Tow Hooks

[Red Dragon]

Just read an article that said the factory tow hooks were only for tieing the cars down during transit, and if used for actual towing this would do damage to the vehicle.
Is this right please ????????????

[ducktape69]

many people take them off(from the front of the car)...bit silly to tow from the front of the car on a RWD anyway

[SuperMazdaKart]

but if it's on a flat bed truck then i guess the hooks are useful for keeping the car attached to the truck

[Andrew]

but if it's on a flat bed truck then i guess the hooks are useful for keeping the car attached to the truck

...or a tandem trailer -

[irwin83r]

or if youve gone ass first off the road and are bogged in a ditch.... dont ask me how i know this but they do work to pull you out of ditches

[Red Dragon]

Thanks irwin83r you have proved that the article was just a heap of yank crap then and the hooks do work without harming the car

[irwin83r]

[JBT]

As I recall, the owner's manual states that they are tow points.

[lowmiata]

They will do damage to the car if you don't use them correctly

I removed mine years ago

And every time I have to call a tow truck i have to specify a 40ft long or longer tow truck as you have to put the salvage hooks all the way down under the front lower A arms!!
and with a bigger front bar the wilre/chain hits the bottom of it

if I still had them I would use them all the time!

if you do use them make sure when you pull the car it is from directly in front or directly behind otherwise you will do substantial damage

main reason (on the front) is the only front cross rail is the top radiator support, there is no other structure to support the tow hooks if towing from the side in a recovery situation.

[jules]

Pull the teeth. They look disgusting.

Jules

[CT]

The hooks are that substantial that we simply extend them by welding longer hoops onto them and bolt them back on to the race cars. They are plenty strong enough and I have been towed out of kitty litter well over the sills by them.

However, if you are towing the car on a trailer all the time, the front suspension/wheels are a much better solution.