Tow Hooks on ARB

[akarilo]

This is a little picky and anal, but I hate how far the factory tow hooks hang down with an ARB on the front. Anybody else feel the same way? Anybody come up with other options?

 

[d0ubledown]

i just use the 2 rings on the arb themselves...with D-shackles. they seem wimpy, even with that added washer for thickness...but they're stout. esp compared to the factory hooks, which just look to be spot welded in 2 places.

 

[bhmmapping]

i just use the 2 rings on the arb themselves...with D-shackles. they seem wimpy, even with that added washer for thickness...but they're stout. esp compared to the factory hooks, which just look to be spot welded in 2 places.

My understanding is that the rings on the arb are intended to be used with a hi-lift jack and not for recovery. the factory tow loops are much stronger and will bend before breaking. If you do a search you will find stories about the arb rings breaking during recovery. I don't like the factory loops hanging down either, but I left them on there.

 

[freshspecbluegt]

I think, you could always cut them off and put a shackle mount with a backing plate up on the face of the bumper. There have been a few discussions about the suitability of those tow hooks for recovery anyway. It's one of the factors I am weighing between getting the ARB or going with the Slee, Unfortunately either purchase is still a year away.

Ross

 

[SOCALFJ]

Expedition Exchange has a d-shackle mount with backing plate. That's what i bought for our ARB bumper.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/recoverygear/DSC05441.jpg

 

[80t0ylc]

This is a little picky and anal, but I hate how far the factory tow hooks hang down with an ARB on the front. Anybody else feel the same way? Anybody come up with other options?

You could take them off. They do hang down noticeably, but on mine they still appear to be short of the approach angle. Look at it this way: a little more protection when you bang it on a ledge or rock. Here's Murphy's guarantee: Take 'em off and next week you'll need 'em.

 

[DMOZ]

Expedition Exchange has a d-shackle mount with backing plate. That's what i bought for our ARB bumper.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/recoverygear/DSC05441.jpg

X2 on the d-shackle mounts from Expedition Exchange, great product...

 

[e9999]

Expedition Exchange has a d-shackle mount with backing plate. That's what i bought for our ARB bumper.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/recoverygear/DSC05441.jpg

3 tons isn't much...

(but is way beefier than ARB affairs... but then again, I would not use the latter for recovery...)

 

[womacje]

I wouldn't use the arb eyes for anything other than lifting. I towed a compact car out of a flooded road and when the driver of the other car didn't swing wide even with momentum, the arb mount bent under a slight side load. boo! bad ARB anchor!!!

 

[SOCALFJ]

3 tons isn't much...

(but is way beefier than ARB affairs... but then again, I would not use the latter for recovery...)

Well, im not going to hang the truck from them, so 3 tons is plenty. Especially if you have two, one on each side to split the load.

 

[barrypt5]

My latest idea is get a really nice piece of high strength steel(flat plate), drill holes to mount it in the original place then one larger hole in front to attached a D-ring.

barrypt5

 

[akarilo]

X2 on the d-shackle mounts from Expedition Exchange, great product...

Does look nice. How many dollars?

 

[e9999]

Well, im not going to hang the truck from them, so 3 tons is plenty. Especially if you have two, one on each side to split the load.

well, if 3 tons is plenty you don't plan to need a winch bigger than 6000 lbs then?

 

[MARLIN375]

well, if 3 tons is plenty you don't plan to need a winch bigger than 6000 lbs then?

Or put a block in there to double your line pull and put all 3 tons back on one side.

 

[IdahoDoug]

3 tons is nothing. Well, OK - it's 6000lbs. A 5500lb LandCruiser going walking speed to the end of a tow strap exerts a peak force of perhaps 5 tons.

DougM

 

[turbocruiser]

A fine friend, who shall remain nameless to preserve his pride here, bent both the ARB Hi-Lift holes getting yanked through thick snow on one of our snow runs. As I've always understood it these are lifting points not recovery points and I tried to tell that to him prior to the pull which was somewhat sideways. The factory two hooks, while a little low are much stronger and much safer. I would give a guess that they are much stronger and much safer than even the extra steel stitched across the ARB's front face. Remember that even though most rigs weigh roughly 5 - 7K depending on armor, tires, tools and spare trail stuff ... when they are stuck in snow or worse stuck mud, IH8MUD by the way , that amount for pulling purposes is much much more. Play it safe and stick with the two stock strong recovery loops I say. JMHO.

 

[IdahoDoug]

The factory tow hooks are very stout, they're not simply spot welded in two spots, and their closed loop design keeps straps from falling off them and also adds strength and helps them glide on obstacles rather than hooking them.

DougM

 

[alia176]

This might work for you:

 

[SOCALFJ]

Doug and Eric, i agree with you totally. Im not saying the cruiser isn't a pig, cause it surely is. Especially ours. 1.4x more than the weight of the rig is the rule. Do you guys have another recommendation for a d-shackle setup that can handle more? Like i said, if and when used i'd use two 3 ton pull points, not one.

The major part im concerned about too is pulling off someone else's mount on their rig when they strap us.

well, if 3 tons is plenty you don't plan to need a winch bigger than 6000 lbs then?

Eric,, You got me there.. we have a Warn M12000.

EDit:

Just found a 5 ton pull jaw..

 

[IdahoDoug]

I don't, because as important as the shackle used, is the way the attaching point is attached and what it's attached to. I use shackles on the factory front tow hooks as they're bolted at right angles to the force applied (above shot places force that stretches the bolts) and bolted directly through the frame.

One thought I have is that if you have a winch on your 80, then you've got a serious attachment point right there in the winch itself.

DougM