now im upset

[scott5640]

theres a thread on rps on tow hooks on a 2wd, and fx4wannabe01 posted pics of the 2wd frame and the 4x4 frame... the 4x4 frame has an extra crossmember for the tow hooks. the 2wd doesnt.

so that RUINS my plan for getting a new bumper and putting on the stock tow hooks.

goddamnit ford. thanks alot

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I had thought about just getting the crossmember off a 4x4 in a junkyard and swap it in on mine. Or custom building a crossmember to go in there with tow hooks.

 

[scott5640]

you cant throw one on there, youll have to weld it...which i cant do

 

[scott5640]

Here's some pics to show what Gene's talking about...

Coil spring

torsion bar

The only way to run factory towhooks is to fabricate a crossmember or weld on a front frame horn from a 4x4. BUT....these crossmembers are really really weak. One somewhat firm yank and the x-member is bent up. If you really want a front recovery point, I refer you to my first torsion bar pic: front hitch it.

*note: I'm bodylifted and put the hitch in a position so that it would pop out of the valence hole. A bolt-on hitch kit is discontinued now, but it was a Hidden Hitch brand. But a front hitch can easily be fabricated using a rear hitch and some angle iron.

.

 

[MountainMike]

Another option is just bolt some tow hooks right to the frame rail itself. Did that on an old Cherokee mud bogger I built. We moved it through the bumper horns with a piece of 3/8 plate and a total of 6 grade 8 bolts.

 

[scott5640]

heres mine

 

[Rangerman4158]

I'll get you a pic tomorrow of mine but I took a set off a 97 F150 and bolted them to my frame just under my valance I just drilled to holes and tapped them easy mod no welding required