Recovery/Tow Point Options 02 w/4WD

[mooremedia]

Below is a picture of the front passenger tie down point on my 02 4Runner 4wd. There are two more in the rear as well. From everything I've read on T4R.org and elsewhere, these are not to be used as recovery points for tow straps, winch hooks etc.

So I am wondering: Are there aftermarket Front tow points that bolt into the same position using the same bolt holes?

If not, what are the options for recovery points in and around this same position? I have (and will keep) my stock bumpers, so I'm looking for a solution that does not involve replacing the bumper if possible. Also I do not have the trailer hitch assembly in the rear ether.

My buddy is a skilled welder, so I have that as a resource in case it's ok to weld something in or near the same position as the current tie downs, but would need some examples or advice from those that have implemented a custom weld solution.

ALSO:
There is this sneaky panel in the front bumper:

Which when popped open reveals this:

Not sure if the little square(ish) opening is supposed to accept a tow hook?

I'm hoping that there's an option using the original bolting of the tie downs if possible. Any ideas are much appreciated, thanks everyone!

 

[Brique]

I, too, would like to know the answer to this question.

Bump.

 

[lhsoulrebel]

Trackdecal.com - Road Course Decals and Motorsports Graphics. (Bottom of page)

You could buy 2 sets of these and bolt them in front and rear. You'll need to find the longer bolt off one of your tow hooks, and buy a few extra. I have a pair on the fron of mine, with the stock bumper.... They're very strong.

It looks like from your pic, that you are missing the front tow hook.... That's what is supposed to be behind the plastic cover.

 

[lhsoulrebel]

Oh, I think Sonoran steel has a version as well... Should be a number of posts on here about them.

 

[Gerdo]

These http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/26221-front-d-ring-mounts.html for the front.

If you don't have a rear tow hitch, I'm told that they work on the back too.

If you have a rear tow hitch, get one of these Smittybilt Part s/b29312 - Zinc Plated, 2 inch Receiver Mounted D-Ring Shackle - - 4 Wheel Parts

 

[mooremedia]

Oh, I think Sonoran steel has a version as well... Should be a number of posts on here about them.

Great suggestion, thanks lhsoulrebel. I like this option!

 

[mooremedia]

These http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/26221-front-d-ring-mounts.html for the front.

If you don't have a rear tow hitch, I'm told that they work on the back too.

If you have a rear tow hitch, get one of these Smittybilt Part s/b29312 - Zinc Plated, 2 inch Receiver Mounted D-Ring Shackle - - 4 Wheel Parts

Thanks Gerdo, these look good. Thanks for the links. So I'm starting to get the idea.

To install a set of beefy d-rings, you need the d-rings plus the mounting brackets. I think I've found my solution.

 

[mooremedia]

Oh, I think Sonoran steel has a version as well... Should be a number of posts on here about them.

For those who'd like the link - I found the Sonoran Steel shackle hanger page here

Thanks again lhsoulrebel.

 

[lhsoulrebel]

No problem. Enjoy. I think these were one of my first mods.... Didn't want to go on a trail with out the ability to have some one pull me back on it when I screwed up. I've been doing most of the pulling since

 

[mooremedia]

Tow hook project complete

Since I finally finished this project, I thought I'd add my findings and results to the thread.

In the end I decided to go with an OEM tow hook. I ordered 2 online from Toyota of Dallas (even though I'm in Southern California, non of my local dealers have online parts departments....pppfffftt!)

Here is the direct URL to the part:

2002 Toyota 4Runner Parts - Toyota Part Sales of Toyota of Dallas

The OEM part number is 519661-35051 for a 2002 SR5 4X4

If you search their site for any thing like "Tow" or "Recovery" the search returns nothing. Toyota calls the part a "Hook". They were priced at about $52 each when I ordered them. (2ea).

NOTE: The hook does NOT come with the bolts. And here is what I learned about that:

The bolts that are used for the tie-downs are too short to be used for the tow hook. You need to get something over 2" length preferably - so that the bolt goes all the way through. See Ihsoulrebel's comment above, he was correct about this.

You don't need nuts. They are welded inside the frame.

You do need washers.

The bolt is metric. Size M12-1.25. If you go with something over 2 inches the length will be over 50mm.

Other threads here and on other forums suggest a "Grade 8" bolt - of which is a strength rating. 8 is stronger than a grade 4 or 6.

However, metric bolts are not graded this way (at least at the hardware store that I was shopping...) The M series are measured differently. The correct bolt size I found had a rating of 8.8. After doing some research, I found that this was over a grade 8 but lower than a grade 10.

When removing the tie-down so to replace it with the tow hook, I found those bolts where incredibly tight. I really struggled even with my breaker bar to remove them. This gave me a hint of how tight the new bolts for the tow hook needed to be.

After removing the bolts, I sprayed some Wd40 into the empty hole and scrubbed with an old toothbrush. Then proceeded to mount the new hooks and bolts.

I went with one new hook on the front (behind the detachable bumper cap thingy) and one on the rear.

Here is the part number:

I put my camera up into the frame cavity. These are the welded nuts - which sit on a welded plate on the bottom of the frame:

Here is the rear hook. The open part of the hook is pointing towards the front of the vehicle:

As a reference, here is the rear tie-down that on the other side of the spare tire:

The 02 tie-down is a bit easily misunderstood. It certainly does look beefy enough to handle recovery tasks. But compared with the OEM tow hook, you can see what sort of strength is truly needed to recover vehicles safely.

 

[awpsome]

I wish I knew you needed hooks. I Have my OEM tow hooks sitting in my garage because after upgrading to an ARB front I needed those bolt holes.

