Hey guys,

Well last night my buddy in his Ford Explorer came out and he just happened to get that POS American car stuck...PERFECT TIME TO SHOW THE YOTA!!

Anyway, I was just wondering how sturdy those front tow hooks are? I was in 4Lo and his two front wheels were COMPLETELY stuck in a 1.5 ft deep ditch and my wheels were spinnin'. I was just making sure that I wasn't risking them breaking or somethin.

Also, is there some kind of trailer hitch that has a built in hook or something that I could attach to the trailer receiver in order to have a more convenient tow spot? Thanks guys!!

Fink

 

The hooks will hold. The problem is the bolts. If they are an "8" grade bolt it should hold just fine. It will fail just a few hundred pounds with a grade 5 bolt. Look at the bolt head and it will say either a 5 or an 8. I have pulled 4,700 Int'l scouts out of ditches with my front hook.

 

I used to have a 94 'Runner and I was always pulling out my stepdad's POS F150 and for the most part used the front tow hook. I also used it to pull out an F250 once while off-roading. I never felt as though it was going to give at all and even had to jerk it pretty hard several times and it was as solid as anything. I wouldn't worry about it. Also, Performance Products does have a hook that goes into the reciever hitch, and many people have a shackle insert made by Warn that also goes in the reciever. I can't find a link to the hook, you might have to order that catalog for that if the shackle doesn't suit you.

 

The shackle looks like this on a Runner:

 

I was pulling my friends 1/2 ton Chevy out of a mud hole a couple of months ago with my 93 Runner. I used the larger of the two front two hooks and had to jerk his truck around 15-20 times to get it out of the mud. I was probably going around 15 M.P.H. in reverse when the tow strap would become taut. Well, I got him out but when washing my Runner the next day I noticed that the frame was deflected (nearly ripped apart) at the spot where the tow hook attaches to the frame. The bolts looked fine. It seems to be that it is the frame that is failing. If I had a digital camera I would post a pic of it, so yall can see what I am talking about. My point? If you jerk something hard enough, you will break something. But simply letting the tow strap become taut gently, then pulling should prove no problem for your Runner.

 

This is what you need in the rear:


From this place:
http://www.cabelas.com/information/A...r-Shackle.html

And these up front:
http://fastq.com/~sschaefer/store.html#Shackle

Hope this helps ya finkaroo!

 

I got 2 new front tow hooks from 4wheelparts for 12 bucks, then I went to a place by my house that sells nothing but nuts and bolts, they have a grocery sized warehouse with every nut and bolt ever needed. I uses those super strong bolts ($6) to put in two tow hooks. Now when I pull from the front, I attach a tree saver strap to one hook, slide the eye of my long strap over the end and attache the tree saverers otheer end. It turns out in a "Y" fassion. This divides the load between the frame rails. Plus, if one breaks I got another. In the rear I use the reciver shackle from 4wheelparts, it has a 4.7 ton rating and cost half as much as a warn. Also 4wheel parts has reciver tow hooks (black steel) for $6 tiil x-mas.

 

These are also useful for the rig that is stuck.
Here's Matt's rig with the Warn receiver shackle with my winch hook on it.

My Warn receiver shackle on Jim's truck (1.30 mb MPG) testing out my winch for the first time.

Note the Wireless Ramsey remote control.
Wireless baby

 

I don't know if this has been said, but be careful pulling out heavy things backwards. The ring and pinion isn't nearly as strong in reverse. I try my best to pull out any vehicles using the rear.

 

True...
Yank 'em from your rear with a strap, winch 'em from the front if you have one.

 

wow i've never seen the front Shackle Hangers before that are just bolt on. does anybody make them for second gens? the link above doesn't make them for second gens.

 

If these tow hooks are stock, then you don't have 2, you only have 1 real tow hook. The other one that looks like 1/4" bent plate with a hole in it, is NOT made for recovery.

Also, like what was said before, one should try to avoid pulling from the front because of the weaker gears...especially hard yanks.

 

get a front hitch

 

Thanks for all the respones guys!

I appreciate all the links...but like Kevy said, those front shackles don't look like they would fit on a 2nd Gen.

Hey Lamm, can you give me some part numbers for those hooks at 4wheelparts so I can take a look at those. I would be interested in something a little cheaper than that WARN shackle.

What are the limits of the tow hitch from a pulling weight standpoint? Is it going to be as strong as the tow hooks?

Thanks for all the replies guys, this is great!

Fink

 

my front hitch (drawtite) says 9500lbs.

 

I use the safety chain hooks to hook onto generally on the receiver hitch. If you could hook into a tow hook that is mounted with the pin in the receiver, then it should be good up to as much as you could ever manage, as the tow rating is 5,000lbs, but I'd bet it would take MUCH MUCH more abuse than that.

I've never really had to JERK a strap, usually just pulling out a 2wd that isn't hardly stuck (are they ever?). My friend had an "accident" and backed his S-15 4door 4X4 Jimmy down a 40 ft very steep and wet (raining) embankment into a drainage ditch (water was flowing through the back cargo area) and called me in the middle of the night a couple years ago. I took my brother's 95 4Runner and had about 8 drunk bystandards get in the truck to give me some weight and I pulled it out using reverse. Didn't even spin a tire, I was super impressed. (Used factory front tow hook). I've never heard of one (factory towhook) breaking, but I'm no hardcore off-roader either and I'm sure it's possible. Did anyone see on the america's funniest home videos where (I think it was an old Bronco) had a cable hooked from the side of the house to his "offroad bumper" and jerked about 3 times going about 15 mph each time. On the 3rd time, the bumper ripped right off the front of the rig. Not sure what he was trying to accomplish there.

 

Here ya go Fink,

http://www.4wheelparts.com/product2.asp?imseqn=464

I could not find the reciver shackel on thier site but I swear i got it at 4wheelparts Columbus for under $20. Maybe try thier catalog, someone said they were giving em' away for free lately. Remember, the bolts that come with the hooks are not right for your frame. I got my bolts at a place called Ziegler's nut and bolt house. You should just take the stock bolts out and go to the best hardware store you can think of and they can measure the thread and pitch. Remember, with vehicle to vehicle recovery every componet is like a chain, the weakest link will break. I can't imagine what would happen if a reciver pin brake and a reciver shackle wnt flying, it would be ugly. On my rig I like the weakest link to be the tow strap, flying nylon can only do so much damage. there is a guy who i used to work with that was apralyzed from the neck down because whan he was pulling a friend out the logging chain broke and came through his pickups rear glass, smaked him in the back of the neck and shattered his c-spine. He is a pretty cool guy, sometimes I take him offroadind with me, he likes it a lot. Good Luck

 

That's the problem. I've herad the same story. Except this chain hit a kid (15 yr old) in the back of the head and killed him right there.

Not trying to threadjack here.. but I'm ust curious, I know some tow straps have metal hooks, some just have loops at the end for you to loop around a tow hook or something. Mine has the hooks, for ease of connection, as lots of people that need help don't have tow hooks. Just curious if anyone has any knowledge on which way might be safer and why?

 

Lots of people recommend against straps with metal hooks on them, as the hooks have the potential to break off and become lethal projectiles...

 

I've heard this, yet never had 1st hand experience, just heard people tell me stories they heard. Nothing concrete. Anyone have any personal experience?