DIY: Front Tow Hook

[bcWRX-02]

^^ yeah, I just made mine today and using that bolt through the shackle you can torque it down fairly tight against the washers so that you have to really push on it to get it to move, so it won't hit the bumper. Now I just need to get a machine shop or something to make me a sleeve/spacer to go inside the stock tow hook because it's 1" diameter and the bolt is only like 7/16ths or something around there.

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[SonicWRX]

Originally Posted by jcbluescooby

its on their tight i believe so that the wind wont be able to push it back against the bumper

Correct. It is tight enough that it won't move unless you really want it moved.

Going to stop by Fastenal on the way in to see if they might be nice enough to sell me a big button head SS cap screw.

[SonicWRX]

Originally Posted by bcWRX-02

^^ yeah, I just made mine today and using that bolt through the shackle you can torque it down fairly tight against the washers so that you have to really push on it to get it to move, so it won't hit the bumper. Now I just need to get a machine shop or something to make me a sleeve/spacer to go inside the stock tow hook because it's 1" diameter and the bolt is only like 7/16ths or something around there.

Have a look in your specialty hardware stores for a clamp collar. I noticed at Tractor Supply (maybe in Canada?) that they have a collar that's 1.125" OD x 5/8" ID x 1/2" thickness. This is perfect except for the OD which is about 0.100" too big. They might have other sizes that would slip right in.

Later thought on this: If you heated the stock hook up by boiling it in water and cooled this oversize clamp collar by spraying it with liquid CO2 (computer duster turned upside down), you might get enough thermal expansion/contraction to allow the parts to slip fit. Once they returned to room temperature, you would have a very tight interference fit. Not sure if you would get 0.100" out of it though. Neat experiment...

If you run out of options just PM me and I'll get you one out by mail for the cost of postage.

[bcWRX-02]

Originally Posted by SonicWRX

Have a look in your specialty hardware stores for a clamp collar. I noticed at Tractor Supply (maybe in Canada?) that they have a collar that's 1.125" OD x 5/8" ID x 1/2" thickness. This is perfect except for the OD which is about 0.100" too big. They might have other sizes that would slip right in.

If you run out of options just PM me and I'll get you one out by mail for the cost of postage.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll do a bit more hunting around but I may take you up on that offer.

[bcware]

The owners manual says to never drive with the tow hook on the car because it could prevent the airbags from going off in a crash. Just an fyi...

[SonicWRX]

After wasting much time trying to buy a button head cap screw locally in a tiny hamlet like Cincinnati, I finally just ordered the damned thing from McMaster-Carr and nearly $14 later (for one bolt!) here is the finished product:





Now I have to race outside and take it off in case my airbag decides it wants to deploy.

[impre25ive]

so youre adding a tow hook, to an already existing tow hook that comes with your car...

[SonicWRX]

Existing hook = too small to take a tow strap easily. This makes moar better.

[D Money]

so ghetto. Get the real deal HKS kansai or prova. That's ridiculous....

[Layvon]

How much does that thing seagull flap in the wind? If it's too loose think about your bumper cover....other than that minor thing...looks great. Solidworks FTW

Edit***Sorry to recce02, didn't see his post first...***

[SonicWRX]

Are there just too many posts before this to actually read and understand what's going on here?

[williaty]

Originally Posted by SonicWRX

Are there just too many posts before this to actually read and understand what's going on here?

This is NASIOC! No one with a member number over 10 reads or understands anything!

[XanRules]

Originally Posted by impre25ive

so youre adding a tow hook, to an already existing tow hook that comes with your car...

yo dawg we herd u like tow hooks...

[go0sebumpz]

it's a DIY for you folks that are complaining telling him to buy something legit. this works and is a cheap way to replace the stock tow hook to work in better circumstances. good diy imo

[axelthrasher]

Originally Posted by D Money

so ghetto. Get the real deal HKS kansai or prova. That's ridiculous....

Prova doesn't market/make/sell those tow hooks any longer. I know because I was looking for one a few months ago and I contacted anyone that delt with Prova, I learned that they were no longer in production.

Originally Posted by XanRules

yo dawg we herd u like tow hooks...

That's pretty funny considering how many people rip on Xzibit.

