On Toyotas website, they state there are (2) "Tow hooks" on the front of the 2004 4Runner. I saw the 2 loops attached to the frame, but are they strong enough for recovering? Also, there is a thick burly one on the left rear frame member. Is that strong enough for recovering a stuck vehicle?

The front:

 

The Rear:

 

The front has definitely just got to be a tie-down. I can't see that being used as a recovery point. The rear looks suspicious - my guess is that it isn't either.

 

I kinda thought the fronts looked a little weak, but the rear one looks pretty beefy so I wasnt sure. Anyone else have an opinion? Why would Toyota call the fronts "Tow Hooks" then??? Are they located somewhere else on the front and I am just retarded and cant find them?

 

maybe they arent recovery hooks at all, but tie dow hooks for when being towed... hence tow hooks.....

 

These are commonly called tow hooks and are probably OK for pulling a vehicle out of sand, shallow mud, etc. However, I would not call them recovery points, and would not attach a winch to them for the purposes of winching up a hill, getting pulled out of deep mud, over a rock, etc. They are likely to bend or break, possibly resulting in personal injury. I would just go out and buy some real recovery points and replace them. You can find them just about anywhere. It is likely that you can bolt them up to the same place where your old "tow hooks" were. At least that was the case with the 3rd gens.

 

The fronts are def tie-downs, not recovery. The rear looks like a recovery point, but I'd probably want something stronger

 

Use those as a recovery point and the only thing you'll be recovering is the shackle out of the rig trying to "recover" you. Definitely just a tie-down spot for towing.