ARB Recovery Point alternative?

Bivouac · Jan 24, 2023

mattrussmill[OP] initial post: ↑

Is there anything worth buying as an alternative to the ARB recovery point? Is a factory trd tow hook really not to be trusted in a recovery or am I being overly paranoid? I've read that a lot of people on here don't trust them because of the very thin sheet metal they bolt to in the front (on my SR5 its just a tie down point on that side with the welded loop on the other). Not looking to spend money to replace my front bumper since I don't see myself installing a winch anytime soon, if ever, but I would like a way to reliably recover my vehicle (or another) from the front if needed. The other thing I've considered is a hidden receiver. But it looks like I could more easily bend my frame if in a small front end collision with one of those.

The TL;DR version - is anyone aware of a comparable product that's cheaper?
Click to expand...

I can see that the eighties Pick Ups and 4Runners were quite different. My 2000 is as well.

The front Hooks were mounted to the frame I used them quite often to yank vehicles hard with a strap.

Even one a very strong side pull I bent things never broke.

lilrhody · Mar 27, 2025

GilbertOz said: ↑

I haven't done an exhaustive search, but I have spent at least 2-3 hours looking into alternatives, because I, too, found the price of the

$315 ARB Recoverypoint RHS 8T Rated Tacoma 05On (2823010)

ARB recovery point excessive when I first came across it. ($240 at that time, price now at $300.) But I didn't find any alternatives. Nothing I saw that is commercially-available is remotely close to the size, weight, and build quality of the ARB -- not to mention ARB's reputation, engineering, and published rating of 8 US tons (16,000 lbs) as the max. safe recovery limit -- and that is from any pulling angle within the normal right/left sweep of the front tires.

EDIT, 2023-02-13: I found this alternative from Superior Engineering in AUS, which claims to be rated for 6,000 kg (13,200 lbs.) It costs $536 US ($770 AUD) before shipping and comes with its own bash plate, which probably would need alteration to make it compatible with any other underbody armor. Looking carefully at the design of both the RP itself & its method of mounting, it looks inferior to the ARB design.

When I think about the situation(s) where I need a recovery point -- esp. way off road, in some back country, where there is no option for a tow-truck to come out -- at that point I would want to have total faith in my equipment, and equip. that is rated as high as possible to handle an extreme situation, like a fully-loaded rig with one or both axles stuck in a rut on a 30º incline. Those one or two times, perhaps, in the next 10, 20, 30 years I might own the truck.. it will have been well-worth the $300 cost of the ARB vs. spending $100-$125 for stuff that looks solid but is obviously not designed to spread the recovery load out over as much frame as possible.

For example, the BPF "Heavy Duty" recovery point is listed as rated for 8,250 lbs -- but with two asterisks, ** next to that figure, on the web page --- and no futher comment anywhere that I can see, explaining what the asterisks are for. The BPF plate itself can probably handle 8.2K lbs -- but the piece of stamped sheet metal rectangular tubing to which it is mounted on the truck, I highly doubt it can take anywhere near that amount without bending. BPF even says this plainly, in the installation manual for the product. A best-case scenario for the BPFs (also suggested in their instructions) is to have two BPF points ($230, total!), one on either side of the truck, and then use a bridle to split the load between them. I bet that's what their "8,250 lb **" published rating is based on -- and that, only, with a perfect straight-line or at most 5-7º off-axis pull.

The screen shot below is taken directly from BPF's installation instructions for their "Driver's Side Tow Hook Install Guide."

In the installation guide, they're saying, "Buy our recovery/tow points -- but do your recoveries from the rear of the truck whenever you can. And if you need to do a recovery from the front -- be sure to use two of our recovery points and split the load..."

By comparison, the ARB states clearly & definitively that you can pull on their recovery point with up to 16K lbs of force, with a single line, from any angle up to ~40º off-axis from the centerline of the truck. Period. The extra $70 for the ARB is a no-brainer.

Screenshot from page 5 of BPF's installation guide. I am attaching a PDF copy of the guide here, for the record, and here is the current link to it, in case they remove or revise the guide at some point: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...ow_hook_install_2021_updared.pdf?v=1618552975

Comparing BPF's product listing vs. the installation guide, it seems to me that BPF is unclear, maybe even confused, about the intended purposes & use cases for this product.

The web page listing calls it a "HEAVY DUTY TACOMA RECOVERY TOW HOOK DRIVERS SIDE", whereas the installation instructions only refer to it as a "Driver's Side Tow Hook". For ordinary towing of a vehicle on normal asphalt roads, it'll probably work fine in many situations (though I wouldn't use anything that isn't DOT-certified for towing,) -- but off-road recovery (which includes a vehicle that may've driven off a country road & down into a drainage ditch) is much more likely to impose loads on this product that, as-installed on the vehicle, it isn't able to handle without damaging the vehicle.

Here's a link to another related post I recently made regarding ARB recovery points vs. the potential dangers of "cheap" alternatives:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2-front-d-ring-shackles.370318/page-3#post-28267830
Click to expand...

Long time follower/reader of TW, first time poster, so forgive any editing mistakes with quoting a post. Not sure if this thread is still active but just wanted to thank GilbertOz for his post, as well others. I too was considering the BPF Recovery/Towing point, but was skeptical having read a lot about recovery points in general and the BPF in particular.
I also noticed the 2 asterisks next to the the 8k lb rating and emailed them. This is what they came back with:

Thanks for reaching out. Yes you’re right I’ll edit those, as there isn’t any added notes.

Now, perhaps they didn't NEED to mention what is in the Installation Guide, but it sure comes across as being vague (at best) or sketchy/dishonest (at worst).

I'll spend the extra $100 on the ARB...super short money for a lot more peace of mind....

rockothetaco08 · Mar 28, 2025

mattrussmill[OP] initial post: ↑

Is there anything worth buying as an alternative to the ARB recovery point? Is a factory trd tow hook really not to be trusted in a recovery or am I being overly paranoid? I've read that a lot of people on here don't trust them because of the very thin sheet metal they bolt to in the front (on my SR5 its just a tie down point on that side with the welded loop on the other). Not looking to spend money to replace my front bumper since I don't see myself installing a winch anytime soon, if ever, but I would like a way to reliably recover my vehicle (or another) from the front if needed. The other thing I've considered is a hidden receiver. But it looks like I could more easily bend my frame if in a small front end collision with one of those.

The TL;DR version - is anyone aware of a comparable product that's cheaper?
Click to expand...

I’ve got the hidden receiver. It’s pure beef. Don’t think it’s going to make anything about the frame weaker.

AvalonTaco · Mar 30, 2025

Few of those who actually Wheel would mount a front hitch, but if approach angle isn’t a huge concern, it’s a multi purpose addition.

Snatched my Taco out two weeks ago with in-laws 4R with a hitch mount shackle on each vehicle.

Curt front hitch rated for a 9,000lb straight line pull.

I plow with a hitch mount plow, move various trailers with the front hitch, snatch and may have a hitch mount winch at some point. I don’t think I paid much over $200.

Cool factor? Not even close to a red frame mounted ARB Recovery hook…but a worthy consideration.

Ps79taco · Apr 3, 2025

I have this Curt front hitch and has served me well. I had a winch attached to it and have recovered many vehicles. I've also used this mini j hook bridal that you can use on the frame or lca

AvalonTaco · Apr 4, 2025

Ps79taco said: ↑

I have this Curt front hitch and has served me well. I had a winch attached to it and have recovered many vehicles. I've also used this mini j hook bridal that you can use on the frame or lca

Click to expand...

I should already have a hook bridal as I snatch cars more than trucks and always struggle with recovery points.

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