hey not sure where this gos, this is my first real post. i have a 95 legacy wagon and since the front tow hooks were cut off before i got the car, i have no possible front tow/recovery point that i can see. i was wondering about some aftermarket, or preferably DIY tow points? id like to know where to mount a platform , or some sort of bar for attaching shackles or hooks. i know a custom front bumper would be the best but i dont weld and im not rolling in cash. i dont mind going behind the bumper, but i dont know where its sturdy enough.

can someone put this where it gos? id really like some feed back on any ideas anyone has or had about this.

Cut off like in an accident? Or with a torch? I'd say it depends on how much metal is left where they used to be... good pics of the damaged area might help!

 

If welding isn't an option, and there's enough metal left, you might be able to drill holes for some large grade 8 bolts. I'd use no less than two 1/2'' fine thread bolts per hook. To these bolts you could attach some hooks off another vehicle, or some large shackle or eye that might be found at a hardware store, lowe's, home depot, etc. I'd get the biggest, most grossly overrated stuff you can find, something in the 1 to 2 ton range. Better safe than sorry. Good luck, and welcome!

Not sure how to suggest to proceed, but some of them were castrated of their tow hooks under a recall because the soccer moms kept bumping concrete curbs when parking and setting off the airbags.

Wow never would have guessed that, but it makes sense I suppose.

 

From an ex tow truck drivers perspective, that makes certain recovery operations a real pain in the arse!

I thought the airbag deal was folks driving around with the towhook screwed in through the access port in the bumper? not the 'sling points' w'ever under the car.

Not sure, there's probably any number of creative ways to deploy the airbags.

 

I looked back and found the details....

 

Recall 98V315000: Unexpected Air Bag Deployment: Vehicle Description: Passenger vehicles. Inadvertent air bag deployment can occur after undercarriage contact of the tow hooks with curbs, dips, speedbumps, potholes, etc. Unexpected air bag deployment could result in personal injury. Dealers will castrate the front tow hooks. Owner notification began June 1, 1999.

no accidents or damage, just missing from the recall. under the front of my car there are two spots where you can see that the tow points were cut off. like you guys said, because people kept bumping stuff and setting off the airbags. now as much as i would love a tube bumper or something cool, i cant really afford it right now. in the future yes, but for now i was just wondering which part/area of the car up front would be best to attach some hooks or shackle mounts?

Not sure, there's probably any number of creative ways to deploy the airbags.

 

I looked back and found the details....

 

Recall 98V315000: Unexpected Air Bag Deployment: Vehicle Description: Passenger vehicles. Inadvertent air bag deployment can occur after undercarriage contact of the tow hooks with curbs, dips, speedbumps, potholes, etc. Unexpected air bag deployment could result in personal injury. Dealers will castrate the front tow hooks. Owner notification began June 1, 1999.

 

thanx, I never knew it was those underbody ones.

Yep, my friend's '95 impreza LX has the same thing. They didn't even paint over the fresh cut, so they're all rusted to hell.

 

We just welded some D-rings to the outside of the frame horns so he could get it dyno'd. They're very solid, but the bumper cover usually gets crunched when they get used as tow points.

Yeah, I'd just cut and weld a couple quick links to it. Next car I sell is paying for a new welder. If that's the case, I probably have all the stuff for it if you came down.

 

I'll be spending a little time on the truck in the next few days as well.

matt id love to get your help on this one. when you do get your gear let me know and ill come down for sure. i was thinking of a bar or some of those d-rings attached to a bar or something on the front of the frame and in that case itll come right thru the bumper, thats ok with me... plus it looks real cool.

Sure. I've got some angle iron and stuff we can play with. I wanna make a new bumper for the adventure car. The rear bumper on my Toyota pickup is trashed as well so I've been thinking of fabbing a new one for it as well.