How to Use Tow Hooks

[CdnHO]

I may be missing something here. My 2003 had tow hooks that actually had a hook that you could attach the loop on a tow strap to. The 2021 doesn't. It is just a steel closed square for lack of a better term. How are you supposed to attach a tow strap to these things? The ends of my tow strap are just loops. Are there shackles of some sort that I need. Thought I would ask before I actually need a tow.

 

[cmh2007]

I may be missing something here. My 2003 had tow hooks that actually had a hook that you could attach the loop on a tow strap to. The 2021 doesn't. It is just a steel closed square for lack of a better term. How are you supposed to attach a tow strap to these things? The ends of my tow strap are just loops. Are there shackles of some sort that I need. Thought I would ask before I actually need a tow.

Soft shackles or standard 3/4 inch bow shackles. Those D rings are much stronger than a hook

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[Eatonpcat]

I may be missing something here. My 2003 had tow hooks that actually had a hook that you could attach the loop on a tow strap to. The 2021 doesn't. It is just a steel closed square for lack of a better term. How are you supposed to attach a tow strap to these things? The ends of my tow strap are just loops. Are there shackles of some sort that I need. Thought I would ask before I actually need a tow.

Ahhh...I see you got the Canadian tow hooks!!

Just kidding, I would put the loop thru the tow hook and and thread the other loop it!

 

[cmh2007]

Ahhh...I see you got the Canadian tow hooks!!

Just kidding, I would put the loop thru the tow hook and and thread the other loop it!

Never do that unless you want your strap to be a permanent fixture on the d-ring

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[Eatonpcat]

I will get it off! May not be usable again, but I will get it off!

 

[cmh2007]

I will get it off! May not be usable again, but I will get it off!

Sigh...

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[CdnHO]

Soft shackles or standard 3/4 inch bow shackles. Those D rings are much stronger than a hook

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Thanks. Have not heard of "soft shackles" since I don't off-road. Sounds like the way (safer) to go since I would only use them in an emergency.

 

[CdnHO]

Ahhh...I see you got the Canadian tow hooks!!

Just kidding, I would put the loop thru the tow hook and and thread the other loop it!

Yeah, we Canadians need special equipment for everything eh!!!

 

[cmh2007]

Thanks. Have not heard of "soft shackles" since I don't off-road. Sounds like the way (safer) to go since I would only use them in an emergency.

I make them in all sizes from 1 inch dyneema all the way down to 7/64 dyneema. They certainly are safe. The downfall of softies is cut hazards. Steel shackles are perfectly safe, just dont side load them

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[Brewbud]

Never do that unless you want your strap to be a permanent fixture on the d-ring

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I use a soft shackle on looped tow hooks when I can. It can be tough, but I have not had a huge problem getting a looped-through itself tow strap off a wide ring like we have on our trucks. Now getting two straps looped together is a freaking nightmare. That is where I definitely use a soft shackle.

 

[DeepH20Driller]

You can basket the strap, although it cuts the length in half. Basically, run the strap through tow hook, and then meet the eyes of it.


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[Brutal_HO]

Why they went away from the old hook is beyond me. Easy to hook a strap end loop.

 

[CdnHO]

Why they went away from the old hook is beyond me. Easy to hook a strap end loop.

View attachment 21946

Yup, that is what I had on the old 2003 and it worked great. For some reason they always screw with what works.


[mod edit] Be careful with the quote/reply.

 

[cmh2007]

I may be missing something here. My 2003 had tow hooks that actually had a hook that you could attach the loop on a tow strap to. The 2021 doesn't. It is just a steel closed square for lack of a better term. How are you supposed to attach a tow strap to these things? The ends of my tow strap are just loops. Are there shackles of some sort that I need. Thought I would ask before I actually need a tow.

Ill be glad to make you a set of dyneema soft shackles. 45 per shackle for 7/16 diameter

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[Eatonpcat]

Just pulled my tractor with the UTV the other night with a tie down strap...Gotta use what's close...Improvise, Overcome, Adapt! Lol

 

[el_barto]

Ahhh...I see you got the Canadian tow hooks!!

Just kidding, I would put the loop thru the tow hook and and thread the other loop it!

That’s called a choker config and reduces the strap capacity by about 50%

 

[el_barto]

Just pulled my tractor with the UTV the other night with a tie down strap...Gotta use what's close...Improvise, Overcome, Adapt! Lol

View attachment 21968

JFC wtf is this. Don’t do this. Don’t ever put a strap over a ball hitch. The strap is prone to slipping off, and the ball is also liable to shearing off and becoming a projectile.

if you don’t have a proper hitch adapter for a bow shackle, pull the hitch and put the loop off the strap into the receiver and thru the hitch pin

 

[el_barto]

I may be missing something here. My 2003 had tow hooks that actually had a hook that you could attach the loop on a tow strap to. The 2021 doesn't. It is just a steel closed square for lack of a better term. How are you supposed to attach a tow strap to these things? The ends of my tow strap are just loops. Are there shackles of some sort that I need. Thought I would ask before I actually need a tow.

The correct answer is buy a shackle. Either a steel bow shackle or a soft shackle as someone else noted.
My 3/4” shackles don’t quite fit on the tow hooks so I have to use 7/8”. I use Van Beest shackles, they are a well known manufacturer of rigging equipment, not chinesium.
Soft shackles are good but there is a bit of a learning curve. I suggest Safe Xtract because they are a) load rated like normal rigging equipment b) have colored markings to help you install them properly c) have attached instruction diagram for installing them correctly

my final comment will be don’t try to pull someone else stuck using your front hooks (ie pulling with your truck in reverse). Your gears are weaker spinning n in reverse and you are more likely to damage your own truck.

 

[el_barto]

my truck being used as a brake vehicle for a disabled truck. It was being pulled, and I was acting as the brakes on decents.

 

[McHenry2500]

I can HIGHLY recommend the Bubba Rope brand shackles and straps. We had a RZR break down on us in Colorado a few weeks ago and we had to pull him the 18ish miles back to town. He lost all power to the engine and brakes and we had to use another RZR to act as a brake vehicle. Keep an eye out on eBay and Amazon and sometimes you can find an entire recovery kit on sale.

I also always carry a basic yellow tow strap for these kind of situations (which happens alot when all of my buddies have Polaris.....)

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