hi all. i want your opinions on some damage to my wife's 4runner. it looks like someone ran into something with the tow hook. but the hook didn't bend, the frame bottom did. noticed it the first time we got stuck i was afraid to try pulling on it because it might be weakened. pulled from the flat metal hole on the other side. i need to repair this part of the frame and maybe replace the hook. not sure how to repair the frame though. any ideas?

 

Would need to hammer out the dent and weld a plate either in front or behind that area to strengthen that area. With holes drilled in the appropriate places.

I would then use a Generic Jeep hook - Something like the Top or 2nd one down on: http://www.discountjeepparts.com/index.php/cPath/51_995 with 3 holes.

Maybe someone else on here can verify if those Generic 3 hole hooks fit the holes already there. I'm new to the Yota scene, but I know they fit Chevys, Nissans and a bunch of other brands.

 

There's nothing wrong with your hook, though. Personally, I'd straighten the frame area, retap the holes, new bolts, and put the sucker back on. That metal is very strong.

 

Not after its been bent and straightened back out...not for a tow point.

Straighten it out plate it up and re drill holes. Make sure its secure. It could be your life. And tell your wife to drive more carefully! haha

 

do you think that i can hammer it flat with a small sledge? will that bend it back? if it will, do you think that if i put a long bolt through the hole that is dented in, and then put a nut inside the frame on that bolt, and then tighten the be-jesus out of it will it push that dented part back down? i have a little time to hypothesize on this, i just had knee surgery. oh, and my wife says to tell you guys she didn't do it. it was like that when we bought it.

 

My experience is different than yours, I guess.

 

I would discontinue the use of a hook and make that a place to mount a clevis shackle. Hooks work nowhere near as well, especially since the strap can just fall off.

 

Not as quickly as an 8-10lb, but understandably more easy to use in this case. I get things cherry-hot with a torch before I whack at 'em, this facilitates bending, instead of cold forging the metal back in to place. Either way works, heat makes it easier.

 

With this just being a recovery hook I'd bend it back into place and not worry about it. It will still work just fine IMO.

You can't use those to tow the truck down the road anyway...

And the hooks work just fine. How can it drop a strap with the retainer on it?

 

My sentiments, exactly.

 

it will be a pain i the *** to straighte it back out.
i took my 91 p/u to the shop to have the frame straighteed out after it had hit a pole and they almost couldnt do it because the frame is so strong.
there are still garley gouge marks on the frame from the chains o the frame machine from how hard they had to pull.

noone in my familey has seen fames as strong as toyotas, and we ran a body shop like that foreverr

 

Yep, that metal is pretty strong.

 

yay safety. yotas are deff strong solid little beasts. i got hit by an infinity and crushed his front bumper, and i had a little dent and some dust on my body, right behind the left wheel well. lol. built yota tough. -_^

 

so no good ways of pulling the pushed in part back down? i know i got my work cut out for me pounding the pushed down part back up into position, but there has to be some kind of tool i can misuse to pull down on the pressed in part. help me!!



think i could put this 3 holer on there with the middle bolt hole at the dented part and just "tighten the be-jesus" out of it?