Tow Hooks

[jim woodruff]

Cool thanks for the info. Still would like to see pics of install front and rear.

UPS dropped my front tow hook off this afternoon. The quality looks great and the instruction look well put together. I will start on the installation in the next couple of days and give an up date. If anyone else has installed please post and advise of any pit falls and or short cuts.

 

[jim woodruff]

Cool thanks for the info. Still would like to see pics of install front and rear.

UPS dropped my front tow hook off this afternoon. The quality looks great and the instruction look well put together. I will start on the installation in the next couple of days and give an up date. If anyone else has installed please post and advise of any pit falls and or short cuts.

I have installed the front tow hook assy. The instructions are excellent and right on the money. The installation went will and followed the directions to the letter.
( Well thought out ). When I removed the splitter bracket from my LS two of the nuts were missing. They may have come loose and fallen off or were not installed at Ford. When I used the bolts that came in the kit w/ lock washers I added a little Loctite. ( to be on the safe side )
I also added thread lube to all the stainless splitter screws they are stainess and the holding clips are steel and a lot of galvanic action. I would give the unit a ten for the quality & instructions. Great work Blowfish. Jim

Blowfish, Please consider the design of a jacking plate for our cars. Like the older Porsche 911 or the Panoz WC cars. Thanks,

 

[Jimmy Pribble]

I have installed the front tow hook assy.

Pics or it didn't happen. ;D

Thanks for the report, Jim. How long did it take you to install? It sounds like one more thing to add to my wish list.

Jimmy

 

[jim woodruff]

I have installed the front tow hook assy.

Pics or it didn't happen. ;D

Thanks for the report, Jim. How long did it take you to install? It sounds like one more thing to add to my wish list.

Jimmy

It took about 3 1/2 hrs. Most of the time on the LS splitter removal and install. I will take some pics. next week.

 

[pufferfish]

Jim,
Thanks for being the first to report on it. I am glad you like it. I hope you never need to use it, but you will be glad you have it if the need arises.

I should probably revise the instructions to clarify that no locking hardware is required to attach the bracket to the frame. The bracket tabs are slightly off the mount angle to provide spring locking force to the backside of the flanged nut. It is designed to allow the flange nut to use its full contact surface to hold the bracket.

Also, I do believe the front bumper cover can be removed with the LS splitter in place (aside from disconnecting the struts). I will verify this when I receive mine back from Ford. If it can't stay on, I will add the removal procedure to the directions.

I have heard of others having only 2 nuts holding their LS brackets on. Were the 4 factory bolts you replaced as part of the instructions all the same length as the ones in the kit? The factory installs 1 long and 1 short screw per side and the LS kit includes a pair of longer bolts to replace the shorter ones with. The longer ones are required to put the nuts on the backside. In the cases I have heard of, the longer bolts were never installedby the factory (or dealer), which prevents the other 2 nuts from being installed.

 

[fduboss302]

Attached on a 2013 without LS splitter. If you don't want the tow hook flapping around and hitting the bottom of the bumper cover near the stock non LS splitter then you'll have to put a washer. I put a 3/8" one in. Pics to follow later today. Total time to install was around 2.5 hours but most of that was drilling the bottom grill and figuring out how to take each component of the bumper off (the 2013 bumpers are a pain to take off)

Pics as promised:

 

[jim woodruff]

Jim,
Thanks for being the first to report on it. I am glad you like it. I hope you never need to use it, but you will be glad you have it if the need arises.

I should probably revise the instructions to clarify that no locking hardware is required to attach the bracket to the frame. The bracket tabs are slightly off the mount angle to provide spring locking force to the backside of the flanged nut. It is designed to allow the flange nut to use its full contact surface to hold the bracket.

Also, I do believe the front bumper cover can be removed with the LS splitter in place (aside from disconnecting the struts). I will verify this when I receive mine back from Ford. If it can't stay on, I will add the removal procedure to the directions.

I have heard of others having only 2 nuts holding their LS brackets on. Were the 4 factory bolts you replaced as part of the instructions all the same length as the ones in the kit? The factory installs 1 long and 1 short screw per side and the LS kit includes a pair of longer bolts to replace the shorter ones with. The longer ones are required to put the nuts on the backside. In the cases I have heard of, the longer bolts were never installedby the factory (or dealer), which prevents the other 2 nuts from being installed.

I will use the center tow hook to move My car in and out of the trailer,it will get a lot of use. Yes I would be a lot faster if the LS splitter could stay in place. The bolts supplied in your kit were the correct length. The four Ford bolts removed were all the same thread and length. Thanks for a good product and instructions.

