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Tow Hook mishap.

camarors8992

camarors8992

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Liverpool, New York
I'm surprised that these tow hooks didn't hold, but I know that they are the crappy mounts. I didn't know when I purchased and installed them. I was trying to help a buddy out and pull him out and I ended up causing a bit of damage to my Jeep. Mid-pull, my bumper ripped off from the Jeep, taking out both of my fogs, tearing the mounting points on the plastic bumper trim, and cracking my front facia, not to mention tearing the mounting holes in the frame rails to hell.

Damage.

100_2918.jpg


100_2924.jpg


100_2922.jpg
 
I can't tell from your picture if those tow hook brackets had the part that mounts further back with a 1/2" bolt.

Those 3 mounting points up front alone won't do it!
 
So did you get your buddy out??

Also, you didn't say what you were using to pull with. A chain will put a lot more strain on your mounting points than a strap will.

Shouldn't be too hard to fix though. Just a new bumper bracket and some sheet metal welding.


Next time, use the hitch in back.
 
WildernessJeep said:
So did you get your buddy out??

Also, you didn't say what you were using to pull with. A chain will put a lot more strain on your mounting points than a strap will.

Shouldn't be too hard to fix though. Just a new bumper bracket and some sheet metal welding.


Next time, use the hitch in back.
Click to expand...

Nope, I just couldn't get him over the bank that was keeping him from getting out. We were using a tow strap with loop ends, and thankfully enough not the metal ends. When the bracket let go from the jeep the strap went flying, now if there had been a hook someone would have been hurt. I started by using the hitch, but I couldn't get at the right angle without the jeep sliding side to side and I had trees about a foot on both sides of the Jeep.
 
WildernessJeep said:
from the looks of the mud caked under the bracket, you've got the bug. Go ahead and give up on resale value now. It makes the disease easier to deal with.
Click to expand...

That's exactly how I feel, when I bought it I got a killer deal and thought, I could turn around and sell it for almost double what I paid, meh, not so much now.
 
This is a good post........sort of. Glad no one got hurt, and it's a chance for folks to see that you can't fasten tow hooks to just the three bumber mount holes. You aren't the first to do this, and sorry to say, you won't be the last.
 
Wow....gonna have to think up some way to secure mine down a little bit better now after seeing this.
 
Were you running all 3 of the brackets on each side when this happened? It looks like you were missing the inner front plate and the lower plate. A full towhook kit is 3 brackets per side.

One of the most important re-inforcement plates is the one seen on the passenger side of the front shown here

bumper10.jpg
 
Not all tow hook brackets have the inner "L" bracket.

Although you should have the long towhook bracket that mounts further back with the 1/2" bolt.

I have rusty's towhook brackets with C4x4's L brackets.

C4x4's tow hooks come standard with the L brackets. I dunno if they are any stronger, but my Rusty's brackets bend easy. From pulling, or getting utop rock ledges.....they always end up tweaked and at an angle. Not the hooks themselves, but the brackets.
 
For my next upgrade I have been torn between hooks or a front hitch. I will def be going with a Draw Tite front hitch now. Its not much more $, and has to be way stronger, and ties each side together. I like the stock look, so I do not want an aftermarket bumper.
 
Factory hooks are the way to go, if not those, then the custom 4x4 ones. Crusty's doesn't have the angle iron piece in the front. If you get factory ones, the bumper mounts are welded to them, so the 97 and newer ones are different.
 
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