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Tow hook alternative

Trailbst

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Westerly, RI
Ok, before anyone thinks that they want to flame me, wait. I know all of the pros and cons of not having a anti-sway bar. I choose not to have one, and that is that.

So I needed tow hooks for our club ride this weekend. Ordered some from a company, they didn't ship when they said they would. Went to a buddies shop, and he had these laying around. I believe they are off of a 3/4 or 1 ton Ford, not sure though.

I measured the mounting bolts for the hooks, and the mounting holes for the anti-sway bar. Both are 3". So I mounted them. Of course, i hope I don't need them, but they are there just in case.

Here are the pics.

Photo_100706_002.jpg


Photo_100706_001.jpg



Erik
 
I thought about the strength. It's just a couple of inches behind where we mount all of our bumpers and tow hook brackets. Should be ok.
 
All I see is a lot of death and injuries. Tie that thing into the frame more... Plus it looks weak.
 
isnt it just two bolts holding that on?
 
I have a pair of front hooks from 4x4trailhunters.com that mount under the frame rails like yours, but they use a total of eight bolts per side. I don't think that yours will be strong enough to use as a recovery point.
 
if you are set to use them, make a bracket so you can run a few bolts on the sides of the "frame" as well. NO WAY would I trust the weight of the vehicle to those 2 bolts. Paint them orange so you remember not to use them. If you would not trust using the sway bar as a tow point don't trust those.
 
deffinately would not be pulling with those
 
It how hard you pull on them that counts. If you do pull them out it would do a yocky to the frame. As for being unsafe. Treat evey pull like SOMETHING going to let go. I have pulled Fords out one part at a time and no one hurt.
 
dont trust those 2 holes. i had one bolt rip out of the frame and the other stipped and fell right out. only 2 pulls on it, just small pulls too. very unsafe.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

Didn't have to use them.

Proper tow hooks and brackets should be here tomorrow. Will install them immmediately.
 
Trailbst said:
Thanks for the input guys.

Didn't have to use them.

Proper tow hooks and brackets should be here tomorrow. Will install them immmediately.


Good choice... This is not a good thing to have happen

NearMiss.jpg
 
I have the exact same tow hooks.. and I thought the same thing.. oh man great idea.. bolts right up..

Well I was looking at other tow hook set ups that use far more bolts or a backing plate and figured mine were no good..

So after some testing with a large log I was dragging back to camp for firewood I look a look underneath and the bolts had started to pull out of the frame rail..

No good for towing a several hundred pound log... definately not safe as a tow point..
 
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