• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

tow hooks/recovery


crawlin91

New Member
OTOTM Winner
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
2,335
Reaction score
60
Points
0
Age
40
Location
Crawlorado
Vehicle Year
92
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
I NEED RECOVERY POINTS! how easy is it to put some tow hooks on a 2nd gen ranger? I also considered front and rear receivers so that I could do a cradle mount winch in the future.
 


Jason

New Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
3,559
Reaction score
28
Points
0
Age
45
Vehicle Year
(formerly) 200
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Automatic
I would buy the receivers and a d-ring to fit the 2".
 

Mutant Pony

Active Member
V8 Engine Swap
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
1,753
Reaction score
9
Points
38
Age
58
Location
Hersey, Mi
Vehicle Year
1977
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2300
Transmission
Manual
Tow hooks were a factory option, they are a direct bolt in, if you can find them.
 

crawlin91

New Member
OTOTM Winner
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
2,335
Reaction score
60
Points
0
Age
40
Location
Crawlorado
Vehicle Year
92
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
I would buy the receivers and a d-ring to fit the 2".
yeah the receivers and D-rings look sick. That and I never really plan to part with my ranger. I really Love my truck. I may even have someone fab some bumpers. there was a guy on Craigslist not to long ago that would do simple bumpers starting at $140. Maybe I will check that out.

So if they are stock I need to hit the yard? The last time the ranger broke I just threw a tow strap around the D35 as best I could and did the damn thing.:icon_thumby:
 

Wicked_Sludge

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
6,937
Reaction score
42
Points
0
Age
38
Location
Westport, WA
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
3-point-GO
Transmission
Manual
receivers are a much better option than hooks. jerking on only one frame rail, its quite possible to jerk your frame askew. receiver hitches help to distribute the force between both rails.

i know they make bolt-on front hitches for gen III's, not sure about gen II's though.
 

Mutant Pony

Active Member
V8 Engine Swap
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
1,753
Reaction score
9
Points
38
Age
58
Location
Hersey, Mi
Vehicle Year
1977
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2300
Transmission
Manual
My mud truck and my offroad truck each have the factory hooks on the front. You put each end of the strap on a hook, the middle of the strap hooks to the other vehicle. I've broken straps but, never pulled a frame rail.
 

mkpecor

New Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
1,020
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Age
41
Location
black diamond W.A.
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ranger 4x4
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
ya i have a shackle on one side and tow hook on the other[in front] and have never had any probs.
 

crawlin91

New Member
OTOTM Winner
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
2,335
Reaction score
60
Points
0
Age
40
Location
Crawlorado
Vehicle Year
92
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
That makes sense about bending the frame. Wouldnt that also hold true then for a fabbed bumper that has shackles that are mounted towards the corners of the truck?...just curious?
 

hitech_hick

New Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
212
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
41
Location
Madtown, USA
Transmission
Automatic
That makes sense about bending the frame. Wouldnt that also hold true then for a fabbed bumper that has shackles that are mounted towards the corners of the truck?...just curious?
A well constructed bumper would act as a cross-member and help to reinforce the frame.


hick
 

Birdman09

New Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
109
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
33
Location
Georgia
Vehicle Year
1986
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
302
Transmission
Manual
heres teh poormans setup on my bronco, and has yet to fail me.. i have 2 towhooks mounted up front which have yet to be used. out back i have a reciever, i have a really heavy duty hitch but i dont take it wheelin, heres how it do it

hitch pin, and my 4" strap



lock pin in and your done





it may not look to heavy duty but i have snatched a 9000lb cummins dodge, 95 f150 on 35s and this behemoth out of this same hole...

this is my friends van, its the baddest van around, its a 76 ford clubwagon, factory 4x4, it has a 460 big block with some goodies on some 33-34"s ( ignore the rednecks in the picture haha)



in pic is my friends stock fx4... ( i made it through hole hehe)



i was first to make it through center, i only got stuck once, keep in mind this is some thick soft mud, and no ruts in it, so u just had to plow through the sht




i stand by my cheap ass methods, im lucky i even got straps, the chain came with the bronco when i got it, and my dad found all my straps and a box full of locks and stuff in the warehouse at his work for free
 
Last edited:

94STXRanger

New Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
768
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Kansas City
Vehicle Year
1994,1965
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0, 302
Transmission
Manual
Where do you find a front hitch for the gen 3s?
 

bobbywalter

TRS Technical Staff
TRS Event Staff
V8 Engine Swap
TRS Technical Advisor
TRS Banner 2012-2015
TRS 20th Anniversary
Ugly Truck of Month
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 9, 2007
Messages
23,470
Reaction score
4,667
Points
113
Location
woodhaven mi
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
FORD mostly
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
BIGGER
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
sawzall?
Tire Size
33-44
My credo
it is easier to fix and understand than "her"
just buy the hidden hitch. its a unifit model.









and, your not gonna wreck a street safe non rusted in half ranger frame pulling on one rail. unless it is cemented or frozen in. and you need jack hammers/spud bars to bust the cement/ice around it.


hooks are fine to get you going, reciever hitches are expensive, hell the junkyards that will even sell them get 25-75 bux usually. for 15 bucks you can mount one hook front and rear, i usually keep a few extra with me just to install on trucks i have to recover that dont have them.


though it is best obviously to pull from a reciever or at least from center if you can mount the hooks on a piece of channel that way, i did that on the back of mine too.
 

Wicked_Sludge

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
6,937
Reaction score
42
Points
0
Age
38
Location
Westport, WA
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
3-point-GO
Transmission
Manual
CLICKY!

draw-tite CUSTOM fit front reciever for gen III's (none of that fugly universal fit crap).
 

northerncountry

New Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
106
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
currently Nebraska
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
ford
Engine Size
3.0
Transmission
Manual
I just found a reciever laying around hacked it gusseted it with 1/4 inch plate made brackets and it has worked fine I'll post some pics of it k. as for the back I just went to auto zone and picked on up for the rear for like 150 bucks or so.


I MID'd it together then sand blasted it threw some bed liner paint on it and bolted it on using grade 8 bolts can't remember the size off hand but they are big !!!
 

rickcdewitt

New Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Messages
2,075
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Location
nor-cal
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
ford
Engine Size
4-0 swap
Transmission
Manual
the cast hooks for a f 150 late 80's -early 90's bolt right to the bottom of the frame in the front
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top