DIY Side Mirror Delete & Door Hole Cover for Cybertruck

[Cybergirl]

I've been thinking about removing the side mirrors on my Cybertruck ever since I stupidly damaged the driver side mirror and was looking at $500 out of pocket to replace it. I have reasons for doing it other than to avoid that cost though:

1) The Cybertruck looks so much better without mirrors
2) Putting my Model Y and the Cybertruck in the garage is tricky (that's how I broken the mirror two weeks into ownership)
3) The mirrors take a beating on off road adventures when brushy trails get narrow.
4) The mirrors produce drag, reducing driving range, and they add to the lost visibility due to the A-pillars.
5) The truck has right and left camera displays that, frankly, provide better rear visibility.
6) It's not as illegal as people think. My research found that only 14 states explicitly require side mirrors, and 5 of those 14 only require it for in-state registered vehicles.

Removing the side mirrors presents some difficulties as well:

1) It takes some time to get used to camera displays instead of mirrors.
2) Cybertruck's rear, left, and right camera displays cover up the navigation map.
3) You run the risk of getting an equipment violation ticket in states that insist on have side mirrors.

There are after market products that address the problem of covering the hole in the door when the mirror is removed. I chose a DIY approach which I hope will be interesting to others. It started when I discovered that the shape and size of the hole is nearly that of a standard credit card. I looked on Amazon and found a pack of 8 stainless steel card blanks that I hoped would fit the hole with just one straight cut. Turns out they fit more perfectly than I imagined. The link is here. The project boiled down to making a support for the SS card, cut to size, and glued in place.

I made the support from pieces of 3/4" oak board I had lying around. I measured the angle of the top section of the door at 10 degrees and cut oak support blocks to that angle on a miter saw.

I used the mirror as a template to mark the next two cuts.

I put several layers of artist tape on the top of the block to match the thickness of the SS card, then stapled a piece of wood across the top to hold the block in place to mark the bolt holes. I drilled two 9/32" holes and hammered in 1/4" pronged T-nuts.

This was then bolted into the Cybertruck door. Note the recess drilled into the wood to make room for the rubber cover's attachment plug.

I then removed the wood strip, staples and tape. What remains is a solid, flat surface to which the SS insert can be glued.

As you can see, the SS card fits the hole in the door almost perfectly.

I only have to cut off the excess material along a straight line to align with the edge of the door.
I used a grinder to cut a groove along the line until I could bend and break off the excess, then touched up the cut to remove the sharp edges.

I then used some Gorilla Glue to glue the SS piece to the wooden block. The block can be adjusted a little to get a flush surface.

The SS card is finished with a course brushed surface so it doesn't blend in with CT's surface perfectly, but I don't find it objectionable.

I will do the passenger side the same way.

Here's a view from a distance. Not bad. Some rubber trim would make it even better.

When I'm required by law to have a side mirror, I'll slap this ugly accessory on the door to avoid being cited for an equipment violation. It's a 3 1/2" motorcycle mirror attached to the truck with a strong magnet. Tesla's SS is magnetic, but not exceptionally so. I haven't tested it yet at speed on a rough road. The mirror is large enough to meet Canada rules when I take my dream adventure trip to Alaska. Needless to say I won't be using this mirror all that much. I called it my "compliance mirror".

And here's what it looks like while driving. It actually works. I'll mount these mirrors when someone else is driving, like if I bring the truck in for a service appointment and a Tesla tech needs to do a test drive. Mounting the mirrors would be the safe thing to do.

The cost? Less than $100, both sides, including the mirrors.

