Hey, i just came across this in a magazine. I dont have front tow hooks and was thinking of buying some.. when looking at my frame i kept wondering what those angled notches were for.. then i saw this

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/3309048_lg.jpg

The end fits into the notch and slides down to where it gets thinner so it cant come out.. then you're good to put on a hook from a strap or something to get pulled out of.

What you guys think?

Heres the link where you can buy them:
T-Hook thingamabopper (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=43572&categoryId=7383)

i personally dont really trust those, they look too cheap for me....

that is what the tow truck drivers use as a safety chain or as a winchpoint on a flatbed truck

I think your better off having a fixed tow point. Having to put those things on every time you need to be pulled out seems kinda pointless. And having something that moves around doesnt seem very safe when your putting that much stress on it from pulling. Might as well just go for the $7.99 tow hooks at Wal-Mart and bolt them on.

BTW, are you going to Paragon at the end of the month?

Also, a lot of ORV parks are going to require fixed tow hooks (bolted, not wleded).

and in the conditions my truck has been wheeling, i have filled the framerails with dirt and mud, i would have to chisel out the crud before being able to get one of those hooks in to pull

jeez, thanks for bursting my bubble guys :p

i thought it would work alright if i get stuck in mud or something. i didnt know they required "fixed" tow points.

when you guys put on your tow hooks- did you drill your own holes and to the go all the way through to the other side of the frame?

- i came up with this idea when i was checking out my frame looking for a place for a tow hook and saw those slots..

I only drilled through the bottom of my frame, not all the way through to the top. On my frame there were two small holes in the center of the frame already. I drilled them out and used them for the rear bolt on my tow hooks, the front holes were easy to mark because of the already existing holes in the frame acting like a guide.

what kinda bit did you use to drill out your frame? maybe ill go buy a few $3 bits cause its just gonna ruin them. I might get one of these hook things too just as a backup- for $7 you never know it might come in handy.

btw: yea im missing paragon. my birthdays the 29th so my family wants to do something that weekend and my girl wants to see me (that requires driving 3 hours to maryland).. so its gonna be hard to excape all that to "go wheeling"... family just doesnt understand :rolleyes:

:D

All you need is a good 1/2" drill bit and use plenty of wd-40 or similar lubricant to keep the bit from burning up.

Heck I didnt even use any lubricant and my bit was fine. Like Blee said, you just need a good 1/2 bit.

These would work for a fairly gentle smooth pull. Please do not use these with a recovery strap and a running start - you'll yank a chunk of your frame out! Those slots are intended for transport tiedowns, not the whole weight of the vehicle.

Ed

Originally posted by sk1er17
jeez, thanks for bursting my bubble guys :p

i thought it would work alright if i get stuck in mud or something. i didnt know they required "fixed" tow points.

when you guys put on your tow hooks- did you drill your own holes and to the go all the way through to the other side of the frame?

- i came up with this idea when i was checking out my frame looking for a place for a tow hook and saw those slots..

search for a thread that I started asking about tow hook brackets or whatever. you can see my ideas for tow hooks on our trucks. I don't have any digital pics of my hooks now, but i spelled it out in that thread

oh, and drilling the frame is cake ~ you'll be surprised how quickly you can go through it

ya know, if you get the VERY front crossmember for a newer Ranger it has to holes for hooks/loops in them. im not sure how much it would cost, but you would have to get it welded on and the hooks would come out right in the bumper opening on 99's.

EDIT: but im dumb and just realized that you have a '98 so that doesnt matter to you :o

Those hooks are accually used by tow truck companies and car carriers to hook up cars. so they are plenty tough.

Tim

They are not strong enough, this is the damage done to one of mine a few years back when it got towed, he used one of thoes to get it on the flat bed and this is what happened, in the pic i beat it back in and grined it down, the frame was actually ripped about .25", i now have fixed tow points up front.


http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/7/web/223000-223999/223222_197_full.jpg

skier...

just graba cheap tow hook and go to a muffler shop or somebody that can weld. they can weld it anwhere you want. i did my own this way and have had no problems at all. costs about 8 bucks for the weld and 6 bucks for the hook. takes about 5 mins total.

The hooks themselves are probably plenty strong. . its the frame that isn't. Putting a few thousand pounds of force against an edge of an 1/8" thick frame will do exactly what Yomies pic shows (or worse).
Also, you shouldn't weld tow hooks to the frame. Welding weakens the frame, and if / when you put too much force on the hook it will rip a good chunk of frame with it, as opposed to bolting it on where the bolts will break first.
Also, a lot of ORV parks are going to require fixed tow hooks (bolted, not welded).

The hooks themselves are probably plenty strong. . its the frame that isn't.

Yeah thats what i meant, thanks Jefe.

Like he said just drill 2 holes and bolt on a 10,000 hook you can buy from just about anywhere.

Those hooks are accually used by tow truck companies and car carriers to hook up cars. so they are plenty tough.

Tim

Well Tim, If I had to tow you and you had those hooks, I wouldn't be towing you, also if you had welded tow hooks, I wouldnt be towing you either. I have seen tow hooks that were welded come loose and it wasn't a pretty sight. The tow hook ended up going throught both windshields, and it was luck that there wasn't anyone in the truck when it happened. :nono:

Ray, I am not saying that I would pull with one of those. I was saying that that is what car carriers use to hold down cars.
I"m working on an idea for tow points for the EX.

Tim

yes that is a tie down "T hook" use for auto transporters, no good for heavy recovery work or ya end up with the ripped slots like in the photo someone posted, they are VERY handy when used on a V chain (2 of those hooks on 3-4 foot leaders and a center ring) for pulling imports and what not out of snow banks, off ice or any car that isnt stuck very badly (ie- two wheel drive on wet grass), I suggest that these are NEVER NEVER NEVER used for anything thats will be a high load application (pulling stuck 4x4's or cars from ditches) as I have seen them break, rip the tiedown points off the cars, bend the metal recovery tabs on imports, ect
for off road recovery always use a strap hooked to tow hook or frame cross member and I suggest always placeing a blanket or mat in the middle of the strap for safety, and never shock load the pulling system when pulling anything!
BTW- I know this stuff because I use to drive a tow truck and do heavy recovery work (roll overs, cars in deep ditches ect)

Thanks for that link to them....those will be awesome when I load my BII on my trailer....I've been just putting a ratchet strap around my front axle, but thats hard on the straps and I get a lot of bounce....I'm gonna definately order a set of them or maybe I'll take a look down at the new harbor freight store in Baltimore and see if they have them...