Suggestion & Tips for Tow Hooks / Recovery Points
- Thread starter TJim
- Start date
While maybe suitable in an emergency for an easier extraction when no better extraction point is available, a receiver hitch was not designed to handle the forces possible during an extraction. Receiver hitches were designed for trailers with little rolling resistance and not excessive side loads. You can easily push a Wrangler-size trailer around by hand.
I'd install real recovery points... frame-mounted tow-hooks or shackle tabs through-welded on both sides of a well designed bumper.
I have heard some people use the rear bumper hitch for recovery pulls. I don't know if that requires frame tie-ins or not. It might be something that somebody with more experience could answer. Frame mounted hooks are definitely a good simple solution that avoids that whole issue.
Jerry,
How do you tell if it is a "through-welded" shackle tab? I got the Jeep with an aftermarket rear bumber. it has shackle tabs, but no branding that I can find. Can you see the weld from the back-side of the bumper? How can I tell if it is a quality bumper and safe to use as a recovery point?
I’ve used mine for recovery and dragging a JK off the trail. I do have frame tie-ins and a stout rear bumper that’s no longer sold.
You can see the backside welds on mine, that's a tough question to answer when you don't know who made it. What's worse is that from the visible side of the bumper you can't tell a through-welded tab from a surface mounted & welded tab that is dangerous from the get-go. Surface mounted tabs are attractive to some since they look "just as cool" and are cheap to buy. They're only suitable for use as tie-down points on, for example, truck beds.
Post a picture of the bumper. Somebody here will probably know the exact one and tell you a few good stories about their experiences with it.
The only marking is "Genuine Steel" which I assumed was some kind of marketing like "Genuine Leather", but from some Googling it looks like that may be a trade mark for Procomp.
I was afraid of that. I may be better off using the add-on hitch hanging below it.
You can claim whatever you want but I won't be responsible for a surface mounted tab coming loose during a recovery and killing or maiming someone after posting they're fine to use as recovery points. It's ALWAYS better to have a properly through-welded tab than a surface mounted version. Maybe Blaine can use his welding and design skills to make a workable surface mounted tab but he's in a minority of those who can make it strong enough to be safe to use.
I don't claim anything. You've said the exact same thing before and Blaine told you that weld length would make it work. It's that simple. I'm not suggesting that a SB bumper is good to go but without seeing it we don't know.
Can anyone verify that my access holes for mounting hooks are blocked by my trailer hitch? Can anyone share a photo of the access holes?
I installed the Savvy rear bumper w/o tow points and will be using the receiver as my recovery point. I got this recommendation from Mrblaine when I asked why Savvy does not offer a receiver and recovery points
This was his reply
"
The reason is that the bumper is not designed for towing. The receiver works very well as a recovery point. If the receiver bumper had recovery points, folks would use them for safety chains when towing. The reason that is known is due to how many folks requested the bumper be built with recovery points and the receiver so they could use them for safety chains even though it was pointed out endlessly that the bumper is not rated for towing.
Technically it is better to recover from the center in case one side doesn't want to move and it happens to be opposite the side being pulled. That can be a way to load the frame too much on one side and damage it. "
This was his reply
"
The reason is that the bumper is not designed for towing. The receiver works very well as a recovery point. If the receiver bumper had recovery points, folks would use them for safety chains when towing. The reason that is known is due to how many folks requested the bumper be built with recovery points and the receiver so they could use them for safety chains even though it was pointed out endlessly that the bumper is not rated for towing.
Technically it is better to recover from the center in case one side doesn't want to move and it happens to be opposite the side being pulled. That can be a way to load the frame too much on one side and damage it. "
its there...most likely the hole they used to bolt on the existing hitch (the bold sticking down)
remove the hitch and you'll see.
If it is the Procomp bumper it is welded inside and out according to Amazon (but obviously check if you are concerned about it). Nobody here is going to cover damage to you or your Jeep if something breaks so stay safe. You can't judge the quality of a weld from how it looks, just take a look at your factory roll bar, seat belt mounts and other critical welds on the Jeep and you'll get the idea.
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Are you suggesting that you would be responsible if you said it was good to go?
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