 

[pufferfish]

fduboss302,
if you flip the loop mount upside down, you can effectively raise the loop by nearly 9/16", which would help to bring it up off the painted lower bumper area. i guess that wasn't effectively conveyed in the instructions. i will work on that. a couple of folks have mentioned the loop's ability to move freely. i am looking at finding a plastic washer to take up the slack, without gouging the loop and mount.

thanks for your input. it helps me to make a better product and keep in tune with what the customers expect.

 

[jim woodruff]

fduboss302,
if you flip the loop mount upside down, you can effectively raise the loop by nearly 9/16", which would help to bring it up off the painted lower bumper area. i guess that wasn't effectively conveyed in the instructions. i will work on that. a couple of folks have mentioned the loop's ability to move freely. i am looking at finding a plastic washer to take up the slack, without gouging the loop and mount.

thanks for your input. it helps me to make a better product and keep in tune with what the customers expect.

Thanks, work on a jacking plate design like the old 911 cars. I can send you a 911
you a 911 jacking plate if could make the mounting hardware. E-mail me off line.

 

[pufferfish]

the only jack plates i have seen for 911's involve plugging into a square hole in the rocker panel. is that what you are referring to? i have had this project on the back burner for a while now. i would love to have a 911 style side mounted pad so you always have clear sight of what you are jacking up on and plenty of room for the jack, but that area just isn't designed to take a cantilevered load without a heavy, welded on bracket. you really need to be jacking directly under the pinch weld.

 

[jim woodruff]

the only jack plates i have seen for 911's involve plugging into a square hole in the rocker panel. is that what you are referring to? i have had this project on the back burner for a while now. i would love to have a 911 style side mounted pad so you always have clear sight of what you are jacking up on and plenty of room for the jack, but that area just isn't designed to take a cantilevered load without a heavy, welded on bracket. you really need to be jacking directly under the pinch weld.

Thats what I was looking for. Jacking on that pinch weld is a pita. I have made wooden glued pads and still not good. If you come up with something let us know. Thanks,Jim

 

[pufferfish]

REAR Tow Hooks!

So, its been a while on an update. I have been working on a few things, including the rear tow hook. if you remember, i had it popping out above the plate. i was never really happy with it overall. installation was going to be tough and license plate frames would interfere. i scratched my head for a while and came up with this idea. place it behind the plate, but through a grommet. it can retract to nearly be flush with the body, so the license plate can sit right. when its time for the track, take the plate off, pull out the loop mount and attach the loop. STILL no tools required (except to remove the license plate). and the cut in the bodywork is behind the license plate, so a return to stock would simply need a grommet without a hole...which is a stock Mopar part. so it won't look too out of place if selling the vehicle. i placed the loop up a bit higher than the weld-in styles out there now so the loop doesn't rest on the angled part of the lower fascia.

in the process (but for another project), i learned that the high strength steel Ford used for the bumper support, is REALLY high strength! self tapping screws WILL NOT drill into this metal. even if you make a pilot hole, the threads will grind down and never start to tap. using a fluted tap will result in lots of broken teeth and a whole lot of curse words. larger drill bits don't stand a chance either. the best way to get bigger holes is with a step drill and even then, plan on the bit being disposed of after a couple of holes. stuff is wicked! thats kind of an unrelated rant, as this tow hook kit will not require any such modifications ;D

anywho, heres the pics...

 

[VoodooBoss]

I like your rear design update, nice work!

 

[Zoldier]

Glad I found this thread. I was about to order the Cool Tech tow hook but was hesitant about putting a hole in the bumber. This seems like a good alternative even though its quite a bit pricier.

The rear looks promissing as well. Although the Cool Tech rear option is not as bad since the hole is in the lower unpainted portion. I think price would play more of a factor for that one.

 

[Jimmy Pribble]

Here is the 302S front tow hook mount for reference and/or inspiration:

Jimmy

 

[steveespo]

What is the second oil cooler on the 302S? Diff or Transmission? I think I'm gonna do a trans cooler in addition to the differential cooler I am setting up now.
Steve

 

[PeteInCT]

I'm pretty sure their diff in in the rear. It's big enough to be tranny...

 

[mwilson7]

It's the trans cooler.

 

[PeteInCT]

Mark - does the 302S use the same rear diff cooler that Rehegan sells?

 

[mwilson7]

The Boss 302S doesn't have a rear diff cooler. The diff cover is plumbed for one but we didn't include one.