Well if you need another with the OEM bolts or anyone else does. Send me a PM.
By the way you know that "sneaky" cover you mentioned from your first post. It's a tow hook cover. NOT the square part you thought but there is supposed to be an OEM tow hook on the frame on that passenger side. The 00-02 4ruhners had the extended bumpers on the front and without that cover you'd most likely rip your lower valance off while using it.
So they made that cover for the user to take on and off when using the hook
I am assuming your hook was taken off or missing when you got the truck. It looks exactly like the hook you just bought.

For reference that square you pictures where you thought the tow hook might enter is just your crush cans for your bumper. They absorb impact from a front end collision to save your frame. That "hole" you saw was just a opening space that just so happenedly is there.

Hope all that makes sense!
Either way you should be good to go.

I've used the shipping tie down brackets a few times for recovery and haven't had an issue. Although I would advise against it. It's ok to use in a bind.

 

[Doc2012]

I've used the shipping tie down brackets a few times for recovery and haven't had an issue. Although I would advise against it. It's ok to use in a bind.

Funny you should say that.

I bent the ever living Fûck out of my "hook" doing a recovery.

I put a 3/4" shackle through the "tie-down", and got the other truck out.

 

[mooremedia]

Hey, AWPSOME - thanks for all that good info. You are correct - in that when I purchased the vehicle (private sale) there was only one tie-down on the front, one on the rear.

So the tow hooks had been removed at some point - but now I'm all set. As Doc2012 has mentioned as well, I also got a set of 3/4" shackles just in case.

Happy trails!

 

[GVL]

These http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/26221-front-d-ring-mounts.html for the front.

If you don't have a rear tow hitch, I'm told that they work on the back too.

If you have a rear tow hitch, get one of these Smittybilt Part s/b29312 - Zinc Plated, 2 inch Receiver Mounted D-Ring Shackle - - 4 Wheel Parts

I have that exact setup front and rear and both work fantastic. I've yanked some pretty big trees that fell across the trail this year and both work like a charm.

 

[nc-grayson]

bumping this for clarity on rear recovery points.

I'm at a point where my oversized spare doesn't fit that well, and I'm not a fan of my CBI folding-hitch mounted spare, so I'm contemplating removing the rear tow hitch to gain more access for the spare.

Only problem is, I'd lose out on a major recovery point in the rear.

Question: can anyone confirm which of these options will work in the rear ILO the factory tow hitch?

-OEM front "hooks" on the rear?
-Sonoran Steel Shackle Mounts
100% bolt on 3/4 Shackle (13047) Hangers $150.00 & $13.75 USPS - $163.75 : Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts
[MENTION=24804]legokcen[/MENTION] / Trackdeal.com Shackle Brackets Trackdecal.com - Road Course Decals and Motorsports Graphics

edit: it *looks* as if the [MENTION=24804]legokcen[/MENTION] mounts work on the rear in the same location as the factory hitch bolts?

 

[legokcen]

bumping this for clarity on rear recovery points.

I'm at a point where my oversized spare doesn't fit that well, and I'm not a fan of my CBI folding-hitch mounted spare, so I'm contemplating removing the rear tow hitch to gain more access for the spare.

Only problem is, I'd lose out on a major recovery point in the rear.

Question: can anyone confirm which of these options will work in the rear ILO the factory tow hitch?

-OEM front "hooks" on the rear?
-Sonoran Steel Shackle Mounts
100% bolt on 3/4 Shackle (13047) Hangers $150.00 & $13.75 USPS - $163.75 : Sonoran Steel, Sonoran Steel Custom Metal Fabrication L.L.C. Custom Toyota Truck Parts
[MENTION=24804]legokcen[/MENTION] / Trackdeal.com Shackle Brackets Trackdecal.com - Road Course Decals and Motorsports Graphics

edit: it *looks* as if the [MENTION=24804]legokcen[/MENTION] mounts work on the rear in the same location as the factory hitch bolts?

The shackle brackets from trackdecal.com will fit on the back at the same place that the hitch mounts to. You can put one on both sides.

 

[thenightman]

Other threads here and on other forums suggest a "Grade 8" bolt - of which is a strength rating. 8 is stronger than a grade 4 or 6.

However, metric bolts are not graded this way (at least at the hardware store that I was shopping...) The M series are measured differently. The correct bolt size I found had a rating of 8.8. After doing some research, I found that this was over a grade 8 but lower than a grade 10.

I just wanted to point out for others doing this that 8.8 metric is actually much closer to SAE grade 5. A metric equivalent of SAE grade 8 would be metric grade 10.9. I was using 8.8s thinking they were grade 8s for years before I found out. Great post otherwise!

 

[Pyral]

I'm bumping this thread because I need a rear tow point. Last time I got stuck I had to get towed out around the rear axle, which surprisingly didn't screw up anything.

Any suggestions for those of us without the rear trailer hitch?

For the front tow hook I got this, its basically the stock one for a fraction of the price, highly recommend. If your ever emergency towing, using two tow points is probably ideal.

 

[cl4Rk]

I'm bumping this thread because I need a rear tow point. Last time I got stuck I had to get towed out around the rear axle, which surprisingly didn't screw up anything.

Any suggestions for those of us without the rear trailer hitch?

For the front tow hook I got this, its basically the stock one for a fraction of the price, highly recommend. If your ever emergency towing, using two tow points is probably ideal.

That same factory tow hook you linked to should bolt up in the rear where the tow hitch would normally be bolted on.

Or, if you wanted to run shackles:

The shackle brackets from trackdecal.com will fit on the back at the same place that the hitch mounts to. You can put one on both sides.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

there's a guy over at the 4th gen section that makes and sells recovery points. i forgot his name sorry


EDIT: here it is:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/for-sale-t4r-items/260892-rear-recovery-point-sale-$90-per-pair-kansas.html