3rd gen noob question SR5

took off that sweet sweet air dam and found this. The closed ring in the first pic protruded thought the air dam on the drivers side so I figured that was the tow attatchment point (or is this shipping tie down point?) When I got the air dam off I found this ring that has been bolted on to the PASSENGER side in the second pic. 2017 SR5. Is this something I can add a shackle to? Am prepared to be told I'm an idiot. Thanks TW.

 

2nd picture is the one to use if you get stuck or you help someone else who's stuck.. First picture is basically tie down point if you're being towed...

 

What he said. And yes you are an idiot but learning is fun!

 

I personally wouldn't put a shackle on any of them but that's just my opinion

 

Good lookin out. Am currently reading through the recovery forum. Most say this point on passengers side is fairly weak and reccomend aftermarket parts. Some say it's workable for light situations like snow or loose dirt. I don't intend on wheeling in axle deep mud but do frequent forest service roads and snow. Would this factory mount be stout enough for some non buried in mud or sand situations?
Edit: am dumb leRning=best good

 

I've seen some pictures of aftermarket bolt on shackle points mounted there on TW. Like you, I'm not an Extreme Off roader so I'm sure it would be fine for anything I would need. May get a more substantial mount in the future, but not high on my priority list

 

IDIOT! Thanks for posting asking this, now I know as well

 

I got stuck last week and got pulled using the closed ring in the first picture. Is that ring specifically only for tie down when towing?

Should I be worried?

 

You're fine.

 

Well I'm glad I could stir up a hot debate at least. Thanks for input Kev. I'm in the east bay. From what I've read on other forum posts the drivers side is for shipping and the passengers is for general towing. But if it worked for you then hats off but try that passenger side next time. I didn't even know it was there until I took off my air dam. I obviously might be wrong and am an asshole but the impression that I get is that for serious recovery the factory passenger side mount shouldn't be used but people that have been stuck in lighter situations i.e. Not too deep or snow or too deep of mud that this point is fine. I guess it all comes down to How Stuck and How Deep. My last Tacoma (personal badge) was a 2wd so I haven't tried getting unstuck in my 4wd yet. I'm just trying to make sure I'm not an asshole who is surprised when something rips off his truck if I get stuck in a slippery 3/6 inches of earth and try to get pulled out. I type a lot with bourbon in me.

 

Yeah I was in about 5-7inches of mud and it seemed to pull me out just fine... I'm just concerned now. Since I used it for something that it wasn't made for. Just hoping it's attached to the frame and isn't all warped now.

 

Does anyone else have that ring on the passenger side? I have a recovery hook with two bolts

 

Joe from what I read it is because you spent those extra bucks on an Off Road you got a recovery hook. I got the SR5 so it came with the ring on passengers side. Look at me, I answered my first question.

 

kev I probably wouldn't worry about a one time tug out of some mud on that drivers side ring. If anything shitty happened it would have came undone. Maybe pop that air dam off and make that passengers side point more accessible and use that for light work in the future? Or as the theme seems to go we should both get that aftermarket recovery bolt on bit that bolts in where our passenger side rings currently sit.

 

That's interesting and silly. It's just a hook all of them should have it.