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[Nice2CTu]

Nice piece of creative work and economics

 

[Spacenoddle]

I've been thinking about removing the side mirrors on my Cybertruck ever since I stupidly damaged the driver side mirror and was looking at $500 out of pocket to replace it. I have reasons for doing it other than to avoid that cost though:

1) The Cybertruck looks so much better without mirrors
2) Putting my Model Y and the Cybertruck in the garage is tricky (that's how I broken the mirror two weeks into ownership)
3) The mirrors take a beating on off road adventures when brushy trails get narrow.
4) The mirrors produce drag, reducing driving range, and they add to the lost visibility due to the A-pillars.
5) The truck has right and left camera displays that, frankly, provide better rear visibility.
6) It's not as illegal as people think. My research found that only 14 states explicitly require side mirrors, and 5 of those 14 only require it for in-state registered vehicles.

Removing the side mirrors presents some difficulties as well:

1) It takes some time to get used to camera displays instead of mirrors.
2) Cybertruck's rear, left, and right camera displays cover up the navigation map.
3) You run the risk of getting an equipment violation ticket in states that insist on have side mirrors.

There are after market products that address the problem of covering the hole in the door when the mirror is removed. I chose a DIY approach which I hope will be interesting to others. It started when I discovered that the shape and size of the hole is nearly that of a standard credit card. I looked on Amazon and found a pack of 8 stainless steel card blanks that I hoped would fit the hole with just one straight cut. Turns out they fit more perfectly than I imagined. The link is here. The project boiled down to making a support for the SS card, cut to size, and glued in place.

I made the support from pieces of 3/4" oak board I had lying around. I measured the angle of the top section of the door at 10 degrees and cut oak support blocks to that angle on a miter saw.

I used the mirror as a template to mark the next two cuts.

I put several layers of artist tape on the top of the block to match the thickness of the SS card, then stapled a piece of wood across the top to hold the block in place to mark the bolt holes. I drilled two 9/32" holes and hammered in 1/4" pronged T-nuts.

This was then bolted into the Cybertruck door. Note the recess drilled into the wood to make room for the rubber cover's attachment plug.

I then removed the wood strip, staples and tape. What remains is a solid, flat surface to which the SS insert can be glued.

As you can see, the SS card fits the hole in the door almost perfectly.

I only have to cut off the excess material along a straight line to align with the edge of the door.
I used a grinder to cut a groove along the line until I could bend and break off the excess, then touched up the cut to remove the sharp edges.

I then used some Gorilla Glue to glue the SS piece to the wooden block. The block can be adjusted a little to get a flush surface.

The SS card is finished with a course brushed surface so it doesn't blend in with CT's surface perfectly, but I don't find it objectionable.

I will do the passenger side the same way.

Here's a view from a distance. Not bad. Some rubber trim would make it even better.

When I'm required by law to have a side mirror, I'll slap this ugly accessory on the door to avoid being cited for an equipment violation. It's a 3 1/2" motorcycle mirror attached to the truck with a strong magnet. Tesla's SS is magnetic, but not exceptionally so. I haven't tested it yet at speed on a rough road. The mirror is large enough to meet Canada rules when I take my dream adventure trip to Alaska. Needless to say I won't be using this mirror all that much. I called it my "compliance mirror".

And here's what it looks like while driving. It actually works. I'll mount these mirrors when someone else is driving, like if I bring the truck in for a service appointment and a Tesla tech needs to do a test drive. Mounting the mirrors would be the safe thing to do.

The cost? Less than $100, both sides, including the mirrors.

Where did you get that iPad mount?

 

[TickTock]

I've been thinking about removing the side mirrors on my Cybertruck ever since I stupidly damaged the driver side mirror and was looking at $500 out of pocket to replace it. I have reasons for doing it other than to avoid that cost though:

1) The Cybertruck looks so much better without mirrors
2) Putting my Model Y and the Cybertruck in the garage is tricky (that's how I broken the mirror two weeks into ownership)
3) The mirrors take a beating on off road adventures when brushy trails get narrow.
4) The mirrors produce drag, reducing driving range, and they add to the lost visibility due to the A-pillars.
5) The truck has right and left camera displays that, frankly, provide better rear visibility.
6) It's not as illegal as people think. My research found that only 14 states explicitly require side mirrors, and 5 of those 14 only require it for in-state registered vehicles.

