Recovery tow hooks

Just finished installing my recovery tow hooks. These came off a 2009 Hummer H3. Took some time to figure out where to locate them and how to add brackets for the installation but I'm happy with the outcome.

 

Build write-up or more pics of how you mounted them? I'm picking up metal this weekend for a hidden hitch/ recovery bar build and I'm always looking for more inspiration.

 

Looks beefy for sure. Did you have the mounts welded to the frame?

 

I have a cousin that looks like that.

I'm just kidding, it looks good.

 

I didn't weld them to the frame I bolted them for now because I wasn't sure if I would leave it this way but so far I really like it. I may end up leaving the bolts in but also welding for added security. I used square stock at the bottom where the frame sticks out. Originally the frame had metal extensions that stuck out that bolt in to this lower bumper section. When Toyota replace the frame they left them off, I didn't even notice until I did this mod. I guess it's too late to get them back. I decided to use square stock to slide over the existing metal but it wasn't quite wide enough, in the picture you can see that I had to cut into the square stock then I heated with my torch and bend it out a bit which I didn't want to do because it weakens the steel but I still believe it will work if I needed to use them. I could definitely get more strength out of it if I welded it to the back side where the square stock slips over. I do have 3 bolts going through, two are pretty heavy duty they are1/2 inch in size.

 

Tell ya something pretty crazy

I had a 2017 3500HD Ram

Had about 40000 pounds of construction debris behind it on a trailer.

Truck and trailer sank into a yard one rainy day

Hooked two 100 hp farm tractors to it, and it wouldn't budge

We ended up pulling the tow hooks forward in the frame, stretching the mounting points.

I learned that day that frames arent as tough as you may assume

 

Ya think, you were trying to pull something that was stuck and weighted 20 tons. Thats aggresive!

 

Looks cool OP.

I don’t want to burst your bubble, but that “crossmember” that you have those bolted to will not stand up to a hard pull.

First of all, it’s like 1/8” thick. Then, in the middle it is necked down and perforated. It is obviously meant to crumple in a collision.

Just trying to save you a headache. I bent mine coming down on a rock on a trail. It has since been cut off and rebuilt way stronger.

 

40,000 lbs in mud is a lot different than a 5,000 lb Tacoma. Even at the most possible you could ever get stuck it wouldn't approach your scenario.

 

Well akshewally it was 39820 on the trailer. The truck weighed 9200 without me in it.

All weights per scale not just imagined

 

Those are recovery points as per Toyota. I'm sure he will be fine.

 

Ok

 

Just bolted for now

Yeah it is very thin but I noticed when I was drilling through it that it was eating up my bits. I believe it is heat-treated but I could be wrong. I was able to drill through the square stock much easier and it was probably 3/16 thick. I believe I would be able to do some light pulling with them but as you said probably would buckle under a heavier load. If you noticed they welded the factory recovery hook at this location so it should withstand some pulling.

 

Hey man, I’m just trying to save you some trouble. That’s all. I’m sure it would take a bit to tweak it. Good luck with it.

 

It is not heat treated.

I buzzed thru those on my 2nd gen with a harbor freight sawzall blade. Those blades wont hold up to much, so...

 

Consider a way to tie the front frame cross mounts to the rear (farther back) on the frame.

 

I've pulled/recovered some shit with my TRD recovery hook. Helped recover a stuck f350 . The thing was buried in the sand. The hook didnt bat an eye.

Another member states its weak because he struck a rock and it bent. Not exactly sure how that creates an issue when it comes to pulling. Two TOTALLY different forces at work.

 

Some of these threads and the responses in them, lmao!

That Tacoma when stock weighs less than 4,200 pounds. That is the exact point Toyota recommends. I'm sure that point could be bent by a rock, a collision, over 40,000 pounds, a little macho type in a big truck, or even an idiot that doesn't know how to properly pull out a stuck truck.

There must be a full moon tonight...

 

@Tacoforever I’m sorry. I really was just trying to give you a friendly warning. But I have to just make one more point, and then I’m out.

And I’m not trying to detract from your mod here. It looks neat, and I’m sure it’ll hold up to anything that isn’t ridiculous.

But...

This is what that crossmember is:



If you want pull full size trucks out of sand with this, more power to you.

It is the weakest point up there to do so with. It is obviously meant to crumple.

There is a reason that people use frame tie ins with plate bumpers and front receivers.



Because these frames get tweaked if pulled on too hard. And that’s when being pulled on directly at the front frame horns. Which is way stronger than that “recovery point”.

 

I didn't mean to imply that you would have 200hp worth of tractor and 50k to deal with

I do mean to imply that the metal you tied to is very soft

On my 2nd gen, the tow point and radiator support corner were pushed back roughly 1.5" from a deer impact.

Whats more strenuous on that frame member, a deer or towing a F350?