D-Ring or Tow Hooks?
- Thread starter JMT
- Start date
D-rings are more desirable if the bumper has its D-ring mounting tab properly through-welded on both the front and back of the bumper.
Though I wouldn't be against properly installed tow hooks either, they are strong enough. Just make sure that if you install tow hooks to use Grade 8 bolts. If you don't have bumpers with D-ring tabs, I'd just bolt on front and rear tow hooks and feel fine about it. Front tow-hooks are easy to install, their bolts just replace the bumper's top mounting bolts. You want 1/2x13 Grade 8 bolts that are 1" longer than the factory bolts.
Some tow hook kits come with bolts, though I haven't seen any that came with the correct 1/2x13 bolt thread size so just plan on buying the Grade 8 bolts elsewhere. If the tow hook kit comes with that spring clip, that's a good thing as it can help keep the tow hook, strap, etc. in place during the recovery operation.
This is how to install tow hooks in the rear... you only need to drill one more mounting bolt hole as one is already there. Do NOT drill-through both sides of the frame, the washers and nuts go inside the frame. They can be inserted via a factory slot on the bottom of the bumper under the hook area.
Though I wouldn't be against properly installed tow hooks either, they are strong enough. Just make sure that if you install tow hooks to use Grade 8 bolts. If you don't have bumpers with D-ring tabs, I'd just bolt on front and rear tow hooks and feel fine about it. Front tow-hooks are easy to install, their bolts just replace the bumper's top mounting bolts. You want 1/2x13 Grade 8 bolts that are 1" longer than the factory bolts.
Some tow hook kits come with bolts, though I haven't seen any that came with the correct 1/2x13 bolt thread size so just plan on buying the Grade 8 bolts elsewhere. If the tow hook kit comes with that spring clip, that's a good thing as it can help keep the tow hook, strap, etc. in place during the recovery operation.
This is how to install tow hooks in the rear... you only need to drill one more mounting bolt hole as one is already there. Do NOT drill-through both sides of the frame, the washers and nuts go inside the frame. They can be inserted via a factory slot on the bottom of the bumper under the hook area.
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fourpointzero
TJ Addict
Great info! Helped me out, as Im in need of hooks and was going to order a set this week.
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OP
No. That is not for a D-ring, that is for a tow-bar which would exert nothing even close to the stress that a D-ring could during a vehicle recovery.
Just use a T-55 torx adapter to remove the top bumper bolts and install a tow hook or two on top of the bumper. They mount where the top T-55 bumper mounting bolts go.
Shackle would be more correct but it's no big deal when everyone knows what is being discussed.
Shackle would be more correct but it's no big deal when everyone knows what is being discussed.
I know, I just like when Blaine jumps in and corrects us
Does anyone know if the T-55 front bumper bolts that fasten the front tow hooks are Grade 8? You would think that they are but I've never seen any specs on them. They're easy enough to change of course and may be should be given their age. Just curious.
The factory probably installed nothing anywhere that was stronger than Grade 5. Grade 8 is suggested for tow hooks because of how they will be used.
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You're probably right but you would think for liability reasons Jeep would "do the right thing". By putting tow hooks on the front bumper they're basically saying that you're good to go.
Does it bother you when the folks call a Samurai a Jeep? After all, we do know what they're talking about, right?Shackle would be more correct but it's no big deal when everyone knows what is being discussed.
If you have some that aren't too rusty, there are a series of dots around the edge on top in a particular pattern. That will tell you the grade or class.
Given that they are a button head alloy cap screw in Torx drive, they are easily stronger than grade 8 or about 180,000 psi and a grade 8 is typically 150,000 psi.
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My pedantic nature about some of this stuff comes from trying to source it for purchase.I know, I just like when Blaine jumps in and corrects us
Correctly, this is a D ring.
This is a D ring tie down
This is a D ring shackle
And this is an anchor bow shackle or bow shackle which comes in the following flavors
Screw pin
Bolt style
Clevis pin
We use the screw pin style the most for what we do.
Over the years though, I've noticed that the tail is wagging the dog more and more and it really screws up searches for stuff, parts, etc. because the folks doing the SEO put every term they can think of that gets the results even close so their client's product. You could probably type in a search for a graphic of the capital letter D and it will pull up a bow shackle.
When it comes to shackles though, my favorite bit of bullshit you can use to find out if a company knows anything about rigging and recovery is if they advertise a tight fit of the hole for the pin in a weld tab or other not rotatable mount so it doesn't rattle.
The number one rule of shackles is you don't side load the pin or pull on it at an angle. If the hole is a tight fit so it doesn't rattle, that means you can only pull straight ahead. Who does that? No one.
UPJOHN
TJ Enthusiast
Thanks for the info. I looked at some that I have and there are 4 dots stamped into the head of the bolt. I never looked into this in the past but it makes sense that they would be at least the equivalent of grade 8. You sure wouldn't want to snap off a factory (or any) tow hook and have one flying through the air!
This doesn't surprise me. My thought was that if enough people are referring to these things incorrectly all over the internet, it's only a matter of time before the manufacturers start focusing their SEO on those incorrect terms (to get as many buyers as possible), and before you know it, everyone out there is simply using the wrong term to describe it.
Hell, I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that if I went out with my local Jeep club to hit the trails and asked someone if they had a spare "bow shackle", they'd all look at me confused and ask me what that is. I may start doing that from now on just to mess with people.
Neal
TJ Enthusiast
If you mounted them on the rear bumper would they be "stern shackles"?