really? you must be speaking from experience...?RyleyF said:You WILL bend them, it's just a matter of time. Get some hooks from C4x4 or from the Dealer. They have a few extra brackets and are way stronger. I've been yanked HARD from the side using my factory brackets and they haven't bent, while I know of 3 people with Rusty's brackets (they don't have the extra support) and they have all bent sideways.
wall04 said:I'm saving up for these:
http://www.jeepinoutfitters.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=40
I've heard good things about the brackets and the store is great to work with.
I have the Trailhunters towhooks, front and rear, and they are holding up just fine. I've pulled to the side with them too, and no problems yet. They're sort of a pain to install though. The steering box bolts get in the way when you install the front driver's side hook, and the exhaust pipe makes it tough to install the rear passenger hook. Also, the brackets for the rear hooks didn't exactly line up with each other, or the holes in the frame. It took a little massaging with a Dremel to get them to mount up.BrettM said:i think they look like a great alternative. the only way your could bend them would be to first rip them off the frame, and with that many bolts in a double-thick section I don't see that happening.
begster said:Luckily, all my heavy pulling has been from the rear, with my Class III trailer hitch (like two massive wranglers similatneously pulling me out of being sunk in quicksand). My tow hook brackets look like this, http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f251/begster/p17635.jpg, and pulling out a stuck grand made the bracket pivot, which in turn twisted my bumper. Easy to fix though, and now know they are only for real emergencies.
AlohaBra said:That is why I use a class III hitch in front for recovery.
begster said:Ya I have seen a lot of people do that, and I just rememered that a friend of mine bought a class III hitch for her Jeep, and decided to get another one installed by U-Haul. I'll be giving her a call tomorrow. Question, what type of brackets do you use?
anodyne33 said:FWIW there has been some discussion around here about mounting hitches and I belive the concensus is that U-Haul's method (at least for the rear hitch) isn't the best thing going. I don't know how the front would mount, but I'd make sure I'd have pleanty of bracing behind the frame rail so as not to rip the bolts out with a good tug.
begster said:
So I would have to say that U-Haul is doing something right, other wise my hitch wouldn't still be attached, So, I don't quite understand what your refering to.