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Tow Hooks w/ Brush Guard???

9

99greenjeeper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Edmonds,WA
I noticed this topic was asked before but no answers were really ever given. I have a Manik grill guard on my 99 Classic but would like to have some recovery points up front....can you install tow hooks together with the guard??

-Dave
 
Not sure of the Manik design, but I will check it out. But you must must MUST have your tow hooks "frame" mounted using more than the factory bumper mounts. Most tow brackets use at least the one hole on the unibody about 12" direcly rearward of the bumper mounting bolts, which has some snazzy name that I can't remember. Basically, it is a strengthened area of the unibody. The unibody is made of gauge metal, nothing stocky, so the more bolts used in proper locations, the better. Warn's bumpers use 16 bolts and the ARB's use about the same. Hope this helps a little.

-Rich

EDIT- Judging from the meager instructions on their site, I would recommend against recovery points on that setup. It looks to me like it retains only the 3 factory mounts to the unibody. But I could be wrong.
 
Last edited:
Sorry to bring this up again, but I still haven't solved this problem. I've seen a couple of posts of people installing tow hooks on the brush guard mounting brakets as they seem to be just about the same bracket as rustyt's. Would upgrading to longer grade 8 bolts and mounting the tow hooks onto the brush guard braket be sufficient?? Any help is much appreciated.
thanks,
dave
 
Hard to say without seeing how the brushguard mounts to the vehicle... can you post pics?
 
NO!!! Unless the person recovering you likes to have brushguards through their grille. Bottom line is that stock XJ bumpers are tin foil nothing more than cosmetic items, and you must use tow hook brackets and/or a stronger bumper (if you wish to bolt the hooks to the bumper), or you will just rip the uni-body apart. The brushguard in question is one of those looks only items that does nothing for ridigity like a Warn or ARB bumper does.

If you want tow hooks, get the factory brackets (or Rusty's or C4X4s), or a Warn or equievelent bumper. This isn't an area in which one wants to take shortcuts.
 
I would not recommend doing it... the hooks would have a good deal of leverage on the flimsy looking mounting brackets, and any good pull with some side load to it would probably twist the heck out of the brush guard's lower structure. Also, 2 of the 3 bumper mounting bolts have very little strength where they attach to the unibody.
 
i have my tow hooks on my warn brush guard winch mount, and it is sturdy enough. its rated for a 9k# winch though, and if it is just a brush guard i doubt it will hold up.
 
Ramsey said:
i have my tow hooks on my warn brush guard winch mount, and it is sturdy enough. its rated for a 9k# winch though, and if it is just a brush guard i doubt it will hold up.
Click to expand...

Winch mount being the key factor there...
 
would you trust it if you were to pull straight on this brush guard? as in wrap a strap around the guard and have someone pull on you that way? if the answer is no, then tow hooks on the guard is a bad plan

-XJ_Ranger
 
dont know if you ever got your answer

but


i would not pull using the brushguard or hooks attached to the brushguard or its brakets. after looking at maniks instructions i will say this. you might, be able to squeeze a set of tow hook brackets inbetween the bumper bracket, and the brush guard bracket. I was able to on mine.
 
I have a Smitty Built brush guard on mine, so i am assuming that they are similar. Anyway, I highly recommend installing a front end hitch from Hidden Hitch. It uses different mounting points and has allowed someone to pull me out an numerous occasions. If you want you can buy a hook or shackle to put in hitch for easier use.
 
I've heard a couple of people that have squeezed tow hook brackets between the frame and grush guard brackets and just upgraded to longer grade 8 bolts to sandwhich the tow hook brackets. That seems like a feesable idea (and probably cheaper than a front hitch). Only one way to find out.
 
99greenjeeper said:
I've heard a couple of people that have squeezed tow hook brackets between the frame and grush guard brackets and just upgraded to longer grade 8 bolts to sandwhich the tow hook brackets. That seems like a feesable idea (and probably cheaper than a front hitch). Only one way to find out.
Click to expand...

I second what JoeCool said about the hitch. I just purchased a Draw-Tite(recommended - it sits higher than the Hidden Hitch on my 97 Sport). It cost me $116...tow hooks for an XJ are $75 - $80. Not that much more considering the benefits of a front-mount receiver.
 
jeepguy97 said:
Use grade 5 bolts for tow hooks, they will not shear off like grade 8, but rather bend.
Click to expand...
Didn't we just have a discussion about this a couple of weeks ago? ;) Can't say as how I would agree with that statement as written. If you pull hard enough to shear a grade 8, it will also stretch and then shear a grade 5.
B.
 
With factory tow hooks: has anyone had problems fitting an aftermarket bumper or brushguard (over towhooks) due to extra width; do the mounting brackets usually have to be widend? I'm assuming the factory bumpers on tow hook equipped vehicles had slightly wider mounting points, or is the unibody slightly narrower to make them equal?
 
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