All in all I would say that this isn't a bad mod for someone that would need it. I'm not sure the concept of this was to enhance the looks.

[JavaBot]

Sonic I love those solidworks torque/torsion models. You must be a mech engineer to know that much about structural material qualities... don't need a 3D printer though just get a model builder and print plan and extrude! I can do that part for ya but I leave the number crunching to the pro. Bigups to a fellow enthusiast in the industry that sucks right now, hopefully you won't have to use that hook for real though and keep it an aesthetic! Did you paint your rear towhook to match!?

[XanRules]

Originally Posted by axelthrasher

Prova doesn't market/make/sell those tow hooks any longer. I know because I was looking for one a few months ago and I contacted anyone that delt with Prova, I learned that they were no longer in production.



That's pretty funny considering how many people rip on Xzibit.

All in all I would say that this isn't a bad mod for someone that would need it. I'm not sure the concept of this was to enhance the looks.

I'm driving an Xzibit joke. I just like to use the joke whenever possible.

[573]

Originally Posted by D Money

so ghetto. Get the real deal HKS kansai or prova. That's ridiculous....

Seriously? You may not understand this, but some people use their car for more than a means of transportation to their next hellaflush meet. From the looks of this guys car, he likely uses it for rally-x, TSD, and maybe the occasional snow/ice race. These are things where a tow hook can actually come in handy. As shown by solidworks, this hook is more than capable of doing its job. Why should he spend 10 times the money on something that does the exact same thing? The money would have a much bigger impact on the overall performance of the car is it's spent on quality rubber, suspension bits, or basically anything other than a $200 tow hook.

[SonicWRX]

Thanks all for the support. This was just an exercise in design for me. It's not something I will keep on my car all the time as I think tow hooks look like a$$.

I set out to prove that I could make a functional $200 Prova knockoff for 10% or less their cost and I would have if my stupid city had a real hardware store. My total cost including paint was right at $25 (not including my time).

I appreciate all the suggestions and comments along the way. As usual, I learned a little and had a lot of fun.

And we're done here. Nothing more to see.

/thread

[SonicWRX]

Originally Posted by msesno

Sonic I love those solidworks torque/torsion models. You must be a mech engineer to know that much about structural material qualities... don't need a 3D printer though just get a model builder and print plan and extrude! I can do that part for ya but I leave the number crunching to the pro. Bigups to a fellow enthusiast in the industry that sucks right now, hopefully you won't have to use that hook for real though and keep it an aesthetic! Did you paint your rear towhook to match!?

Sorry, forgot to answer these questions.

Not sure I understand your comment on the "model builder and print plan". Can you elaborate?

Rear tow hook: In process actually. I took it over to my buddy's blast cabinet last night and it is now ready for primer. I was amazed at how rusty and screwed up that thing was after 2-1/2 winters.

[jcbluescooby]

i jus made my tow hook today..i used my dremel to widen the washers to 5/8, cut the hole in the foglight cover, and grind off the writing on the shackle..thanks to SONIC for hookin me up with a spacer..i did find a plastic spacer in lowes that fit perfect in the stock towhook but you would need to widen it to 5/8..as you can see i used 2 lock nut washers and i ended up cuttin off 3 threads of the button head cap screw since the screw would not go in all the way through the shackle for some reason...but now its tight enough where it wont flap in the wind..i spent about $27 total for this diy not including paint since i had it already..also fyi the button head cap screw from mcmaster uses a 3/8 allen wrench which can be found at home depot or lowes..i had trouble finding a 1/2 allen wrench but realized afterwards the button head screw was 3/8 which i already had

and yes i know i didnt blurr my license plate so if u wanna come by and steal it be my quest..just hope i dont catch you

[SonicWRX]

Looks good! Sorry I didn't get to your PM until it was a done deal, but no, my button head went right through. And only the big, ugly socket head needs the 1/2" Allen wrench.

[Subiebobby]

here's mine it was just and eye bolt from home depot that i threaded into my stock tow hook mount and painted red

[mangoboost]

nice, gotta try this sometime

[hoffmanEstates]

i have shackles for sale if any one interested. sorry for hording your spot light
and from having it stolen loctite it