Tow Hook Bracket went bye bye....

G.Q. Jeeper

G.Q. Jeeper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Yellowknife, NWT
http://community.webshots.com/user/gqjeeper


The above Thread will show you what happened to my XJ today, I was in a deep bog and got stuck (very unusual for an XJ) anyways, I got my buddy to try to pull me forward, he tried and on the tird and last time ne tried to "snap" me out, it was not a hard tug, but none the less, the front bumper came off on the driver's side, the bolts ripped right through the frame, I thought I did everything proper and all, I used Grade 8 bolts, Tomken tow brackets and 10,000lbs tow hooks...

What is your suggestion to fix this problem? I am wheeling it in the type of terrain that you see in the pics, and what will work for my XJ that will be safe and strong??

Jeff
 
G.Q. Jeeper said:
What is your suggestion to fix this problem? I am wheeling it in the type of terrain that you see in the pics, and what will work for my XJ that will be safe and strong??

Jeff
Click to expand...


Well, looking at that picture of the tow hook bracket, that was the problem. It apparently only bolted to the stock three bumper mount holes. Correct? Quality brackets will have atleast a fourth bolt just past the steering box bolts. My suggestion is, get better tow hook brackets, or even better would be a front hitch receiver.

*Note to self, never recommend Tomken Tow hook brackets*
 
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE TOMKEN TOWHOOK BRACKETS.




Actually...now you got me thinking...maybe we can get them to change style or at least let them know how we feel about them...
 
tmt-0824-x.jpg


:wierd:
 
Havent had to test them yet, but even my factory tow hook brackets bolt up to the frame in 5 places, The three bumper bolts, on bolt further back, that bolt all the way through a sleeve in the frame, and a smaller diagonal bracket to the bottom of the frame.
 
Like others have said, my tow hook mounts use six bolts through the frame. I use the Custom4 x 4 ones in the picture above. I’ve always been told to use grade 5, NOT grade 8 bolts for tow hooks, bumpers and winch mounts. The reason is that grade 5 will bend/stretch, grade 8 will sheer. Of course this means that you need to check the bolts after you use it to make sure that they are still good. You can look at it and tell if they are bent, but stretched is not so obvious. My rule of thumb is if I had the bolts good and tight before I used it and now I can turn them with a wrench, they are stretched-throw them away and buy new ones. Bolts are cheap, pulling off a bumper or tow hooks sucks and getting hit with a flying winch cable really hurts.
 
i thought those tomken brackets were for a flat-towing set-up that quadratec sells so you can drag it beind the RV.. get a DRAWTITE receiver for the front.. much better ground clearance than the HiddenHitch...
 
sidriptide said:
i thought those tomken brackets were for a flat-towing set-up that quadratec sells so you can drag it beind the RV.. get a DRAWTITE receiver for the front.. much better ground clearance than the HiddenHitch...
Click to expand...
Or just do a good bumper with tow points built in...This to me is the only way to go for a built up jeep....Not so much for the tow points...although they are nice but for the protection it gives you for your fenders,grill,lights Ect.
 
I have not seen the C4x4 units previosly. I just ordered Rusty's. Any problems there?

Thanks
Jason
 
G.Q. Jeeper said:
http://community.webshots.com/user/gqjeeper


The above Thread will show you what happened to my XJ today, I was in a deep bog and got stuck (very unusual for an XJ) anyways, I got my buddy to try to pull me forward, he tried and on the tird and last time ne tried to "snap" me out, it was not a hard tug, but none the less, the front bumper came off on the driver's side, the bolts ripped right through the frame, I thought I did everything proper and all, I used Grade 8 bolts, Tomken tow brackets and 10,000lbs tow hooks...

What is your suggestion to fix this problem? I am wheeling it in the type of terrain that you see in the pics, and what will work for my XJ that will be safe and strong??

Jeff
Click to expand...


I would send the repair bill to Tomkin!


hinkley
 
oh ya baby, good luck getting the mildew smell out
 
look into getting a rigidco bumper. i pulled out a guy this weekend and it works great... and he pulled me out later also :rattle:
 
Wiley Coyote said:
I’ve always been told to use grade 5, NOT grade 8 bolts for tow hooks, bumpers and winch mounts. The reason is that grade 5 will bend/stretch, grade 8 will sheer.
Click to expand...
Not to be picky, but this logic is specious. A force great enough to shear a grade 8 will bend/stretch and then shear a grade 5 first. Grade 5's appear to be supplied as tow hardware due to cost in high volume manufacturing, not because of superior performance.
 
Beej said:
Not to be picky, but this logic is specious. A force great enough to shear a grade 8 will bend/stretch and then shear a grade 5 first. Grade 5's appear to be supplied as tow hardware due to cost in high volume manufacturing, not because of superior performance.
Click to expand...
Are you sure about that? I don't have a copy of Mark's here in front of me but if I remember correclty Gr5 has higher shear rating than Gr8 for the same bolt diameter.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

r@m
 
Root Moose said:
Are you sure about that? I don't have a copy of Mark's here in front of me but if I remember correclty Gr5 has higher shear rating than Gr8 for the same bolt diameter.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
r@m
Click to expand...
My therapist says "there is no right and wrong, only differing points of view..." :D
Here are a few good links with bolt grade information.
http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/fasteners/index.asp
http://www.americanfastener.com/techref/grade.htm
http://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/Bolt-Grade-Chart.aspx
Cheers,
B.
 
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