Tow hook ideas?

Rob 930 · 10-17-2006, 04:37 PM

Having just put a delicate fiberglass front valence (with an oil cooler behind it) on my lowered 78 930, I'm concerned that if I ever need to be towed (not if, but when?), it will be risky to hook it from underneath.

Any ideas? I want something that works well but isn't overly obtrusive or ugly. The bumper is stock. And being that I have a cooler mounted behind the bumper (the top of the cooler is approximately even with the bottom of the bumper), the hook has to somehow attach to the car without interfering with the cooler.

Can tow hooks be commercially sourced, or are they all custom made?

Rob

Rob 930 · 10-17-2006, 04:54 PM

I may have answered my own question with a search just now. Here's a thread from last year.

Tow hooks

"hmd" and "Noel" showed pics of one (below) that was custom made in small quantities. Something like that may be suitable, but does anyone know if it would be strong enough to really stand up under load? Nothing worse than a tow hook that fails...

Zeke · 10-17-2006, 07:23 PM

Did you see the "loop" on the 12th post down on your linK? I like the idea of having a soft tow hook that you can deploy if needed but not knock the skin off your shins every time you go around the front end too close.

Just attach the bodywork end well back on the sub frame in line with your bumper line.

Wil Ferch · 10-18-2006, 10:15 AM

Rob:
Not sure if that location can take *tension* as well as compression...
- Wil

Rob 930 · 10-18-2006, 10:33 AM

Milt,

I'd prefer a removable, soft strap, if I had a good place to easily attach it the car where it did no damage. It has to be able to be pulled in such a way as to not strain the fiberglass valence, which may be hard to do. As it is now, I can still hook a tow cable to the front suspension somehow. But what I'm worried about is that the angle of the pull, from the tow vehicle, will almost certainly be upward, and the tow cable (or strap) will pull up on the valence and cause it damage. Have you found a way around this?

Wil,

I'm concerned about that too -- and not only would it be in tension, but it may be an angled pull as well, which may strain the bumper struts. I'd rather attach to the suspension below, but I haven't seen a good way to do that. Got ideas?

Rob

88 Club Sport · 88 Club Sport's Garage

My old harnesses were sitting in the garage....a few bolts and an hour later I had tow hooks.

The front ties into the bumper shock mount, the rear blots into the rear bumper.

Not the best pics...sorry.

Rob 930 · 10-18-2006, 02:10 PM

Folks,

With some more poking around I found this at Paragon Products:

Here's the web listing:
Paragon Products Tow Hook

What's appealing about it is that it could be mounted in the center of the bumper, which gives an even pull, and the eyelet can be installed when needed. That means it's unubtrusive, especially if you could neatly plug the hole in the rubber trim when the eyelet isn't being used. What's scary about it is that it pulls on the bumper, which I'm not sure is a good place to pull from (especially if the bumper has been notched for the cooler, as mine has). Plus, you have to carry that heavy eyelet aroud in the car somewhere, likely in the glove compartment.

Anyone have any experience with it and any other pros and cons?

Rob 930 · 10-18-2006, 02:13 PM

BTW, Craig, thanks for the pics of your harness-based "tow hook." I'm sure that works well, but I'm not sure I like the aesthetics of it so well. Is there any practical way to hide it?

88 Club Sport · 88 Club Sport's Garage

Rob,

Yeah, I admit it's not pretty but look at the car

She's a track only car so asthetics are not as importatnt. I would not do this on the Club Sport!

I do like the Paragon product....after the initial install, it would be easy to install/remove.

tc-sacto · 10-18-2006, 02:55 PM

I used the rennline products.

http://rennline.com/product.php/sid/5/auto/Porsche/prodid/4

used a dremel tool to cut the fiberglass bumper.

Rob 930 · 10-18-2006, 03:04 PM

tc,

Thanks. For a car with a FG bumper, I'm sure that works well. But I have a stock bumper, so I don't think that kind of hook work without a lot of butchering.

