Tires and Tow Hooks

Thanks for the forum this is my first posting.

I know I've sent a few of this question direct but I thought why not throw it out to all the knowledge out on this site. I appreciate the time.

Okay call me a worrier but I only have so much cash (in other words none...getting married) but I want some clearance and good looks for my truck.
I have a 1997 Limited with the V6 SOHC. I have emailed a few people and read the forums that 31's will fit my stock truck - with no problems in gearing/steering etc? being effected and only minor rubbing under full loads not sure what that means? I do go off road in search of lakes but nothing major.
Is this really true - It's not that I do not trust anyone - I do and love this page but I am at the point where these tire shops and off road stores are scaring me and saying that a 30" will have trouble fitting and that the truck will vibrate etc. At times I feel like I bought a van not a truck....
Huh? I though this was a 4x4.
I love the Explorer's size and width but honestly may have to sell out to a Toyota 4Runner to get some simple stock clearence (and tow hooks)
So perhaps all I need is some more assurance that 31" or at least 30" will fit. I want BFG AT's

Oh yeah one more thing - has anyone put on tow hooks on their explorer? I have a canoe and would like to tie the front down and Explorer's don't even come with tow hooks?

Thanks and Happy new year and Great Website!

First off....welcome to the site. You'll find everything and anything all right here....and then some.

For starters, the tires. You should have no problems fitting 31's of the Explorer. You may need to take a small razor to the bumper a bit, but nothing major. There are several people on the site running 31's.

For the tow hooks. There are several different ways of doing this. Some have taken the hooks off of a GM truck and made them work on the explorer. I myself went ahead and drilled into the frame and mounted a pair. There are already at least one hole in the frame on the explorer and every car, so you just need to drill the other.

DONT GET A 4RUNNER

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Above is my 1997 Ford Explorer Sport with front tow hooks.
I had to drill 2 holes in the frame, and insert 2 steel threaded plates into the front opening of the frame so that I have something to thread into since there is not enough room to get a socket or a wrench into the frame to hold the Nut. Yes, I had to remove the bumper so I could be able to insert the steel threaded plates into the frame. The Tow hooks do not stick out at all, and they are accessible from the front air dam.

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Many have fit 31's with no problem on the newer Explorers, '95-present. One consideration: Any time you increase tire diameter, you are effectively changing the gearing of your vehicle. This will cause a decrease in performance. Since you have the SOHC, you have plenty of power. Just be aware that you're going to lose a little in acceleration and power to climb those long grades.

I've got the GM tow hooks mounted in the front, same location as leebo. I too only had to drill one hole, the other is already on the frame rail. The GM hooks are $20 and come with both hooks, 4 bolts, and backing plates - a really good deal. They look and work great.

Welcome to explorer4x4.com!

Originally posted by Ekal
Oh yeah one more thing - has anyone put on tow hooks on their explorer? I have a canoe and would like to tie the front down and Explorer's don't even come with tow hooks?

Thanks and Happy new year and Great Website!

Click to expand...

I tell my co-worker with a '98 Jimmy that the reason my '97 Sport came with a hook (loop) on the back and his came with a hook on the front is so that I can pull him through when he gets stuck.

LOL..today I saw a chevy blazer stuck in the snow and later a Jeep Grand Cherokee!

DOGMAN,

I want front tow hooks for my 2000 XLT (could have used them earlier this week, but that's another story...). Twenty bucks for two hooks sounds like a great deal. Where did you get them and what truck are they for?

Thanks in advance!
Bartman

Bart, just go to any GM dealer and tell the parts people you want some GM tow hooks for your friend's Silverado! Don't tell 'em they are for a Ford or they won't sell them to ya...reliability issues.

Hey Eric. Just caught the thread and figured I'd say hey and welcome to the site again. Explorer Pro Comp makes a set of tow bard, has anyone used or looked into these? You can check them out here on Explorer Pro Comp's web site: http://www.explorerprocomp.com/frames2/towhooks.html Summit Racing sells them for $6.95 each. If you go to Dead Link Removed and search for the part EXP-TH6BC you will pull up the black tow hooks. Hope this helps.

Those are just like the ones that me and CBoug are using. So far I've only had one problem with them.....and that was my fault.

Bartman -

Like Ru Dawg said, any GM dealer should carry them. The one close to me was out of them, but they told me that another GMC Truck dealer across town had some. $20 for these hooks and hardware is a bargain.

