tow hooks

moose_1978 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:24 pm

Does anyone know how to install mopar tow hook's?

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Welcome to the board! What year is your KJ?

moose_1978 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:53 am

2003 liberty sport 5 spd v-6

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

If it's the front hooks, each unit is fastened with three bolts. Two bolts are part of a stud plate which drops down through the frame and is attached with nuts from the bottom of the hook. The third goes the opposite way, bolting upwards into a u-nut that clips into the crossmember (bumper frame). Some guys call these nutzerts but Mopar calls them u-nuts. The torque spec is 45 ft. lbs. I don't have experience with rear tow hooks and my service manual is kinda vague. The picture is detailed, but I don't know how many bolts there are. The torque spec for the rear bolts is 65 ft lbs though, hope that helps. Good luck.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:49 pm

snowsport wrote:

If it's the front hooks, each unit is fastened with three bolts. Two bolts are part of a stud plate which drops down through the frame and is attached with nuts from the bottom of the hook. The third goes the opposite way, bolting upwards into a u-nut that clips into the crossmember (bumper frame). Some guys call these nutzerts but Mopar calls them u-nuts. The torque spec is 45 ft. lbs. I don't have experience with rear tow hooks and my service manual is kinda vague. The picture is detailed, but I don't know how many bolts there are. The torque spec for the rear bolts is 65 ft lbs though, hope that helps. Good luck.

Rear tow hook is three bolts, two are shared with the left side of the gas tank skid, one goes into a hole in the frame and is held by one of those nutzert things.

The bolts are M12x1.75x40mm (18mm head)

Also, with the front hooks, from what I gather it's different if you have a factory-installed or kit-installed set. The factory installed set has the plate that is mounted above (and requires you to take the bumper off to install it). The kit comes with an M-bolt (shaped like an M) that you feed up through one hole and down through the other (so you don't need to take off the bumper). Those M-bolts are apparently difficult to find unless you buy the kit, however.

moose_1978 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:27 pm

thank you

EricsKJ · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:58 pm

Se7enLC wrote:

The kit comes with an M-bolt (shaped like an M) that you feed up through one hole and down through the other (so you don't need to take off the bumper). Those M-bolts are apparently difficult to find unless you buy the kit, however.

I didn't know about the kit. Who makes it, where can I get it? And how sturdy is that M-bolt? Thanks!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:37 pm

In didnt know they were different from the factory? Ive heard of people taking the factory hooks off and selling them and they are no different?

The tow hooks on the kj can hold 5k a piece, from factory or after factory i do believe.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:49 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

In didnt know they were different from the factory? Ive heard of people taking the factory hooks off and selling them and they are no different?

The tow hooks on the kj can hold 5k a piece, from factory or after factory i do believe.

the hookw themselves are no different, just the mounting hardware. This is only an "as far as I know" sort of thing, I've heard a lot of people say that installing the front hooks from a full kit with M-bolts is easy and doesn't require a bumper removal, but installing it from somebody who got them factory requires removing the bumper to get bolts into the right place.

SavageSS27 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:03 pm

So wait, if the hooks are only rated for 5K, than what's the point a lot of guys on here have KJs that are edging that number, plus when your stuck, it can take twice that force to get out, i mean what do you do if you have to tow your 5K lb. KJ from the single rear hook?

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:26 pm

SavageSS27 wrote:

So wait, if the hooks are only rated for 5K, than what's the point a lot of guys on here have KJs that are edging that number, plus when your stuck, it can take twice that force to get out, i mean what do you do if you have to tow your 5K lb. KJ from the single rear hook?

I suppose you just tow it and hope for the best. That is a little strange now that you mention it. I imagine 5001lbs won't cause the frame to buckle, but that's weird that they didn't find a way to get higher-rated recovery points.