While cruising for options, I did find two threads on Rennlist, for those who may also have interest in this topic.

Here's one:

Rennlist thread on tow hooks

And here's the other:

Second Rennlist thread on tow hooks

Rob 930 · 10-19-2006, 03:32 PM

Can anybody confirm that the bumper (or bumper strut) is strong enough to tow the car from? Can the struts take a tensile load like that? The consequences could be awful if there's not enough strength.

Noel · 10-19-2006, 03:45 PM

Rob,

I'm still curious about this too, as I still have not mounted the one that I had built. In fact, I still have all six that I had built. However, I just moved into a new house a couple months ago, so I'm having trouble locating them. I'll look more closely this weekend.

Noel

len911 · 10-19-2006, 06:32 PM

In my track car, I attached a length of old seat belt to the where the front catch for the hood used to be. I have another lenght by the rear bumper. It just tucks in the trunk when not in use (hopefully never...) Lou

Jack Olsen · 10-19-2006, 07:12 PM

Lou, do you let the belts hang out when you're driving on the track, or are you expecting track officials to let you out of your car if it needs a tow? Out west, they would need to be able to hook it up without the driver's involvement -- the whole track is immediately shut down if a driver steps out of his car.

I just ordered two of the $20 Safequip ones with the soft ends.

I figure I'll tie them down with zip ties so they don't flop around. Then, if (when?) the safety guys need to put a hook in them, the zip ties will pop off.

Zeke · 10-19-2006, 07:28 PM

I suppose there could be a time when a real strong hook up would be needed. If you were buried in a gravel trap or mud would certainly take more effort than simply towing a car in that stalled. But, still the bodywork around things like the bumper shocks is stout. Stout enough to take a pull out of a sticky situation, IMHO.

The only real concern is like he says, the angle of the pull can and will tweak some parts if not optimally located. If you really go of and hit something, get buried in the tires, or worse, you won't need to worry so much about your bumper.

Rob 930 · 10-19-2006, 07:29 PM

Gentlemen,

Thank you.

Lou, that's interesting. I still have my trunk latch, though, so I might be hard pressed to find a structure sufficient to take the load. But I like the idea. I do share Jack's concern, though, about on-track accessibilty. I suppose you could talk to tow drivers from the cockpit and direct them to open the trunk and unfurl the tow strap -- if the trunk is still openable!

Jack, where do you plan to attach the strap, and out of which orifice do you plan to deploy it? The tie wrap idea seems like a good one for at least attempting to restrain the strap and hide it a bit. Still, I'd like it completely hidden if I could find a way

Jack Olsen · 10-19-2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rob 930
Jack, where do you plan to attach the strap, and out of which orifice do you plan to deploy it? The tie wrap idea seems like a good one for at least attempting to restrain the strap and hide it a bit. Still, I'd like it completely hidden if I could find a way

I'm going to have to get a look at them when they come in, but what I like about the seatbelt style straps is that they are a one-bolt attachment for track days. The rest of the time, I don't expect to need them. I have a chin-type impact bar underneath my front bumper that is bolted in at the front suspension mounts. It's strong enough to pull the car, and the strap itself could come out through the cleft chin part of my early bumper, sandwiched above the splitter piece:

In back, I don't know. It could mount to the engine crossbrace, but of course the muffler is down there. I could have it go up and come out under the decklid. I'll have to see.

It might make sense to have one be a spare for the front, and go with the type that bolts to the engine mounting points down below.

Zeke · 05:46 PM

Yeah, Jack, I like those too. It's on my short list.

[img]http://content.************************/PORSCHE/110676/59PX002G.jpg[/img]

lateapex911 · 10-20-2006, 07:34 PM

Just a comment on the strap mounted to the hood latch location....I imagine that will result in real damage to the metal in that area in any serious pulling situation. I race, and to be honest, sometimes tow guys are in a rush, and the pull isn't straight, or the car is in the gravel....that looks like a bit of a liability to me. I could be wrong of course,