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HiCountry vs C4x4 (Front Tow Hooks)

D

dagr8tim

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Columbus, Oh
Does anyone have any pro's or con's of one over the other? I'm torn between getting a set of front hooks from C4x4 or HiCountry. I know HiCountry almost went out of buisness, so that's a slight con. But seriously, in real world performance is one far and above better than the other?

Right now the HiCountry has the slight lead because I can get a kit with the D ring mounts included.

http://www.custom4x4fabrication.com/recovery.html
http://store.hicountryoffroad.com/Xtreme-Tow-Hook-Bracket-with-D-Ring-Mounts-_p_41.html
 
I have the Hi-Country stuff, and like it a lot. It's a really strong setup, way stronger than the stock design that C4x4 mimics. The only downside was that the holes didn't all line up and I had to redrill a couple
 
The hicountry bracket width will not fit most (any) D ring shackles. The bracket is too wide (or shackles too narrow) by about 3/16". I have tried a half dozen shackles and cant get any to fit (smacked one on with a hammer, but then cant thread the pin).
 
Shogun said:
The hicountry bracket width will not fit most (any) D ring shackles. The bracket is too wide (or shackles too narrow) by about 3/16". I have tried a half dozen shackles and cant get any to fit (smacked one on with a hammer, but then cant thread the pin).
Click to expand...

Looks like the d rings should be 3/4 of an inch. Maybe somebody will chime in with info on where to find a d ring that will fit. I did a quick Google search and found many 3/4 shackles.
 
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Tractor supply is where I found my d rings, they have different styles and sizes to match almost anything. This was a few years ago but I don't see them changing their stock too often.
 
i got some hicountry brackets for my MJ. they are a great affordable option. i never doubted the quality and like the design better than the rest...
 
i have the hi country and can chime in on the d rings not fitting.

when i got mine i just ground the inside of the d ring down less then a 1/8" on both side and they fit fine.

yes some of the holes weren't dead on but i have a big 18 volt drill that made everything fit fine. i dont mind doing alittle work to get something to fit, i do it all the time at work.

i love my mounts(even if i had to mod em to get em on the way i wanted), they serve their purpose without being overly pricey or complicated. they are very beefy mounts, had no worries yanking full size rigs out of snow banks or off the beach. i had a little run in with a hyundai a few months ago and the d-ring mount did more damage to it then my bumper did! i did bend it pretty badly but not much will stand up to a 35mph-0mph hit. since then i have been yanked off a few rocks with the bad side and it didn't even budge! no regrets from this happy customer! best $100 i've spent on the xj so for.

they even hooked me up with a great deal on the replacement mount even thou it was driver error that caused the failure.
 
What is the opinion of the Iron Rock front tow hook mount?
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merch...egory_Code=PFX
IMG_6458.JPG


I was thinking of buying this and weld on D-ring mounts instead of using the tow hooks. Is this a good idea? I like how this one ties both frame rails together and offers a bit of front end protection.

Matt
 
plymatt65 said:
What is the opinion of the Iron Rock front tow hook mount?
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merch...egory_Code=PFX

I was thinking of buying this and weld on D-ring mounts instead of using the tow hooks. Is this a good idea? I like how this one ties both frame rails together and offers a bit of front end protection.

Matt
Click to expand...

I looked into it, but it's not compatible with most front end skid plates. I emailed them awhile back and they said they couldn't
 
IMHO --- unless you REALLY have to have those hooks because they look super cool, search the junk yard for oem hooks and recovery gear. I know its not the greatest looking solution but ive found that a lot of old isuzus and blazers have some pretty useful hooks and have sold a number of them off back when i was in phx because the PAP guys charged me 5$ for 20 of them.

also napa has good looking cast hooks, dunno if there is a price break or not
 
oh and if your foing to go all the way and add a whole mounting setup, why not just go ahead and put a receiver on the front with a 2x2 peice of square tube and a D ring or some hooks on it?


something to think about - one things for sure, if its a jeep, there's a way to do it.
 
Did a search on google for the hi country xtreme tow hooks and saw somewhere that they didnt fit an 01. Can anyone confirm or deny???
 
I don't see why they would not fit an 01. I have them on my 97.

While they are nice, I would never buy another set. I feel they were overly difficult to install, the pictures in my directions were not for the xtreme tow hooks, so they didn't match up. Plus I was missing a bolt. I had to wait for them to mail me the missing bolt. I really think they sent me the wrong hardware kit.
 
Hi-Country is a stronger design that the factory tow brackets or copies of the factory brackets like Rusty's or C4x4.

The Iron Rock Off Road (IRO) tow hook bracket is well designed and constructed. Tieing the front frame rails together is a good idea.

Rusty's has a real nice D-ring bracket that bolts on in place of a standard tow hook.

Welded tow hooks are a no-no and will cause you to fail the safety inspection at any organized 4x4 event.
 
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