How to: Tow hook installation procedure.

[zjrog]

What is the distance between the mounting holes? Will these bolt in whereregular hooks will?

 

[LoKo498]

Thank you for the help & links. I will check another HomeDepot by my friends house tomorrow.
It doesnt make sense that no1 carries these locally.
I will check out the links for the nuts & let you know what the outcome is.
I know grade 5 is good enough but grade 8 was the same price

 

[ShadowRaven]

So, I have a 2nd gen, 02 Sport, and I'm wondering if this is where the tow hooks are supposed to be attached. The picture shows viewing from Passenger to Driver's side, the interior side of the frame. The two holes at the bottom of the flat piece of metal is where I'm assuming I'm supposed to attach the hook, but I wanted clarification.

Heres a picture of the front view of the plate with the holes.

Heres a clearer picture of where it is in relation to the nose of the frame, so I was also wondering if I had enough room to mount these due to my having a 3" BL installed as well.

I don't want to order these hooks and then find out they wont fit due to the BL or due to their being the wrong hooks, so thanks for the help in advance.

 

[LoKo498]

To me, it don't look like they will fit on that 02 sport.
The hooks are suposed 2 be attached to the frame part with the 2 holes in there already.
From the pics attached, it doesn't look like the frame, it looks like part of the radiator bracket but I could be wrong.

 

[ShadowRaven]

To me, it don't look like they will fit on that 02 sport.
The hooks are suposed 2 be attached to the frame part with the 2 holes in there already.
From the pics attached, it doesn't look like the frame, it looks like part of the radiator bracket but I could be wrong.

The red Highlight is used to show that this is actually a piece of the frame that comes out in the small loop at the lower left, is welded back to the frame at the top left, then loops back and becomes one again with the frame on the right of the picture. Having actually lowered my radiator due to the BL, I know 100% that piece of metal has nothing to do with the radiator. Now that I think about it, my buddy's apartment complex has an 01 Sport (from what it looks like thats the year) that has tow hooks and I may end up crawling under his to see what's going on under there, haha. Still, any further thoughts on whether this will work or not are more than welcome.

 

[Mozilla321]

So I'm in the same boat as one of the previous posters, with an '07 model, and (apparently) no easy way to install tow hooks.

Has anybody tried installing hooks on the newer model, or have any suggestions?

 

[Essex4x4]

So I'm in the same boat as one of the previous posters, with an '07 model, and (apparently) no easy way to install tow hooks.

Has anybody tried installing hooks on the newer model, or have any suggestions?

yea here is my suggestion, don't get stuck :

 

[ryno_rx8]

anyone have any idea if the big one that come on f-250 Suoerduty's would work, Just to have some beefier ones with bigger hoops

 

[JoeCool6972]

So nobody ever came up with a way to add them to an 06-up? I want some!

 

[Essex4x4]

So nobody ever came up with a way to add them to an 06-up? I want some!

tried and failed, i had a local truck/suv supply store give me a quote on adding some tow hooks but all they wanted to do was weld them to the front cross member and i said hell no. Guess we are stuck to fabricating our own, and cutting holes in our bumper covers...:thumbdwn:

In fact i had even gone as far as posting here on the forum that i had the tow hooks already installed but when they told me how they wanted to do it, it sounded way to iffy to me and i didn't want to chance their made up ideas on my brand new truck.

 

[leov5]

This is a great write up. Just wish it could be done to the Mountaineer, without cutting up the bumper. Oh well, I will just keep dreaming.

 

[Got2bneo]

Dang. I had to take off the crash bar install my hooks THEN put the crash bar and bumper back on. lol

 

[LoKo498]

Just put the tow hooks on yesterday, took about 30 min. I had 2 use 3 washers on each bolt because the thread didn't cover the bolt enough.
They look really good.
Thanks for the writeup & updates guys.

 

[LoKo498]

Just put the tow hooks on yesterday, took about 30 min. I had 2 use 3 washers on each bolt because the thread didn't cover the bolt enough.
They look really good.
Thanks for the writeup & updates guys.

 

[snickstx]

For those that are looking for the tow hooks, make sure you check older vehicles. I bought a cast pair from an '86 F250 off ebay on a gamble and they fit perfectly. Best part, $12.50 shipped.

I used 1/2" x 2" grade 8 bolts, nuts & lock washers. Some dental floss, vise grips & a pair of channel locks went a long way.

 

[ExPlOrErImPoRtS]

I have just remove mine to put in my new fog lights.

Do you want to sell your front hooks!????

 

[NHarris]

Great information. I've been wanting some tow hooks and have always been curious how they are installed...now I know

 

[webwzrd]

Great write up - I had no idea it could be this easy.

FYI: There's a great buy on eBay right now for a new set of heavy duty chrome tow hooks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230402442442&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT#ht_500wt_956

There's 9 available (were 10 but I bought the first pair). Just $29.99 plus $10.70 shipping. Says "have some blemishes in the plating" but mine were in perfect condition.

 

[LoKo498]

wow, thats really cheep & for chrome!!!
I think thats what I paid & mine are black in color.

 

[Doomstang]

Great write up - I had no idea it could be this easy.

FYI: There's a great buy on eBay right now for a new set of heavy duty chrome tow hooks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230402442442&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT#ht_500wt_956

There's 9 available (were 10 but I bought the first pair). Just $29.99 plus $10.70 shipping. Says "have some blemishes in the plating" but mine were in perfect condition.

It says 6 available now. I'm thinking about buyin a pair.

What do you guys think would look better on my X, the Chrome ($40.69 on ebay) or black ($49.17 at trademotion.com)