I've heard some people say that if you tell them they're for an Explorer, they won't sell them to you. Didn't happen to me though. The guy at the place where I bought mine saw me drive up in my Explorer and we talked about how cool they would look on it. No worries.

Install tip: You'll need to drill one hole for each hook, one hole is already there. You'll need a 1/2" drill bit. Get a good one, like a cobalt or similar quality tip. The frame is pretty thick, and with a cheap bit you'll be there all day. I drilled a 3/16" pilot hole first, using a good colbalt tip also. It's easier to get the hole exactly where you want it this way. Then the 1/2" bit goes right through. It's a good idea to have some machine oil to put on the bit periodicly while you're drilling, it will reduce heat and make your bit last longer.

For a great picture of an installed hook, go to Paul Sabin's featured Explorer, #7.

OK, I've got a 1994 XLT 4x4. And I'd like to get some tow hooks like you guys did with the chevy ones. Will I have to get a drop block for them to work? As in if I just bolted them on directly to the frame(no body lift), will they be too high up to be used??

Has anyone been successful in adding front tow hooks to a 2000? I see nowhere (flat, without oval holes) to mount to on the front frame, and even if there was, I'd have to hack up the bumper to access them.

Ok, I put two hooks on the front of my '00 after taking off the bumper and playing around a bit. Anyone interested in how, just email me jsg32@hotmail.com, and I'll give you where, and step by step if needed.
Sorry, no pics, I was thinking about it the whole time and never went in a grabbed the digital camera.

Jefe,
Why don't you post here what you did to get tow hooks on your 2000, that way everybody can see how its able to be done. Pictures of how it looks now would be great also.

Jefe,

I have a 2000 XLT also, so I'm interested in how you did it. I, too, climbed under my truck and saw that it was different than the pics from earlier models. Did you have to drill the frame for the 2nd hole like everyone else? It would be worth pulling the bumper if I didn't have to go buy a cobalt-tipped drill bit. Thanks in advance for any info. you have!!

JB

Ok, here's how I attached tow hooks to the front of my 2000 XLT.

Take off bumper. On the underside of the frame right near the bumper mount there is an oval hole. That is the front hole, hook slid all the way forward in it will be the most secure, but make sure you're going to clear the back of the bumper with the hook. Temp mount it there and run a pilot hole for second hole (3/16 or so). Remove and drill 1/2" hole [I used just a good quality standard bit and a cordless, and it worked fine] take your time and be patient getting all the hardware into the frame from the front and onto the bolt. (I also added a hefty flat washer against the inside of the frame because of that oval hole, but the hooks that come with the back plates would be ideal if you could fit it in the hole at the front of the frame.) Do the back bolt first and get it tight using an open-end through the front, and then insert the front bolt, and tighten it all up. Reattach and align bumper. Hooks end up being just outside of the airdam hole, and I’m guessing that if you needed a real tug it will damage the bumper, but the only other option I see it to cut the airdam to access the hook. . or, I was thinking, maybe you could rig up some kind of yoke off of the two hooks so that the angle is great enough that the bumper isn't a problem. Say a 5' tow strap with each end on a hook, and the main tow strap off of that yoke.
And some final pics:

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[Edited by Jefe on 01-26-2001 at 02:47 PM]

RE Tow Hooks

Why is it that Ford has never increased stock clearance and put stock tow hooks improved approach/departure angles for all the years it's been around? I took mine out wheeling the other day - a 97 Limited stock and got my ass kicked by a 98 Fourunner stock and 95 Cherokee stock...I had no tow hooks and awful clearance for a so called "truck" I can't take the recalls and scraping the belly- so its with sadness that I am selling it off and moving back to the Toyota ...great site and thanks for all the advice along the way but I am not mechanically inclined enough nor rich enough to afford all the modifications to keep up with stock Toy's or Jeeps...sad but true!

Good luck boys and no hard feelings I hope....I'm off to the classified ads....

Cheers

Canoe

If you just need to carry a canoe, you could put eye bolts into the 2 holes on the underside of the bumper.

I put a brush guard on my 92 Explorer, so I tie the canoe down to it. Also, I replaced the factory roof racks with Yakima crossbars and added a third strap on crossbar with the rubber roof pads right above the center of the front doors. I found the length of the roof rails too short to properly balance the canoe.


Bob

Bwana Bob- Where did you dig this up at... Didnt notice till about halfway through, but this thread is OLD. Im sure this guy is long gone....