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Front Recovery hooks made using eye bolts

9K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  9dawgs 
#1 ·
I have an AWD 2003 Astro. The nice bumper has the plastic trim which makes it difficult to install a tow hook and still keep the front end neat.
So to minimize the size of the cutout or hole that needs to be made, I used a 5/8 inch heavy duty eye bolt cast type about 6 inch long. So the only hole that needs to be drill in the lower bumper trim is about 3/4 inch hole to let the eye bolt go through. The key to the design is to install a heavy steel plate to the under side of the front cross member using grade 8 bolts. At a building supply or hardware store you can get a 5" x 21" 7 AWG (about 1/4 inch thick) steel foundation strap that already has 8 holes drill in it. Conveniently, there are already 4 holes in the oem Chevy cross bar. Just install 5/8 grade 8 bolts of about 1 1/2 inch length to fasten the heavy plate to the bottom of the cross member. I used Fine threaded bolts to have slightly better holding power with the vibration of the vehcile. then install heavy duty L brackets to the cross bar to create the mounting point for the eye bolt. Again there are heavy oem L brackets for foundation achors on houses and these L brackets are already drilled.
The eye bolts are rated to 3500 lbs for a straight on axis pull. One could use large eye bolts such as 3/4 shaft and make it a bit stronger.
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I will send a photo when I can. I am a new member and need to get more familiar with posts etc.

submitted by member Astrophyscis
 
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#5 ·
Very clean setup AP. Have you tested it yet to see if it'll pull you out of a mud hole? I've seen similar setups but unfortunately they were on the ikonboard. The tow hooks were attached to the front part of the bumper where the bumper attaches to the frame. It looked a little more hard core like what you see on the hummers. It wasn't as clean a set up as yours though. Maybe a merge of both would be the perfect setup! Great job :D
 
#6 ·
Some of the Astro forum did point out that the eye bolts could bend or break if the recovery strap pulls on the eye bolt at an angle.

Sure enough I looked up the pull strenght of the 5/8 inch shaft eye bolt on the McMastgercarr web site, and it is cut to 70 % of its strenth at an off angle.

I ordered some nice Chevy (1996 to 1999 1 ton truck ) truck front hooks from the Chevy dealer, a left and a right and I have replaced my eye bolts with the big beefy recovery hooks. these hooks are stout. they are about 9 inch total length and the flat is about 4.5 inch long and the hook part is about 4.5 inch diameter.

they have 1/2 holes in the flat to mount.

I also replaced the 5 x 21 inch 3/16 inch thick (ie 7 gauge) steel plate on the cross member with a 6 x 25.5 inch 1/4 inch thick (ie 3 gauge).

I will send photos soon.

the eye bolt looked nicer but it was too weak for a serious pull out of mud.

Astrophysics
 
#7 ·
Astrophysics said:
Some of the Astro forum did point out that the eye bolts could bend or break if the recovery strap pulls on the eye bolt at an angle.

Sure enough I looked up the pull strenght of the 5/8 inch shaft eye bolt on the McMastgercarr web site, and it is cut to 70 % of its strenth at an off angle.

I ordered some nice Chevy (1996 to 1999 1 ton truck ) truck front hooks from the Chevy dealer, a left and a right and I have replaced my eye bolts with the big beefy recovery hooks. these hooks are stout. they are about 9 inch total length and the flat is about 4.5 inch long and the hook part is about 4.5 inch diameter.

they have 1/2 holes in the flat to mount.

I also replaced the 5 x 21 inch 3/16 inch thick (ie 7 gauge) steel plate on the cross member with a 6 x 25.5 inch 1/4 inch thick (ie 3 gauge).

I will send photos soon.

the eye bolt looked nicer but it was too weak for a serious pull out of mud.

Astrophysics
Got any pics yet? :pics:
 
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