Removing the side mirrors presents some difficulties as well:

1) It takes some time to get used to camera displays instead of mirrors.
2) Cybertruck's rear, left, and right camera displays cover up the navigation map.
3) You run the risk of getting an equipment violation ticket in states that insist on have side mirrors.

There are after market products that address the problem of covering the hole in the door when the mirror is removed. I chose a DIY approach which I hope will be interesting to others. It started when I discovered that the shape and size of the hole is nearly that of a standard credit card. I looked on Amazon and found a pack of 8 stainless steel card blanks that I hoped would fit the hole with just one straight cut. Turns out they fit more perfectly than I imagined. The link is here. The project boiled down to making a support for the SS card, cut to size, and glued in place.

I made the support from pieces of 3/4" oak board I had lying around. I measured the angle of the top section of the door at 10 degrees and cut oak support blocks to that angle on a miter saw.

I used the mirror as a template to mark the next two cuts.

I put several layers of artist tape on the top of the block to match the thickness of the SS card, then stapled a piece of wood across the top to hold the block in place to mark the bolt holes. I drilled two 9/32" holes and hammered in 1/4" pronged T-nuts.

This was then bolted into the Cybertruck door. Note the recess drilled into the wood to make room for the rubber cover's attachment plug.

I then removed the wood strip, staples and tape. What remains is a solid, flat surface to which the SS insert can be glued.

As you can see, the SS card fits the hole in the door almost perfectly.

I only have to cut off the excess material along a straight line to align with the edge of the door.
I used a grinder to cut a groove along the line until I could bend and break off the excess, then touched up the cut to remove the sharp edges.

I then used some Gorilla Glue to glue the SS piece to the wooden block. The block can be adjusted a little to get a flush surface.

The SS card is finished with a course brushed surface so it doesn't blend in with CT's surface perfectly, but I don't find it objectionable.

I will do the passenger side the same way.

Here's a view from a distance. Not bad. Some rubber trim would make it even better.

When I'm required by law to have a side mirror, I'll slap this ugly accessory on the door to avoid being cited for an equipment violation. It's a 3 1/2" motorcycle mirror attached to the truck with a strong magnet. Tesla's SS is magnetic, but not exceptionally so. I haven't tested it yet at speed on a rough road. The mirror is large enough to meet Canada rules when I take my dream adventure trip to Alaska. Needless to say I won't be using this mirror all that much. I called it my "compliance mirror".

And here's what it looks like while driving. It actually works. I'll mount these mirrors when someone else is driving, like if I bring the truck in for a service appointment and a Tesla tech needs to do a test drive. Mounting the mirrors would be the safe thing to do.

The cost? Less than $100, both sides, including the mirrors.

Nice! Makes me wonder if Tesla deliberately made it fit that credit card form factor.

 

[WheresMyCybertruck]

Super clever, looks great. I'm sure if you cut the other cards in the pack you bought, several people here would want to buy them too

 

[Spacenoddle]

I've been thinking about removing the side mirrors on my Cybertruck ever since I stupidly damaged the driver side mirror and was looking at $500 out of pocket to replace it. I have reasons for doing it other than to avoid that cost though:

1) The Cybertruck looks so much better without mirrors
2) Putting my Model Y and the Cybertruck in the garage is tricky (that's how I broken the mirror two weeks into ownership)
3) The mirrors take a beating on off road adventures when brushy trails get narrow.
4) The mirrors produce drag, reducing driving range, and they add to the lost visibility due to the A-pillars.
5) The truck has right and left camera displays that, frankly, provide better rear visibility.
6) It's not as illegal as people think. My research found that only 14 states explicitly require side mirrors, and 5 of those 14 only require it for in-state registered vehicles.

Removing the side mirrors presents some difficulties as well:

1) It takes some time to get used to camera displays instead of mirrors.
2) Cybertruck's rear, left, and right camera displays cover up the navigation map.
3) You run the risk of getting an equipment violation ticket in states that insist on have side mirrors.

