Want to keep stock bumper, but add recovery points/shackles to the front...
- Thread starter muscle_doc
- Start date
You guys made some good points about a front hidden hitch, that would give me a great recovery point . But also the ability to use the winch. I cannot find any information on those ARB recovery points , they are not listed on ARB's website. I want to see the instructions and try see how the install will go. Also can't see any pictures of the hidden hitch installed or instructions for that either , anybody know where I can get the install instructions for both those ?
Thanks
Thanks
adaml
New member
I went down the same path as you when reading this thread haha. I didn't look into the ARB points because I would just use the tie-down loops but I did search about the hidden winch mount. It looks like it's just a big metal "tray" (for lack of a better word) that holds the winch and that mounts to the frame. Most of the threads with installs show that you just pull the front bumper and then bolt the "tray" to the frame, attach the winch, and then put the bumper back on.
I'm not really interested in the hidden winch mount. I am interested in the hidden front hitch. I want to be able to move the winch from vehicle to vehicle or front to rear. With a hitch in the front I could use it for various things for recovery and for moving the trailer around.
DesertCanyons
New member
Recovery points and Bridle
I think that's the right answer. You also need a 2nd recovery point on the back of the truck. The same rear loop fits both the right and the left corners of the frame. The holes with threaded nuts welded inside are already there for anchoring it. Buy a tie-down/recovery loop and 2 bolts from Toyota and bolt it onto the frame. You need to shorten the tailpipe or turn it sideways because it's too close to the loop anchor location. See how I did it on these two threads:
Recovery gear thread with photos:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/213078-recovery-gear-options-8.html
How to make a Bridle rope:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/218848-how-make-bridle.html
Lots of people use the tow hitch as a recovery point but it limits you to anchoring at one point on the truck and you can't use a bridle that way to equalize the load on two points and reduce the load to any one point.
I use a come-along mechanical winch. It's slower and more labor intensive but it cost a lot less and has other uses besides recovery. See my photos of my recovery gear for more info.
I think that's the right answer. You also need a 2nd recovery point on the back of the truck. The same rear loop fits both the right and the left corners of the frame. The holes with threaded nuts welded inside are already there for anchoring it. Buy a tie-down/recovery loop and 2 bolts from Toyota and bolt it onto the frame. You need to shorten the tailpipe or turn it sideways because it's too close to the loop anchor location. See how I did it on these two threads:
Recovery gear thread with photos:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/213078-recovery-gear-options-8.html
How to make a Bridle rope:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/general-discussions/218848-how-make-bridle.html
Lots of people use the tow hitch as a recovery point but it limits you to anchoring at one point on the truck and you can't use a bridle that way to equalize the load on two points and reduce the load to any one point.
I use a come-along mechanical winch. It's slower and more labor intensive but it cost a lot less and has other uses besides recovery. See my photos of my recovery gear for more info.
Last edited:
adaml
New member
Oh! I apologize. I looked at some of those too and it looks like it's basically the same. You take off the front bumper and mount the hitch to the frame (looks like a giant Y) and then you can hide the receiver behind a swing out license plate or something
I agree, 100%!
The "crown" or "ring" gear has a both a drive side and a coast side. The drive side is stronger, and the coast side can definitely produce that pinion-deflection (and breakage) that Ducmonsta mentions.
BUT:
a normal differential, like both the front/rear ones in our 4Runners, are "low-pinion" and use the drive side when pushing. When these diffs pull, they are using the coast side. So in fact, the front-diff is weakest when going forward (pulling), and strongest when backing (pushing). Exactly the opposite of the rear diff.
To make the front-diff stronger going forward, you'd need to swap in a "reverse-cut" or "high-pinion" front diff... And then, you're doubly-weak if you have to back out (like backing out of Mickey's Hot Tub, Moab UT).
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