Mounting for Convex Mirror

National Safety Mirror offers two different mounting bracket styles for Convex Mirrors. The “Z-style” bracket is provided for mirrors up to 30” (inches) in size, and the “Telescoping” bracket is provided for both small and large mirrors. For outdoor applications where the wind could be a factor, we recommend a double or triple telescoping bracket.

The Z-Style Mounting Bracket

The z-style mounting bracket (see image below) is available for 12-inch, up to 30-inch, convex mirrors. A metal arm with a pivoting ball is permanently fixed to the back of the mirror during manufacturing. The z-bracket is attached to the end of the metal arm. The free end of the bracket has two pre-drilled holes for mounting directly to a wall or thick pole or for mounting around a pole using a U-shaped bracket (not included).

The depth of the z-bracket is roughly 4 inches. There’s a pivot ball on the end of the z-bracket where you can adjust the angle of the mirror.

Telescoping Brackets for Convex Mirrors

All convex mirrors are available with telescoping brackets, while some larger ones are only available with telescoping brackets. For 38-inch and larger, double and triple telescoping brackets must be used. Even on smaller mirrors, where the wind is prevalent, we strongly recommend double or triple telescopic brackets to add more support for the mirror.

There are two main parts of the telescoping bracket. The “i-bolt” has a threaded end that screws into the back of the mirror. This “i-bolt” connects to a tube that extends from 13”-21”. Where the i-bolt connects to the tube, you can loosen a screw/nut to adjust the angle. Once adjusted, it can be re-tightened. The length of the i-bolt is roughly 2”. If you were to point the tube part of the mount down towards the ground, then the depth of the bracket (back of the mirror to end of i-bolt” would be about 2”.

If the tube were extended parallel to the ground, the mounted depth would be 23” (i-bolt + extended tube).

The mirrors are configured at the factory for the bracket type on quantity and cannot be added after shipment.

How Many Brackets Do I Need?

When selecting a mirror, you will notice that some do not come with a z-bracket or a single telescoping mounting arm. This is due to the mirror size; some larger mirrors need at least double brackets. If you choose a convex mirror for outdoor mounting, go with double telescoping arms for mirrors under 30” and triple brackets for any over 30″. If you are in an area with normal wind conditions, double telescoping mounting arms should work in most locations.

How to Mount the Mirror to a Post or Pole

Because our customers mount the brackets to a surface in so many ways, we do not send hardware for that. For example, some may mount the mirror to w 4” x 4” post (the most popular way), a fence post, or even a tree. Look at the PDF files above to see what the attaching end of the mirror brackets looks like so you can plan accordingly.

As mentioned above, a 4” x 4” post is the most popular. If using a z-bracket, single, or double telescoping arm brackets, a 4” x 4” post works well. If using three (3) telescoping arm brackets, you will need a larger surface to attach the bracket ends.

If mounting the mirrors on a pole, U-shaped brackets from your local hardware store also work well. Simply feed the screw ends of the u-shaped brackets through the ends of the mounting bracket plates and use nuts to secure them in place.