Metal front bumper/tow hook mount

[turbosax2]

Makes sense. On a 2g, it looks like that would have to exit under the bumper because the crossmember is so low. This could cause ground clearance issues, and mess with my future hopes to build a splitter. This might work for a lot of people, though, if that point is indeed strong enough to tow from.

I've seen one picture of this done. I'll search for it.

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[jtmcinder]

Bingo. It is also traditional to powdercoat tow-hooks yellow in rally/rallycross, as opposed to red for road racing. No idea why, but it's pretty consistent.

I should have noted above that some people do put tow-hooks on Evo Xs using the places on the bumpers (which actually have mounts on JDM Evos), but those are road racers. In that case, most OTS hooks are red. In contrast (as it were), the default color for an Evo X skid-plate toe-hook is yellow.

 

[eclipsegsx1736]

I agree function over form, unless I can get my way and have both at the same time. I'm not too concerned with "gaudy" - this hook will probably be staying on my car all the time as it's not a daily driver. Presumably that hook would have to mount to the top of the shock tower, like this:
Nagisa Auto GT Style Tow Hook S13 240SX - More Japan :: Since 2003

I'm not sure how Beau mounted his, though. As for the argument that this would be beneficial in a front-end collision, my retort to that is that I plan to make a rear tow hook as well that could be utilized in that instance.

If I used a hook like that, I would retain the factory crash bumper for supporting the bumper cover, so no weight loss at all (although that piece wouldn't add much weight). I'd have to cut a slot in my hood. I'm not sure of the strength of the shock tower, either. Would it be up to the challenge of handling a 4-5000 lb. load? Maybe Kevin can chime in here as he's torn down a shock tower. I remember the metal there being quite thin.

And as you mentioned, I'm not too keen on my hood being scratched up.

I had Andrew @ Frontline Fabrication make me the tow hook, and yes it's essentially the same as the one in the link above except Andrew gusseted mine very well so I'm sure it's quite a bit stronger than that piece (and this one's steel). The car doesn't see street use any more so I've thrown form out the window completely pretty much just needed something quick and simple to satisfy the tow hook requirement that wouldn't interfere with my plans for front end aero stuff.

I'll find out (well, hopefully not actually!) how the the tow hook and shock tower holds up in the 2012 season!

 

[greengoblin]

I agree function over form, unless I can get my way and have both at the same time. I'm not too concerned with "gaudy" - this hook will probably be staying on my car all the time as it's not a daily driver. Presumably that hook would have to mount to the top of the shock tower, like this:
Nagisa Auto GT Style Tow Hook S13 240SX - More Japan :: Since 2003
If I used a hook like that, I would retain the factory crash bumper for supporting the bumper cover, so no weight loss at all (although that piece wouldn't add much weight). I'd have to cut a slot in my hood. I'm not sure of the strength of the shock tower, either. Would it be up to the challenge of handling a 4-5000 lb. load? Maybe Kevin can chime in here as he's torn down a shock tower. I remember the metal there being quite thin.

And as you mentioned, I'm not too keen on my hood being scratched up.

The strut tower area is pretty beefy sheet metal wise. The center section is made up of a 10ga center cap sandwiched between to 16 gauge sheets tied together with a billion spot welds and three grade 10 or 12 M10 bolts. It way stronger than what the bumper supports bolts to inside the frame rails.

If you went this route you could build a light weight front bumper for good price just to drop weight.

The funny thing about race cars is you usually have to add weight to make them strong enough for the job and lose weight elsewhere in non critical areas.

At least that is what my experiences has been thus far.

Kevin

 

[gixrman]

How about the factory foglight location? Close to the frame, will have to be reinforced somehow on the back side but low enough and out of the way. just delete the foglight but your not cuting into the OEM bumper cover. I originally thought about coming up with a hidden hook (tow strap?) with my quick release kits so you could pop the cover off and hook up the tow hook. The cover goes into the car and no longer scrapes the flatbed when loading. But after reading the rules this is'nt possible.

 

[ed1380]

At first, cutting the bumper for it was totally out of the question. You have me rethinking though.

