Which tow hooks?

[Chattxj]

Im in the market for tow hooks, and im leaning towards getting Rustys. Does anyone know of any problems with these like bending or whatever?

 

[Matthew Currie]

If you mean the tow hook brackets, then those like Rusty's that come without bracing against side forces may bend if you are pulling or pulled at an angle, but they should not harm the vehicle when they do it. I bought a used set of unbraced brackets for my 95 (they appeared to be OEM missing the extra pieces), and they had bent a little at the horizontal mounting point of the hooks themselves. Since my purpose was to have some sort of emergency tow point for the occasional pull out of a snow bank, I didn't worry. Besides, I've always ended up as the puller, rather than the pullee, so the rear hitch gets all the heavy action. I'd look for more bracing if you expect to use them a lot for heavy wheeling.

By the way, if you have a 97-up XJ, the Rusty's hooks themselves, like the pre-97 factory hooks, will not comfortably fit under the plastic skirt below the bumper. The skirt touches the point of the hook and closes entry to it. The OEM hooks for these years have a much deeper or thicker base, to lower the hook location. You can mount the older style, but must either cut away the skirt or be prepared to push the skirt out of the way if you use the hook with a closed-loop strap.

 

[johnlv6]

I got the Rusty's tow hooks/brackets. I've only had to use them once...no problems here though. I had to cut away at the skirt to fit them, like Matthew Currie mentioned.

They say that the OEM bolts are long enough for the wider brackets...that wasn't so in my case (they were at least 1/4" too short). I wasted a bunch of time trying to line up the bumper support and unibody differently (adjusting bumper torx screws) because i thought i was doing something wrong...if they'd just included new bolts (i had to go buy some) that would have solved the problem. I'd be lying if i said that didn't REALLY piss me off.

In all honesty, if you can find a kit that comes with the bolts, i'd just buy that one instead.

 

[Chattxj]

I might go for the front hitch reciever form draw tite. Thanks for the input.

 

[Kuasimodem]

I installed the C4x4 tow hook kit that I got from JeepinOutfitters.com. They have the lateral braces and are rock solid!

BTW - My airdam went the way of the dodo when the tow hooks got installed, much cleaner look

I used my dremel to cut the flares flush and level with the bottom of the bumper.

 

[Chattxj]

Does anyone have a picture of a front reciever on their jeep?

 

[CanMan]

Does anyone have a picture of a front reciever on their jeep?

Kinda hard to tell though.

 

[Chattxj]

Anyone know/heard anything about the hooks from 4x4 trail hunters?
http://www.4x4trailhunters.com/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=1563 they seem kind of weak, but for 90 bucks for front and rear hooks seems like a good deal.

 

[stewie]

doesnt strike me as the strongest things in the world.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Anyone know/heard anything about the hooks from 4x4 trail hunters?
http://www.4x4trailhunters.com/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=1563 they seem kind of weak, but for 90 bucks for front and rear hooks seems like a good deal.

The rears look pretty good, using a nut strip inside and a reinforcing plate outside, but I wouldn't trust the fronts. There is a single hole in each side of the front subframe, that is reinforced internally, and the factory (and Rusty's) brackets use this. I'm guessing that they knew what they were doing when they designed it this way, and I wouldn't trust a plain plate bolted to the bottom of the frame. If it bends the frame it won't matter how many bolts are holding it on. They don't show what, if anything, they put inside the frame.

 

[johnlv6]

Those brackets don't inspire my confidence....they're MAYBE 1/2 as thick as mine (Rusty's).

 

[shortxjdoug]

i have the rusty's brackets and have been winched from them before without a problem, they make great bunper skidplates too and because of it they face in different directions

 

[whatevah]

I've got Rusty's tow hook brackets, and really bent them up good pulling a ZJ out of a mud pit. I believe that the C4x4 brackets are a little stronger, but if you're gonna do any serious recoveries, use a good hitch.

 

[2000XJSPORT]

I installed a set of Custom 4x4 tow hook brackets. With the extra bracket it makes them very strong. I just added the OEM tow hooks to make them lower. I have had no problems with them.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

If you mean the tow hook brackets, then those like Rusty's that come without bracing against side forces may bend if you are pulling or pulled at an angle, but they should not harm the vehicle when they do it.

I'll second that - my Rusty's hooks are really bent now, after using them to get pulled out of the mud a couple times over the last year or two.

Had I known they would bend like that, I'd have gotten a plate or something to tie the two brackets together (sandwiched between the bracket and the hooks, with longer bolts if needed).

Rob

 

[whatevah]

oh yeah, Rob... I forgot you were stuck (and good!) on the same trip I bent up my brackets. fun times

^^ Rob's brackets getting a workout. man, that mud was sticky!

ok ok, sorry for the thread-hijack