Hi all, new to the jeep and KJ platform and was planning on a few upgrades starting with recovery points. I'm thinking of using the factory front hooks but was wondering if the bumper cover would have to be removed for the install or if I could get them in there with it still on ??

Was told by the stealership that that the factory rear hitch should be a straight bolt on operation, this true ?? Was going to install the rear hitch and use a shackle as the rear recovery point.

The KJ in question is a 2002 Liberty Sport.

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

The front tow hooks are pretty simple to install. You don't need to remove the bumper cover but you may find the bolts difficult to position. When I bought mine they sold for about $69.

I have the Mopar hitch and use it for my recovery point. Get a d-link shackle to fit in the receiver instead of a hook. Recovery straps tend to slip off of hooks or get holes torn in them by the hooks.

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my trail & highway ride (and occasional tow rig)
04 Liberty Sport with a 2.5" lift, ProComp 245/75R16 AT's and two Hella700FF lamps (more accessories to come)

my trail queen
95 YJ with a RE 4" lift, 33" ProComp Extreme's, M8000 Winch, Lockrite Locker up front, Super35 in the rear and 4.88 gears

Thanks.... Yeah, the front hooks went up a bit in price to something like $115 now. Just wantd to make sure they would go on with the bumper cover still in place(looked pretty tight in there). Definitely want to use a shackle for the rear though, for the reasons you mentioned.

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

umm go to napa if you have one they sell warn stuff and i got the two fron hooks for 30 dollars and the d-ring insert for 67

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2004 3.7L sport standard 5 speed transmition
ome lift
Dynomax exhaust
k&n cold air intake
Rage roof rack
ultra 16in rims


To come:wheel spacers ,window tint, and off road lights on roof rack, last thing is a arb bumper and wintch
words of wisdom> If she aint 280 she aint a lady haha

But I like my pirate hook in the back.

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IT'S BUSINESS TIME!
..Chris.....
2004 KJ Sport 4wd Gasser
Front hooks, Rusty's Gas skid, CURT hitch with a Pirate Hook!
OME HD Springs, Koni shocks, Teraflex bumpstops, Sumitomo A/T's 245/70/16 on Moabs.
K&N "Cold" air intake.

So the Warns have have an insert to set-up a shackle ?? Any chance you could post a pic of your set-up ?? I have a NAPA nearby.

Don't want to start cutting the bumper cover that's why I was thinking of the factory hooks but if these will allow a clevis ring type setup without hacking the cover up .....

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

my rear d ring is an insert into the hitch and it works just as good as any thing then the front i have no pics but there just hooks that go on the frame and you dont have to do anything to your bumper. ill take some pics of the front ones if you want

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2004 3.7L sport standard 5 speed transmition
ome lift
Dynomax exhaust
k&n cold air intake
Rage roof rack
ultra 16in rims


To come:wheel spacers ,window tint, and off road lights on roof rack, last thing is a arb bumper and wintch
words of wisdom> If she aint 280 she aint a lady haha

Thanks for the pic..That's what I'm going to use on mine. I tried the local NAPA here and the guy couldn't find a listing for the front hooks ?? Lowest price I've been able to find online was $78 + shipping for the factory hooks.

I did find the instructions for the install though and it looked like a no-brainer bolt on (at least for the factory hooks). Are the ones from NAPA the same setup ??

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

I built my own front tow point..... Fairly simple. Its basically a piece of 1/4" Angle 4x4 and a piece of 1/4" flat plate up inside my metal bumper with 2 Nuts welded to it and a 10,000LB tow Hook bolted to that. I'll post pictures when I have a chance. LibertyFever has seen it I made it really low key you can barely tell its there without bending down to look.

yea i think so

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2004 3.7L sport standard 5 speed transmition
ome lift
Dynomax exhaust
k&n cold air intake
Rage roof rack
ultra 16in rims


To come:wheel spacers ,window tint, and off road lights on roof rack, last thing is a arb bumper and wintch
words of wisdom> If she aint 280 she aint a lady haha

NAPA sells front hooks for the KJ? First I've heard of that. Like others have said, the factory ones can be installed without removing the bumper, though if I remember right (it's been 8 or 9 years) you do have to remove the air dam, which is just a few screws. Access inside the bumper is very tight, though, and you might find a ratcheting wrench helps when installing the hooks.

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2002 KJ (un)Limited 4x4: OME HD lift, ARB bullbar, Warn 4X flood lights, Skid Row tranny skid, Mopar engine, transfer case and fuel tank skids, Boulder Bars, 245/75/16 Goodyear Duratracs on Moab wheels.

Oh, and yeah, the rear hitch is a straight bolt-on, but if the holes have been sitting there empty since the vehicle was new, they're likely to be really dirty/rusty and you'll probably need to run a tap through them to clean them out before you can get the bolts in. If you have a fuel tank skidplate, most of the holes should still be clean since it uses the same ones. The added weight of the skid plate makes the hitch install a little more interesting, but I did it solo without any problem. The one bolt behind the exhaust can be a pain to access.

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2002 KJ (un)Limited 4x4: OME HD lift, ARB bullbar, Warn 4X flood lights, Skid Row tranny skid, Mopar engine, transfer case and fuel tank skids, Boulder Bars, 245/75/16 Goodyear Duratracs on Moab wheels.

NAPA does not sell front tow hooks for the Liberty

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Here's a useful link to installation instructions for the front tow points; http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=10813&highlight=roof+rack

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my trail & highway ride (and occasional tow rig)
04 Liberty Sport with a 2.5" lift, ProComp 245/75R16 AT's and two Hella700FF lamps (more accessories to come)

my trail queen
95 YJ with a RE 4" lift, 33" ProComp Extreme's, M8000 Winch, Lockrite Locker up front, Super35 in the rear and 4.88 gears

i bought mine there different napas sometime have different items

_________________
2004 3.7L sport standard 5 speed transmition
ome lift
Dynomax exhaust
k&n cold air intake
Rage roof rack
ultra 16in rims


To come:wheel spacers ,window tint, and off road lights on roof rack, last thing is a arb bumper and wintch
words of wisdom> If she aint 280 she aint a lady haha

Thanks for all the info..... Been checking out different threads concerning recovery points and found some interesting ideas concerning drop hitches used for D ring mounts, unfortunately those may be a bit beyond what equipment I have to make them (for now). Seriously looking at the factory bolt on hooks, however I've ran across a few posts where those got bent up pretty good trying to get someone unstuck.

How do these (factory hooks) hold up in actual use ??? I know the angle at which they are being pulled has a lot to do with how well they hold just looking for some real world advice as to the best way to use 'em without tearing/bending them all to hell and breakfast. Everything else I've been able to find online has been fairly generic and doesn't look like it will work with the KJ without taking a hacksaw to the bumpercover. Also came across a post where the OP had apparently pulled a set of the generic hooks off the front while getting free of stuck.

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

I just put a set of the front factory tow hooks on my 06 two weeks ago. First....you can get the kit from Moparparts America for $89.00. Comes with all mounting hardware and two hooks. Secondly, I attempted to install them with the bumper in place, but without a bunch of swivels/u joint sockets, there was no way I was getting them tightened, so I removed my bumper. This took less than 15 minutes to remove. Made it a breeze to install the hooks with the bumper out of the way. I also had to remove the factory notches in the bumper with a Dremel where the hooks are mounted at the factory.

Maybe on the older style bumper, you may not have to remove it, but it made my life a lot easier.

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2006 Liberty CRD Limited

Provent @ 43,000 km
SEGR in progress
SAMCO Sport hoses @ 48500 km
Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac LT225/75R16