Bolting to the stock frame rail tubes is probably tough considering how they don't stick out very far. And they weight 2 lbs. each, so if we can use aluminum and shed some weight there it might be beneficial with hopefully not too much extra cost. But the stock ones may work.

So we're now talking about a thread-in hook rather than a bolt-on one, right? Where is it threading into? A threaded tube welded parallel to the ground in the middle of the crash bar?

You completely lost me on the "molded housing and cover" part. a plastic plug to cover the hole when the hook is not installed

If we keep the hook on the same level as the frame rails, what kind of material do you think we can get away with? With all of this testing you've done, I didn't pick up that having the hook off plane was the issue; I thought it was the fact that the hook was so far from each frame rail.

We're back to page 4. Even drew a picture to show it.

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The bad thing about the strut mounted tow hook is that it doesn't pull up to deduct weight on the wheels, and if pulled sideways it'll dig the wheels into the sand.

 

[turbosax2]

How about the factory foglight location? Close to the frame, will have to be reinforced somehow on the back side but low enough and out of the way. just delete the foglight but your not cuting into the OEM bumper cover. I originally thought about coming up with a hidden hook (tow strap?) with my quick release kits so you could pop the cover off and hook up the tow hook. The cover goes into the car and no longer scrapes the flatbed when loading. But after reading the rules this is'nt possible.

I'm not sure if that spot is strong enough either. That's the problem - we won't know if any particular spot can handle the force until it's actually used!

I may have other plans for the fog light holes in the future.

 

[greengoblin]

You could also build a light weight bumper structure to keep the front clip from flapping along with some light crash protection and have the bumper support beams that go into the frame rail threaded for the tow ring. The tow hook could protrude through the front clip on the owners side of choice. Symmetry be damned.

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[red_devil]

How about the factory foglight location? Close to the frame, will have to be reinforced somehow on the back side but low enough and out of the way. just delete the foglight but your not cuting into the OEM bumper cover. I originally thought about coming up with a hidden hook (tow strap?) with my quick release kits so you could pop the cover off and hook up the tow hook. The cover goes into the car and no longer scrapes the flatbed when loading. But after reading the rules this is'nt possible.

I was thinking about this idea also. Would be very clean if someone could do it and it could look oem. Not for road racing but just for a flatbed or at the drag strip. I blew a intercooler pipe at the track and the crew couldnt find a place to hook up a strap so they hooked it up to my intercooler braket but it held just fine and got me off the track.

 

[turbosax2]

You could also build a light weight bumper structure to keep the front clip from flapping along with some light crash protection and have the bumper support beams that go into the frame rail threaded for the tow ring. The tow hook could protrude through the front clip on the owners side of choice. Symmetry be damned.

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If I concede to hack the bumper cover, all sorts of options open. To use your idea, rather than redesign the bumper I'd probably just use the stock bumper and hack it as required to lighten it up, drill a hole through it where you circled, weld a bracket to the stock frame rail tube, and use a thread-in hook.

We've got a lot of good ideas flowing. I need to sit on it to find what's best, and convince myself which of these are strong enough. Or just install three different hooks on the front end to cover my butt in any situation

 

[Calan]

We've got a lot of good ideas flowing. I need to sit on it to find what's best, and convince myself which of these are strong enough.

Do you need me to run any more scenarios to help you decide?

 

[turbosax2]

I don't want to waste any more of your time before I can get accurate measurements.

 

[Calan]

Not a waste at all. I always learn something, and it's fun.

 

[gixrman]

I was thinking about this idea also. Would be very clean if someone could do it and it could look oem. Not for road racing but just for a flatbed or at the drag strip. I blew a intercooler pipe at the track and the crew couldnt find a place to hook up a strap so they hooked it up to my intercooler braket but it held just fine and got me off the track.

IO Port Racing Supplies: Tow Strap with Loop
The tow strap could be hidden behind the bumper cover and accessable if the vehicle needs to be pulled. I would still believe that a cross brace like the one thats been mocked up is needed to spread the load on the frame.
Something like this or how it is on the BMW's were there is a access port through the bumper cover. I can't find any good pictures of it right now but i'm sure you've seen it before. But heres the hook. Just some ideas outside of a visable tow hook.
BMW Tow Hooks (Front & Rear) All BMWs

 

[snowborder714]

I wonder what having a low mounted tow hook like the yellow one above would have done to my bumper (or the hook itself) in my avatar picture. I'm pretty sure I scraped the bumper on the ground a couple times going around that corner.

