modular front recovery, tow-points, skids, etc

[ehall]

That was my original intent but then I spied a flat-tow setup on an XJ at IHOP one day and started looking into that

 

[Markos]

So was the winch.

I thought so also but thought that it could have been really funny lighting. Anyway, that's cheesy as hell. They can't bolt a winch up for a demo shot?

 

[winkosmosis]

That's very clever, but I never got why people were so concerned with the strength of bolt on parts, bolts shearing, etc. What you should be worried about is the unibody, because you can never replace it. The amount those hitch recievers and hitches stick out scares me

 

[Jess]

You should connect the skid inserts and make some added protection to the lower front and the steering. If you were to have a frontal impact it could protect the rails from tweeking.

 

[xjtrailrider]

I run the Detours Back bone, I have yanked on this hard a few times, no issues. I recommend anything Mark builds.

 

[Mudderoy]

I run the Detours Back bone, I have yanked on this hard a few times, no issues. I recommend anything Mark builds.

I like the price, compared to an ARB bumper, the function, and the looks.

 

[Ray H]

I run the Detours Back bone, I have yanked on this hard a few times, no issues. I recommend anything Mark builds.

What did you do with that BackBone? Did you just cut the winch mount plate off or did you buy it like that?

EDIT: Now that I look closer at yours, I notice that its alot different than mine. The placement of the shackle mounts, the crossbeam, the winch plate. What gives? Is that a new design or is it the winchless design they have been working on? In addition, it looks like yours will except 3/4" shackles whereas mine will only take 5/8" shackles.

 

[cherokee chuck]

If you tie them together with a piece of 1/4 plate using your three existing bolts on each side it would be hella strong. I have the heavy duty factory tow hooks that are similar to your brackets and I'm planning to tie them together this way. I got the Idea from the tow plate in the quadratec catalog[pg 28 in the current catalog] it uses their wimpy tow hook brackets but with the H.D. units that you built it would be super strong & you obviously have the ability to add this. they are kinda low but 4.5" of lift would help that

 

[xjtrailrider]

What did you do with that BackBone? Did you just cut the winch mount plate off or did you buy it like that?

EDIT: Now that I look closer at yours, I notice that its alot different than mine. The placement of the shackle mounts, the crossbeam, the winch plate. What gives? Is that a new design or is it the winchless design they have been working on? In addition, it looks like yours will except 3/4" shackles whereas mine will only take 5/8" shackles.

Ray, Mark custom built that one for me. I have his sliders/stiffeners now as well and he modded them slightly.

And your right, no winch plate and the shackle mounts are wider than on the normal Backbone.

 

[ricot83]

i really like thinking outside the box, but they hang too low for my liking, but I am sure they work really well.

 

[ehall]

Height isn't the issue really. The shackles hang down, but they are still higher than the front differential, the muffler, the gas tank, etc., so anything I would jam into would also jam into that other stuff.

The real problem issue is that they hamper the approach angle, since they are both low and forward.

 

[HaleYes]

Height isn't the issue really. The shackles hang down, but they are still higher than the front differential, the muffler, the gas tank, etc., so anything I would jam into would also jam into that other stuff.

The real problem issue is that they hamper the approach angle, since they are both low and forward.

I'm not buying it. You have no approach angle with those things. Props for thinking "outside the box" though. There's just no way those things would hold up where I wheel. They'd be nothing but rock grabbers for me.

 

[ehall]

I'm not planning to do boulder crushing with my stock axles and lift either

 

[TiRod]

I like the thinking. Some of us don't try to get intimate with every rock on the landscape, we drive around them and enjoy the scenery on our way to a destination.

If y'all rockcrawlers really want a good approach angle, try what the HMMV did, flush the front tires out even with the bumper. Zero degrees approach and vertical climb up to 36" or so. It's how they are loaded on dual deck trailers for transport.

Custom long arms on the stock mounts could do it with enough lift to keep the headlights out of the way.

 

[badron]

Sweet setup, recovery points, quick hookup tow receivers, you could do a removable winch or too. In a pinch you could push a trailer. Way to think outside the box.

 

[xjcoupe]

nice set-up, you will like it better after you install a lift in it,now this is out of the box thinking, i too used 2 receiver hitches, and installed plow frame and a 7' snowplow, plus the weight of the snow i push, but its all bolted and welded, I know my uni-body hates me.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3016241/2

 

[xcm]

can someone explain to me how mounting recovery points to the front of the unibody rails to accept a shackle is 'outside the box'?

 

[ehall]

I didn't like driving around with armor pieces so I bought some of these rubber hitch plugs for daily use

I wouldn't post about something this trivial but... they are held on by a collar instead of the hitch pin, so all I have to do is flip them up and throw in whatever insert is appropriate, then flip them down when I'm done. They are a good additional to the design if anybody is considering something similar.

 

[Markos]

Usually, I'm all for building stuff yourself. I've spent nearly as much on some home made stuff as I would have on new parts. Howerver, I see a lot of time and money spent on inferior recovery points. As was stated earlier, You could have easily picked up a custom4x4 tow hook kit, a front receiver, or a detours backbone system. All three have stronger ties to the frame, and better approach angles. I see the following parts in your setup:.

$264!!!

• 1 High Country Bracket Set - $48
• 2 Steel Receivers - $30
• 2 Receiver Shackles - $70
• 2 Receiver Skid Plates -$60
• 1 Primer/ 1 Paint - $10
• 1 Extra Hitch Pin - $5
• 2 Mopar Hitch Plug - $26
• Hardware - $15

I'm assuming that you are no further along in your flat tow solution. You could just have easily incorporated a setup into any of the three alternatives listed above.

 

[ehall]

$264!!!

• 1 High Country Bracket Set - $48
• 2 Steel Receivers - $30
• 2 Receiver Shackles - $70
• 2 Receiver Skid Plates -$60
• 1 Primer/ 1 Paint - $10
• 1 Extra Hitch Pin - $5
• 2 Mopar Hitch Plug - $26
• Hardware - $15

doing something interesting with my hobby time ... priceless!