Sometimes ratings are just market-ese BS. I can believe that between the two transmissions the auto can pull 5000lbs and the manual can pull 3500lbs. But when using the hitch as a recovery point, I am assuming that the transmission has NO say in the matter and going against the manufacturers wishes of "don't exceed hitch capacity" (although I suppose that the "hitch capacity" is different than the "vehicle capacity")

BLANCK88 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:14 pm

can anyone get the rear tow hook u-nut parts number??

thanks

dkcase · **Posted:** Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:38 am

BLANCK88 wrote:

can anyone get the rear tow hook u-nut parts number??

thanks

I make it as " Nut, U Multi-Thread" 6504 565.

The bolts are "Bolt, Hex-flange head, M12x1.75x40" 6502 557.

I think when I put mine on, for that nut I used pieces I got at Lowe's .. 3/8 or 7/16.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:44 pm

Se7enLC wrote:

SavageSS27 wrote:

So wait, if the hooks are only rated for 5K, than what's the point a lot of guys on here have KJs that are edging that number, plus when your stuck, it can take twice that force to get out, i mean what do you do if you have to tow your 5K lb. KJ from the single rear hook?

I suppose you just tow it and hope for the best. That is a little strange now that you mention it. I imagine 5001lbs won't cause the frame to buckle, but that's weird that they didn't find a way to get higher-rated recovery points.

Sometimes ratings are just market-ese BS. I can believe that between the two transmissions the auto can pull 5000lbs and the manual can pull 3500lbs. But when using the hitch as a recovery point, I am assuming that the transmission has NO say in the matter and going against the manufacturers wishes of "don't exceed hitch capacity" (although I suppose that the "hitch capacity" is different than the "vehicle capacity")

I believe the front hitch can pull 10k, Im not to sure about that though. I have a strap with me to put between the two hooks to use both of them, then I put my strap in the middle of it.

Skipperb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:59 am

Last saturday at a frinds farm we went down to his Lake at the back of the dam we crossed the overflow creek .His YJ went over it OK, but when I had to stop because he stoped I was in the creek I sank.We had to get his Cat (bull dozer) from the barn to get me out .I was down to the doors in mud and water.Ihad got out by the back wendow .I carried his son and put him back in the Liberty so he could steer, it came out but made a real bad sucking sound as it did .I have the factory hooks in front and used just one.In all that I didn,t think of using both.I did not try the Back trailer hitch shackel

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:38 pm

Skipperb wrote:

Last saturday at a frinds farm we went down to his Lake at the back of the dam we crossed the overflow creek .His YJ went over it OK, but when I had to stop because he stoped I was in the creek I sank.We had to get his Cat (bull dozer) from the barn to get me out .I was down to the doors in mud and water.Ihad got out by the back wendow .I carried his son and put him back in the Liberty so he could steer, it came out but made a real bad sucking sound as it did .I have the factory hooks in front and used just one.In all that I didn,t think of using both.I did not try the Back trailer hitch shackel

Yeah, I think those hooks are a whole lot stronger than they are "rated" for. It's really just a bolt to the frame, so it's how strong the metal itself is, what kind of torque it places on the bolt from being a distance away from it, how strong the bolt is, and how strong the frame is. I'd trust most of those points pretty well!

That being said, I have to say that I think a rear tow hook HAS to be stronger than a receiver shackle in a trailer hitch. A hitch is just not made for that kind of force.

BCool · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:29 pm

Yes, you guys are correct the M-bolts are what you need for and after market tow hook install, my dealer was lucky to get me some after hassling them. I didn't keep the package so I don't have the part number, as far as an easy install, I'd say no, it is a small tight space to work in.

blackjeep · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:52 pm

SavageSS27 wrote:

So wait, if the hooks are only rated for 5K, than what's the point a lot of guys on here have KJs that are edging that number, plus when your stuck, it can take twice that force to get out, i mean what do you do if you have to tow your 5K lb. KJ from the single rear hook?

a good read here

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/

blackjeep · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:43 pm

and i found this

http://www.testosterone.biz/gallery/hookvrsjeep

but information specific to the hooks themselves i haven't found yet. inspection and measurements etc should be done of course.

i might email jeep and ask about the different ratings and how they have done them. probably the best way.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

blackjeep, those are great posts, looks like I'm going to be doing some reading. Thanks!

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