What would be the advantages to the two I've noticed some have tow hooks and some have the shackles. Is this just a preference or is one better then the other?

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-Gavin
2006 4x4 Sport ~ Dark Khaki
2.5" Rockfather II
Tow Hooks ~ HH Rear Hitch
Hella 500's

gwip Design

not sure about rings, but the mopar tow hooks can bend, or the place the hooks are mounted to can bend, or both.

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2008 Xterra 4x4

1986 CJ7
Lots of custom stuff...

Gone, But not Forgotten...
2003 Sport - 'Fire Engine' Red
Detours KJ Backbone
Skids
Boulder Bars
JBA 4.5 A Arms
245/75/16 Wrangler Duratracs's on Cragar Soft 8’s
Spidertrax 1.25" Spacers
Superwinch LP 8500
Frankenlifted

well i think it depends on personal taste, i have really torqued both front and rear tow hooks on my rig and have had NO problems at all with them bending or anything, they work great for me. I also see people that have done hte same to shackles and had them breajk on their rear hitch...it just depends on how you attach a strap an use it i think

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Had 2005 KJ Rocky Mnt. Edition (destroyed)
Had 2006 KJ Sport 4x4
Have 2007 JK 4-dr Sahara 4x4 (tow package so stock 4.10s!!)
AEV 3.5" RS Lift; Schrockworks FR bumper and Warn 9.5ti winch; Cobra 75 CB; Rigid 50" LED light bar; Adventure Trailers (AT Overland) JK Kitchen setup in the cargo area.
Southern L.O.S.T. # 236487

Pulled a lot of people out of snow/ditches with the OEM hooks. Had to "pop" a few of them out pretty hard too and have never had any bending or breaking yet. Just my 2 cents.

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'04 Renny
Mod's: See Avatar
Conquests: Poughkeepsie Gulch, Governor's Basin, Black Bear/Imogene/Engineer/Cinnamon pass, Coal Creek OHV, Badlands OHV, S.M.O.R.R., K-Rocks, Parent's driveway

Strap can slip off when slack is created with hooks.

D-ring takes a few seconds (or more if bolt is stuck) to remove and add strap.

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New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

Thanks for the help everyone. If I want to do the shackles what kind of drop do I need to look for and how big of a mount (width wise) I saw a thread on here that someone had already done but I want it to come out the spots made for the hooks w/o any cutting.

_________________
-Gavin
2006 4x4 Sport ~ Dark Khaki
2.5" Rockfather II
Tow Hooks ~ HH Rear Hitch
Hella 500's

gwip Design

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hlight=tow

That's what I did

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-oooooo- ---Craig, L.O.S.T. #CT068103
/______\ ---http://jeep.allgris.com
O||||||||O ---'02 Sport 4x4, 5-spd,
[]--------[] ---2.5" BDS lift, 245/75/16 MT/Rs, Moab Rims, Locked and Regeared!
[]_____[] ---The list got to long, go to my web site for more!

Sweet, Thanks Gris. I'd found pics on your site but never found a write up for some reason.

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-Gavin
2006 4x4 Sport ~ Dark Khaki
2.5" Rockfather II
Tow Hooks ~ HH Rear Hitch
Hella 500's

gwip Design

I think the hooks are quite strong, its just the soft steel where the hooks mount (frame) tend to take the beating. It depends how you go about recovery and how you use them that makes the difference. Shackles are probably much safer, but hooks might look at home on some DD's that see some light wheeling every now and then. just my .02

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02' Frankenlifted White Sport on 31" TrXus M/Ts

89' 2 Dr. Khaki XJ- Waggy 44's, 4.88s, 35's, 3-link on 5.5" coils.