djslim23

No worries OP, I've thought this thought before just as you have, ever since I've had to take my bumper off to get on a tow truck. I don't care so much for the looks of the hooks, especially the rear, but I would rock one if someone made a tested and proven one that you could weld on or something like that. Let me tell you, tow drivers are not happy with lowered cars, and I'm not happy with tow trucks fawking up my lip.

CivicSD

The idea is preposterous. Let's take a piece of aluminum that was probably machined and manufactured in china, and screw it to the stock tow hook with two bolts. Pull the weight of the car on THAT???

Towing is very dangerous. When these winch cables / chains snap, they kill. You have to be very careful to mount to something very solid. I usually hook to control arms, solid axles, etc.

add a aluminum show piece to this dangerous operation, and you are playing mickey mouse with your life.

Real track cars use straps for getting pulled. I'm not sure why this benen stuff is so damn popular. Can someone explain that to me

xx_iDolized

lol funny thread, by a major consensus I think its safe to say the purpose of the shiny tow hooks are *drumroll*

BLING FACTOR

Libertariat

Real racers use fabric tow straps.

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

OE tow hooks are just fine for a street car.

gsrbuilt35r

I have had my car towed twice by my quote on quote shiny for show tow hook lol.

KidFrost

ooh my where did i go wrong.. for some reason i thought aluminium was the most abundant metal on earth...

Thats nice to know.. i am sure as long as you are not down over a cliff somewhere a non metal, aluminum, lol, tow hook would work just fine..

Has any one had one break on them. I would say the weak point of one of those setups would be the bolts used to attach them..

That being said it would still be nice for some company to come out with a tested and " rated" tow hook.

STR8 H8N

NOFX

Cheap. Abundant. Easy to install. Makes a stock car "different" than all the other stock cars.

Same reason lots of other things are popular.

Having parts that have no other purpose than to look pretty is fine. It only becomes a concern when it can negatively affect safety.

98civdx

Still....

I just don't understand what the heck is wrong with towing from the factory tow hook?

That is what it is there for.

Creepsjr

Get rich quick scheme:

1. buy tow hooks.
2. install tow hooks on car.
3. cause car to breakdown, requiring towing. (disconnect something. whatever)
4. tow car with said tow hooks.
5. wait for chaos to occur.
6. sue the pants off the manufacturer who sold a product, stating a specific purpose,
which in turn fails and is otherwise not capable of carrying out said function. Ensure
failure occurs in busy area, with lots of witnesses around.
7. take riches and build some wickedly bad-a** Hondas.

djslim23

8. Put tow hook on. See steps 3-7.

96hb

Isn't it obvious what these are for? You need something shiny to hang your little stuffed animals from.

djslim23

^ I would do that fo sho. You know I bet they could work if you used really high strength bolts. I work at a fastener company in the summer, they have a lot of military parts and whatnot that I'm sure would do the trick as long as there was a good mounting point.

turbodreams954

mostly for looks Imho

Targa250R

Fixed.

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

Absolutely true in so may ways.

/thread

keving85

I have a Kia factory screw in tow hook.(i work at a kia dealer). That i am going to find the thread pattern nut to fit it and weld it on the the front frame of my civic. Reason for doing this is when you do have a lowered vehicle when pulling from the front tow hooks it can put pressure on your front bumper and **** it up. I am keeping the new tow hook in the trunk and only screwing it in when and if i ever need a tow. makes it alot easier for the tow truck driver too. This tow hook is pretty damn heavy duty also.

dragon909boi

i always thought about this.... i knew they were for looks..... but everyone prefers benen? why?

slowwcivic

id have to say their mostly for looks

CivicSD

no tow truck driver in his right mind would tug a car by that crap.

Ryank327

There are actual functional tow hooks out there that aren't just for show, some of them actually work. Though you don't see them often. They are good to have so your bumper doesnt get jacked from the straps/chains pushin up on it if your car is lowered.

dem0nk1d

I saw this at the local autoshow over the weekend and thought this is probably the best idea of any tow hook setup.

nsk crx

a tow hook that's actually meant for towing is not gay lol. we had record snow fall here in illinois a few weeks ago and naturally, my RSX got stuck.

1. i'd rock a red tow hook (would look sweet with the black paint) on the back so i dont have to dig through more than 2 feet of snow to get to the factory one hiding way under the rear bumper.

2. i'd get a tow hook so when we actually find the factory one under the car we can get a bolt through it cuz the factory one is really small. my friend didn't have a bolt small enough to go through it the 1st time we tried.

3. i'd get a tow hook so when we finally got my car hooked up, we didnt tear up the rear bumper when we started tugging cuz the hook sits pretty much flush with the bumper and a truck that could actually pull your car out is going to yank in an upward motion since your car sits so low.

4. i'd get a tow hook just for the luxury of knowing i can get my car out of wherever its stuck whenever i want without damaging my car. you will understand someday when you actually need to use it.

Libertariat