Towing hooks on a 1992 FWD Talon?

[AlphaAssault]

Maybe Im blind, but I looked for 10 minutes this morning and could not find a place to hook up a towing chain on my Talon. Does anyone know if/where a hook-up is, because Im towing the talon myself, and connecting the Talon to an SUV via chain. No problem attaching the chain to the SUV, but where in the hell is the hook-up on the front of the talon?!

 

[NN4S]

There should be a pair of tow eyes attached to the frame on either side at the front of the car; look underneath for them. They look like stampings with holes around 1.5" or so in diameter near the front crossmember.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Ok, now I saw those, but I wasnt about to attach a towing chain and pull on it until I knew for SURE that I wouldnt bend anything.

 

[luv2rallye]

Those "tow eyes" are for holding the car onto a transport trailer or railroad car! They are not strong enough or meant for pulling/towing the car on the road (other than maybe a very short flat distance like up your driveway and even then they will bend up - I know). If used to pull on the road they are very dangerous and can rip clean through when going up even a slight hill (don't ask how I know this ). So if you use them you've been warned!

 

[Defiant]

And you'll beat the living crap out of the bottom side of your bumper. At least use a strap to try and reduce the damage.

 

[luv2rallye]

A strap will also cushion the starts a little instead of the chain jerk. And have someone in the driver's seat ready to steer the car to safety (rather than an oncoming car or tree) should the "eye" or strap break. Remember you will be pulling around 1700lb of car on a < 1/4" thick "eye" bracket attached by I think it's 1 bolt!

 

[AlphaAssault]

Oooookaaay, use a strap instead. Is there an actual tow hookup anywhere on the Talon then?

 

[AdamG]

No, but I have seen tow truck drivers use those hooks numerous times, never seen one fail.

 

[luv2rallye]

Some inexperienced tow truck drivers may have placed their wide strap around the bumper and connected to those eye hooks. Most (I worked at a service station and towed cars) used the strap but had giant heavy steel fish hooks that you hooked to some frame member hole further back so you had an absolutely solid connection thus not risking using a "eye hook" bending or breaking. In fact we were told to never use those eye hooks. So the eye hooks, or frame member, kept the strap from coming off but didn't take the full force. Most of the weight/force was absorbed by the bumper especially since they raised the front wheels (which you're not). Modern tow trucks lift the front by sliding a heavy jig dolly under the front wheels and tying them to it. This is so they don't risk damaging the modern bumpers which sometimes can't take vertical force well or so they just don't have to worry about any bumper damage at all (it's also faster to hook up with one size fits all equipment). And with an AWD you need to lift all 4 wheels or risk damage to the center diff - thus you always see Suburus being transported on a flat bed. Even the DSM manual states transport on a flat bed for AWD and lifting front wheels for a FWD.

Now if you can't afford a flat bed or just don't want to, I'm sure you'll take the risk like many of us do, to tow it yourself. I'm just pointing out the potential problems you should be aware of. You might seriously consider removing the front propeller shaft to save the diff if you tow it yourself since it appears you have an AWD.

 

[AlphaAssault]

I currently drive an AWD, but Im towing a FWD Talon. But thanks for the input. Before we move it any significant distance, I intend to examine how the hook-up looks. If I dont like it, we dont tow it.