reply By: aka - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:06

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:06
Try an empty stubbie holder on the strap halfway down the door
AnswerID: 454154

Reply By: glids - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:31

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:31
I had the same vibration problem with my mirror straps - wondered what was wrong with the vehicle the first time it happened!
Sorted it out by using a small pad of foam jammed under the strap the first trip, but that dislodged when I got a gust (or blast) of wind from a truck going the other way.
Now I use a short piece of foam tubing (type used to insulate hot water pipes) that is held in place by a velcro strap - the velcro goes through the hole in the foam tube and wraps around the strap so it cannot come off or dislodge.
Anything that you can jam under the strap about midway along a free length of strap should dampen the vibration - it doesn't take much to change the resonant frequency.

To prevent marking of the paintwork where mirror legs contact the vehicle, I use a patch of 'contact' film (the adhesive-backed clear film used for covering books etc.) and remember to wipe off all dirt and dust before installing the mirror. If the contact film deteriorates and needs to be replaced, soften it with a hair dryer and it comes off easily.

cheers,
glids
AnswerID: 454157

Follow Up By: glids - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:34

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:34
re the contact film... I should have said in my post that I leave the patch of film on the door. Being clear it doesn't show up much, but replace it if it gets scuffed or damaged.
glids
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Reply By: snoopyone - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:34

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 09:34
Shift the buckle on the strap either higher or lower and try it.

On the 100ser the best place for it is over the plastic strip that runs along the doors Keeps the straps off the paint and doesnt vibrate.

Had the same trouble with a Patrol but funnily only the left one did it.

Altered where the buckle was and it stopped
AnswerID: 454158

Follow Up By: Baz&Pud (Tassie) - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 15:42

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 15:42
Agree with snoopyone, also before you fit the mirrors, wet the webbing then tighten as much as you can, when the webbing drys it will tighten even more.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Baz
Go caravaning, life is so much shorter than death.

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Follow Up By: henpecked - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 16:15

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 16:15
Re wetting the webbing.

I once washed my vehicle with the mirrors attached. Very concerned as to how loose the straps became. I would be a bit worried about driving for too long in the rain.

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Reply By: imon12 - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 10:02

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 10:02
We had the same problem with noise from the passengers side mirror. Like you tried many things to rectify it, tightening the strap etc. Finally solved the problem by moving the towing mirror away from the vehicle mirror. It seemed that if the towing mirror was too close to the vehicle mirror it created turbulance that caused the vibration and noise. This worked for us, hope it works for you.
AnswerID: 454162

Reply By: gottabjoaken - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 12:33

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 12:33
half a twist, stubbie holders etc all require you to dismantle and re-spool the strap to put it on.

Try putting a small cable tie round the strap where it is away from the paintwork, and tightening it just enough to put a curve in the width of the strap.
Doesn't affect the tension, and works a treat.

Easy peasy.

Ken
AnswerID: 454173

Follow Up By: Nargun51 - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 13:03

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 13:03
Smarter than the average Bear!!!

I've used the twist method when carrying a windsurfer on a roof rack, but this is so elegantly simple it's awesome.
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Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 14:16

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 14:16
thanks, Nargun

and I forgot to say you can leave the cable tie there even when you remove the mirror brackets. It may slip a bit but just re-position it into the middle of the length between the arm and the door pad (without having to loosen or tighten the cable tie) before you wind up the tension again.

That should also work for straps on a roof rack, but you may have to slide the cable tie along as you re-strap the load.

Ken
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Follow Up By: ptnuske - Friday, May 13, 2011 at 17:26

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 17:26
This is the easiest way, I user velcro straps to create the curve in the strap.

:-)
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Follow Up By: Member - Niss42 - Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 15:43

Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 15:43
Another vote for the cable ties, works well for me.

Barry
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Reply By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 00:57

Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 00:57
Thanks guys and gals. Now I have lots of ideas to test, the cable tie trick sounds too easy - I had some on board but it never occurred to me to try them.

As somebody else had experienced, at first I thought I had a major door problem (on a new car!) before I figured out it were the mirror straps. Strangely, its also the passenger side straps that are the loudest, might have to do with the proximity of the two mirrors - thanks for pointing that one out.

Hopefully I can enjoy a quiet tow next time the boat comes along for the trip.
AnswerID: 454216

Follow Up By: petengail - Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 16:00

Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 16:00
I use a bit of that non stick stuff you put in the bottom of van drawers to stop the stuff sliding about. about a hanky's worth folded and put between the strap and the door... works for me
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Follow Up By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 23:11

Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 23:11
Another brilliant idea, I wish I could come up with ideas like that......

So, the winners are: a cable tie to squeeze the strap roundish and anti slip matting wrapped around that. The matting should stay in place with a few stitches of yarn,

That's what I'll try first, wont know the result until the next boat trailer tow to the ramp as I believe its illegal to drive with extension mirrors on the freeway without an attached trailer.

Thanks for the suggestion.
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