Push bar mounted tow hooks

[bigcountry78]

Ive seen in the old catalogs from back in the day that people usually mounted those generic tow hooks on the bottom of their push bars. Can they really stand up to that kind of use? I’m thinking about doing it to mine just because I have a set of those hooks laying around and was wondering if they can actually be used like that. My push bar does wrap around under the bumper and bolts to the frame.

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[Craig 85]

I had some similar one on my '87 K20. They are okay for small pulls, I've seen various pictures over the years where they break near the bolts. One problem I had with mine attached to the brush guard was when I was pulling a tree down with it and the upper bumper bracket bent and the brush guard moved back towards the grill.

If your's only bolts to the frame it should be okay.

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[bigcountry78]

It bolts to the frame with 4 bolts, and then to the upper bumper bolts.
Which is how the warn winch guards used to mount.

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[Craig 85]

It's been so long since I've had that truck (30 years) I can't recall, but it was probably similar. On a round eye I would probably make some beefier upper brackets.

 

[bucket]

When I got the guard for my K5, it had hooks bolted on down at the bottom like that. It had evidently seen some good tugs at some point, because the brush guard was a little bent where they mount up. I chose to leave them off.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

They aren’t strong enough for any real pulls. I winched my suburban off my tow hooks and it tweaked it slightly, probably cuz it was already tweaked a little bit from previous owner. But I wouldn’t trust them.

I’ve thought about slapping a third tube between the tow hooks. Weld a couple nuts to a plate with the same bolt pattern from the push bar then insert that plate in a heavy wall tube and then bolt the whole kitten kaboodle up one side at a time. It would be stronger and more protection! Might have to clearance bumper slightly, I don’t think this will always be the case.

 

[bigcountry78]

They aren’t strong enough for any real pulls. I winched my suburban off my tow hooks and it tweaked it slightly, probably cuz it was already tweaked a little bit from previous owner. But I wouldn’t trust them.

I’ve thought about slapping a third tube between the tow hooks. Weld a couple nuts to a plate with the same bolt pattern from the push bar then insert that plate in a heavy wall tube and then bolt the whole kitten kaboodle up one side at a time. It would be stronger and more protection! Might have to clearance bumper slightly, I don’t think this will always be the case.

That’s an idea. Put a third tube in for reinforcement. I’d still probably be worried about ripping the whole guard off the front of the truck.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

That’s an idea. Put a third tube in for reinforcement. I’d still probably be worried about ripping the whole guard off the front of the truck.

For sure. I’m personally gonna have a front mount receiver hitch, then someday I’ll build a strong bumper and mount d-ring brackets.