There are after market products that address the problem of covering the hole in the door when the mirror is removed. I chose a DIY approach which I hope will be interesting to others. It started when I discovered that the shape and size of the hole is nearly that of a standard credit card. I looked on Amazon and found a pack of 8 stainless steel card blanks that I hoped would fit the hole with just one straight cut. Turns out they fit more perfectly than I imagined. The link is here. The project boiled down to making a support for the SS card, cut to size, and glued in place.

I made the support from pieces of 3/4" oak board I had lying around. I measured the angle of the top section of the door at 10 degrees and cut oak support blocks to that angle on a miter saw.

I used the mirror as a template to mark the next two cuts.

I put several layers of artist tape on the top of the block to match the thickness of the SS card, then stapled a piece of wood across the top to hold the block in place to mark the bolt holes. I drilled two 9/32" holes and hammered in 1/4" pronged T-nuts.

This was then bolted into the Cybertruck door. Note the recess drilled into the wood to make room for the rubber cover's attachment plug.

I then removed the wood strip, staples and tape. What remains is a solid, flat surface to which the SS insert can be glued.

As you can see, the SS card fits the hole in the door almost perfectly.

I only have to cut off the excess material along a straight line to align with the edge of the door.
I used a grinder to cut a groove along the line until I could bend and break off the excess, then touched up the cut to remove the sharp edges.

I then used some Gorilla Glue to glue the SS piece to the wooden block. The block can be adjusted a little to get a flush surface.

The SS card is finished with a course brushed surface so it doesn't blend in with CT's surface perfectly, but I don't find it objectionable.

I will do the passenger side the same way.

Here's a view from a distance. Not bad. Some rubber trim would make it even better.

When I'm required by law to have a side mirror, I'll slap this ugly accessory on the door to avoid being cited for an equipment violation. It's a 3 1/2" motorcycle mirror attached to the truck with a strong magnet. Tesla's SS is magnetic, but not exceptionally so. I haven't tested it yet at speed on a rough road. The mirror is large enough to meet Canada rules when I take my dream adventure trip to Alaska. Needless to say I won't be using this mirror all that much. I called it my "compliance mirror".

And here's what it looks like while driving. It actually works. I'll mount these mirrors when someone else is driving, like if I bring the truck in for a service appointment and a Tesla tech needs to do a test drive. Mounting the mirrors would be the safe thing to do.

The cost? Less than $100, both sides, including the mirrors.

is it waterproof?

 

[Cybergirl]

Where did you get that iPad mount?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00585CLR2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[scottf200]

Very creative. Nice work.

4) The mirrors produce drag, reducing driving range, and they add to the lost visibility due to the A-pillars.

FYI, keep in mind it makes virtually no difference in the aero cD.

https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...ults-w-cd-figures-measured.13235/#post-261188

 

[Cybergirl]

is it waterproof?

Not completely, I will make it so.

 

[Gundo]

Seems like a good idea and I appreciate your creativity, but I cannot imagine driving and parking my CT without side mirrors. Will be interested in your real-world feedback after driving without them for a while.

 

[getsometom]

Great job. I enjoy your ingenuity and creativity to problem solving.

 

[bowenzhang]

As much as I like how CT looks without side mirrors, I couldn’t think of driving it with half the screen unavailable for navigation and other apps.
I guess that’s why you have a mounted iPad, for navigation purpose.
I can possibly accept a solution where the iPad is mounted right behind the steering wheel, to look a little bit cleaner. But interacting with it over the wheel would be annoying. Plus it blocks the grand view, blocks the wonderful air vent. ?‍

 

[jb15]

I thought I'd do this but the backup camera has the side view mirrors as the smaller portion of the screen.

 

[dalton108]

When Elon originally showed that they would be removable I thought I would immediately wanna take mine off. I am surprised that I actually like the look with the side mirrors better than without.

 

[mprimo]

The same. They grew on me, but I don't ever use them. The cameras provide way more information.

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