 

[turboglenn]

Sorry i haven't read all 8 pages, but are the most recent pics of one intended for the front? I've built a few that mount on the front lower engine cross member that run front to back, most of them came out below the bumper but i've done 2 of them that come out the opening just under the FMIC and they've been used and work decently, I just wonder if it's a height thing because i'm sure others have thought of the same design, just wondering why the designs are getting so complicated?

If you're willing to cut a slot in the front bumper the same mounts I've made for the lower position will bolt to the bumper horns with the bumper still in place, but you're depending on a M8 x 1.25 bolt to pull the car around. Also, unless it's just for looks i've ran a hook through one of the OEM holes in the bottom of that x-member before as well (a week and a half ago when i had the timing skip while the car was idling at the gas station)

Just asking because i've got some that are SS and Aluminum that are in a rough plasma cut state (just need ground smooth with an electric grinder with an 80 or 50 grit wheel on it) Figure if it will help some one out i can post pics or send one off to some one to see if it will work for the app you guys seem to need it for

The ,main ones i've made are like the ones in post 226

 

[snowborder714]

I'll be home for a bit this weekend and can possibly grab some measurements. What would someone (Craig) like me to get?

 

[DSMnOOb00]

Sorry i haven't read all 8 pages, but are the most recent pics of one intended for the front? I've built a few that mount on the front lower engine cross member that run front to back, most of them came out below the bumper but i've done 2 of them that come out the opening just under the FMIC and they've been used and work decently, I just wonder if it's a height thing because i'm sure others have thought of the same design, just wondering why the designs are getting so complicated?

If you're willing to cut a slot in the front bumper the same mounts I've made for the lower position will bolt to the bumper horns with the bumper still in place, but you're depending on a M8 x 1.25 bolt to pull the car around. Also, unless it's just for looks i've ran a hook through one of the OEM holes in the bottom of that x-member before as well (a week and a half ago when i had the timing skip while the car was idling at the gas station)

Just asking because i've got some that are SS and Aluminum that are in a rough plasma cut state (just need ground smooth with an electric grinder with an 80 or 50 grit wheel on it) Figure if it will help some one out i can post pics or send one off to some one to see if it will work for the app you guys seem to need it for

The ,main ones i've made are like the ones in post 226

sounds simple.
Lets see it, post some pics pelase

 

[turboglenn]

Sorry haven't been on in a whille..was sick fora bit, in and out of hostpital with bronchitus and then had other things to catch up on.. I'll get one out and finished up, put it on my car and get pics this week before christmass for you guys.. just shootme a PM and remind me i get sidetracked fast with other work

 

[turbosax2]

Here are measurements. Hopefully the pictures are self-explanatory.
Measurements pictures by turbosax2 - Photobucket

 

[snowborder714]

To add to this, the measurements of the radius for the front bar are:
width (straight line, end to end) = 33.875"
height (distance front above straight line to center of arc) = 2.00"

I know Craig was asking for this info a little while back.

 

[2gdanny]

hey guys so i have been working on my own style of tow hook and i came across this website that basically sales a kit for any car, i give it a shot and i think the out come was what i was looking for let me know what you guys think.

Rennline Universal Screw in Tow Hook Receivers-Rennline, Inc.

i used on of this
the you by the hook that you would like they have many, folding ones fixed ones retractable ones.

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[DashLaflash]

^Exactly how I would've done it. Can you post a pic of where the tow hook comes out of the front bumper?

 

[2gdanny]

here it is its still a work in progress as for how im going to cover the hole but most likely will be something like this.

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and this is the tow hook come with the sticker and a rubber grommet.

the bumper on this images wasnt bolted it was just placed on top its centered with the tow hook beam.

 

[DashLaflash]

Ok thanks a lot I thought it would have been in that spot. I would probably just drill a hole big enough to thread in the tow hook and just leave it in all the time.