My truck has one of these "tow hooks" on one side and a tie-down on the other. I temporarily removed them both. I'm thinking of acquiring another tow hook and dispensing with the tie-down so I can have a tow hook on each side on the front of the truck. Opinions on this thing? Is it strong enough to use as a recovery point? (Wine cork for scale)

 

Yes, it's plenty strong, that's what it's designed for. If you get another one from the junkyard it will bolt right up to the other side and you'll have a pair. You'll have to trim the valence to clear it.

 

Use metric grade 10.9 (metric equivalent of SAE grade 8) bolts for maximum strength. 12mmx1.25, not sure of the length. Just make sure to have plenty of bolt length to engage all of the threads in the frame and torque them down to about 85 ft. lbs.

 

Or grab the bolts when you grab the hook from the junkyard.

 

Instead of the Hooks I just make Brackets to attach Shackles as needed

Not Like the Mall Crawlers that like the Cool look and leave them attached exposed to the weather so they get borrowed or rust fast

It is a personal thing

 

That was exactly my plan. Plus I still have the OEM bolts from detaching the tie-down and they look to be the same as the bolts used on the hook.

I'm not a metal worker by any stretch, so OEM hooks will do for me.
Yes, I see no point to leaving steel shackles attached. That said, I'm in favor of soft shackles anyhow.

 

The hooks are quite a bit thicker than the OEM tie-down, so the bolts from the tie-down may not be long enough. Just make sure you have plenty of thread engaging the frame nuts.

 

Through online research I'm seeing that some people are saying to NEVER use tow hooks for recovery while some others are saying they're fine. And yet in the event that I'm stuck I have no choice but to use the tow hooks. There's no other spot to attach to! And yet I'm uncomfortable with using the tow hooks. Sheesh. You guys have any first hand experience with tow hooks like this?

 

The quality and capacity of the hook would be important in determining if it will work in any given situation. Also if 1 or 2 hooks were used and if they were attached to properly. How deeply stuck plays a big part too.

I can guarantee that if you don't have tow hooks you can't utilize them in any way - right or wrong.

 

The only down side to hooks since most spring clips are long gone ( I have never seen any)

With a little slack the strap falls off.

Which can be a pain at least in my eyes .

Since I do quite a lot of Overhead Lifts I have never used any of these so Called Soft Shackles knowing any sharp edges can cut things quite easy .

Granted a Soft Sling flying back is much better the a chain in the old days

 

In what you read they were probably referring to the hooks which are sometimes sewn into cheap tow straps. Those are only that, tow straps, not recovery straps. Quality recovery straps have loops sewn into the ends which can be thrown over the factory hook or put into a proper shackle to a good recovery point on the vehicle. The straps with hooks should not be used to un-stick a vehicle.

 

Thanks for the clarification. You may be correct. "Tow hooks" is kind of an ambiguous term.

 

2 hooks are now installed. Didn't need to trim the valence.