First, you get one of these off a tie down strap. I had an extra laying around that just happened to be red. Cut the hook off of it.




Attach the strap to the factory tie down with a sturdy steel shackle. This one came from Ace Hardware (My Home Depot only had the small wimpy type) and is rated at 3000lbs. DON'T use an undersized shackle because if it breaks a worker could get hurt. I also used loctite on the threads to help insure it doesnt come loose.




Cut a slit in the front bumper cover and stuff the end of the strap through. Make the fit tight so the strap can't slip backwards through the hole.



And there you have it.
I can even still use that factory tie down to secure the car to the trailer. The tie down strap hook still fits through the hole along with the shackle.

 

Excellent post.

My friend did the same thing on his SE-R cup car. He used to work at a medium to heavy duty truck repair facility and he got a strap and shackle from there and slid it through the front bumper cover.

Best way I've seen so far.

 

I've been playing around w/ the same idea (since that BMW thread came up) but what concerns me about that (that which you have there) is that it might do some significant damage to the bumper if pulled from any angle (upward) other than straight on. I'm also thinking it would make things easier (on the tow crew) if it was higher up on the bumper but I am not sure where you could go w/ that.

 

Thank you !!!! I have been wondering how to do that !!

 

I think the bumper cover is close enough to the attachment that it won't get damaged unless its pulled at a fairly drastic angle. I attached about 15 feet of rope (about as short a length of tow vehicle strap you'll see) to it and pulled it upwards at about chest level and it barely moved the bumper cover.

That said, a pull straight up or at near 90 degrees from either side will likely mess up the bumper cover.

And it is kind of lower than I'd like, but I wanted something that wouldn't effect bump drafting and the factory tow hook is about the strongest spot on the entire front of the car. Even if the strap gets slightly buried in sand, it shouldn't be hard to locate with the help of the little arrow.

I'm just hoping other IT guys fab hooks/straps that are bump draft friendly. I don't want to be buying 3 new rear bumper covers a year.

 

You might want to walk the rope out to the side a few degrees and imagine being slid across mud. Now in all honesty, you might have other issues at that point but this is what I keep running through in my head as problems/concerns I need to resolve.

 

It is certainly not an issue-free solution as there are scenarios that will damage the bumper cover.

But I figure IF one of those scenarios arises and IF the bumper cover gets damaged and IF the cover wasn't already damaged by whatever caused me to need to be attached to a tow strap in the first place...
I'll get a new bumper cover.

 

Tranny locks your fronts up somehow or anythihng that could prevent the front from rolling well but no effect to the rest of the car, would not want to throw a bumper away. Just running through many scenarios in my head and trying to think of how I can do similarly but not do any damage using it. I am thinking the area where the bumper meets the open grill area in front of the radiator is almost directly in line w/ each other. Perhaps I will be able to position something there and more toward the center of the car.

 

Scott,

I've been agonizing over the best way to install a hook, and this thread just made my day.

 

This should be in the "Tow Strap for Dummies". Thanks a lot. I will doing the same thing!

 

I see the strap ruining your bumper if it's ever pulled in anyother direction than straight.

Did someone already mention that the slit where the strap goes through the bumper should probably be extended an inch or two on each side.

I didn't read the whole post so someone might have covered this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It is certainly not an issue-free solution as there are scenarios that will damage the bumper cover.

But I figure IF one of those scenarios arises and IF the bumper cover gets damaged and IF the cover wasn't already damaged by whatever caused me to need to be attached to a tow strap in the first place...
I'll get a new bumper cover.</TD></TR></TABLE>

cool that I saw this.. I bought some tow straps to mangle with this same thought in mind.. thought of it after seeing the BMW tow strap thread.. good to see it will work..

 

that was way too easy...

and your missing out on the shin killing experience

 

Scott,

I think you are risking damaging your front bumper. Build a rigid extender all the way to your bumper skin to protect this. Trust me the angle can be real bad. Your design is bad in side angles and upward.
And those tow straps need to be inspected and replace over time too. Mine is halfway torn after total of 4 tows.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It is certainly not an issue-free solution as there are scenarios that will damage the bumper cover.

But I figure IF one of those scenarios arises and IF the bumper cover gets damaged and IF the cover wasn't already damaged by whatever caused me to need to be attached to a tow strap in the first place...
I'll get a new bumper cover.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree...if all the moons align and the bumper skin is somehow demolished....oh well...time to buy a new one.

Great strap Scott! I will be implementing this on my car soon.

 

Not if it mechanicall breakdown. It suck to add bumper bill to already costly mechanical bill.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andrie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not if it mechanicall breakdown. It suck to add bumper bill to already costly mechanical bill.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, exactly. I would have been torqued as hell when I milkshook my tranny to have to buy a new bumper cover (or have to have it pulled back into shape and reshot w/ paint) on top of that. Just getting pulled out the few times I have, things are rarely at a flat angle (and where that is, it will always be pulled upwards and probably to the center of the car). Its not a rag on your design Catch, just noting that this would be (and probably could be) much more of an irritant than you might think. Fortunately when I got pulled for the transmission, it was by the welded steel hoop (in the location I am talking about). I'd go w/ Anrie's plan to have something solid flush up the backside of the bumper cover if you want to do this vs. using the factory tie down. Just my opinion but I'd look at that area where the core bumper support is as I am almost positive its lined up w/ the mouth of the bumper (or you could have something welded or bolted that would drop down so it was better located) - thinking on this is that its a large enough opening that it won't touch the bumper in any direction w/ the tow strap is used.

 

Yeah, the welded hoop design would be better but it also is not nearly as easy as using one similar to what Scott shows. I too have concerns about going through the bumper, but what he showed is a great start! I'll probably use what Scott has and just go under the bumper then attach it somewhere that it can be easily accessed. Maybe zip tie it down or something?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by granracing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, the welded hoop design would be better but it also is not nearly as easy as using one similar to what Scott shows. </TD></TR></TABLE>

No, it wouldn't be a better design IMO, it would be better to have some fixed attachment point placed "flush" up against the backside of the bumper cover. The problem I have w/ the fixed hoop is that its a bitch to pass through the cover (and not too feasible from what I can see to weld it on while the cover is on there) and more importantly, any bumping w/ it unless its below the bumper itself is putting dents in your buddy's back bumper.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

and more importantly, any bumping w/ it unless its below the bumper itself is putting dents in your buddy's back bumper.</TD></TR></TABLE>

And dents in your shins if youre not careful.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

And dents in your shins if youre not careful.</TD></TR></TABLE>

shins don't count. They heal for free - the bumper covers cost $.

 

Great DIY!

im gonna have to make one

 

Good idea, Scott. I've had one of those metal hoop toe hook things sitting in my shop for about two years now and have yet to install it - I just have images of banging into it over and over and over again. Also, if you go to say a World Challenge race, almost every team has something like this - a strap through the bumper. I think if you used a design just like Scott has and maybe make the side to side slit wider, you'd probably be good 4 out of 5 times you had to be towed.

If you need better security than that than maybe you need to worry more about your driving.

Just to be sure, a tow hook or strap is mandatory for IT next year, correct? Need to add that to the list...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krbobcat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Just to be sure, a tow hook or strap is mandatory for IT next year, correct? Need to add that to the list...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep.

 

OK So this is a good idea, now what about the rear? Don't we need one front and rear? Any updates on whether this is effective or not?