Stopped by the local junkyard today and grabbed a 2nd front tow hook for the front of my runner. More for asthetics was my intention. Always thought it looked goofy with the tow hook on only 1 side.

Anyone else have 2 hooks on the front of their 2nd gen?

Also, I just ordered a Warn receiver shackle from Cabelas a minute ago. Yay!

 

what the heck is other thing for on the driver's side anyways? a tie down point or something? i broke one of the welded nuts loose inside the frame on that one and i don't know what i could do to tighten the bolt back up. ideas/suggestions?

 

It's just a tie down loop, not a recovery point.
So what you are saying is that it's just on there loose right now, and you can't figure out how to tighten it? Why wouldn't you be able to tighten it?

 

EXACTLY!

That is a transportation tie down, for when your rig was delivered to the dealer. In the old days, they were often removed, now they don't bother. Some towing companies will still use them during towing, but most prefer to put a "J" hook or "T" bar into the holes on the frame. They don't trust them, neither should you.

Please do not use those for recovery. They self destruct in unique and dangerous ways when you least expect it.

 

Well i guess i shouldnt use that point for jerking my friends out anymore

 

It would certainly be safer to use a "real" recovery point. You may get away with it 1000 times, but it's that 1001st time that scares me When they fail it is often under peak load with a lot of potential energy in a stretch strap. The eye comes off with awe inspiring force, often with pieces of shrapnel flying everywhere.

I decline to recover people if that's the best hook up point they can offer me and you won't find those things on my rig anymore.

 

Yeah, I ordered one new from the local dealer and put it in...the bolt pattern is different on the left than on the right...if your looking at the rig the right one will have to be moved frontwards by one bolt...no big deal as the threading and strength will be the same. New from the dealer they're only like 12 bucks...

Good luck,

Fink

 

I have 2 front hooks from pro comp. They were $6 each but the blots were a pain to find. I could talk forever about the virtues of having 2 front hooks.

Lamm

 

Yeah I just got the extra bolts from the dealer, since they know what kinda thread pattern it is and I can get a discount on em so they were only like $.25

Fink

 

heh yea Rob (the last time we were working on it) convinced me just to throw it away, which i did... lol...

 

when you tighten the bolt up, there is a nut that is welded to the inside of the frame which the bolt threads through. Somehow, i broke that nut loose and it spins freely and i have no way of holding it to tighten the bolt. Comprende?

 

That is a classic problem with these rigs. Hey Ducky, remember when I brought the end cap install to a screeching halt while I insisted on doing some welding inside your frame and you weren't sure what I was doing? I was welding the very nuts that Mr. Chest is speaking of.

From the factory, the nuts have some sort of minimal weld, but it's pretty fragile. When they break loose, it's usually from someone applying too much torque to the bolts that hold the hooks/tie-downs on. That's the trap that I fell into.

So, the fix is to removed the bumper and endcap if applicable, grab the nut with something and twist the stud out. Then you put it back where it belongs and weld it solid. Finally you replace the endcap or better yet, beef it like we did and go on about your merry way