steel_3d

Has anyone used one? Does it work out well, or would the strap strain weird against the bumper cover when towing?

Looking at this: http://hardbarusa.com/hardbar/produc...roducts_id=118

steel_3d

Nobody?

trackboss

With the c6 you have a huge opening for the radiator so if it really is a concern you could mount it more towards the center, but in a hard pull (gravel trap, etc.) that could distort the steel bumper since it is not supported by the frame rails in the center. If I were you I would install it like I did on my car in the photo even though yours is a C6. The bumper cover is plastic and can bend all sorts of ways without being damaged. Only one thing to keep in mind. Imagine what kind of damage will happen if you don't have a tow point and need to be pulled.

steel_3d

Alright, I'm gonna pull the trigger. I'm surprised more people don't use them. The drawbacks, if any, seem less bad than the steel solutions I've seen.

For the record, there's another solution for street cars that I haven't seem mentioned much on the forums: GM sells a tow took bracket for the c6 for the euro market that can be welded to the bumper and a tow-hook screwed in. But it's quite heavy, and Gene Culley couldn't seem to find the screw-in hook in the catalog, so cobbling one together from hardware store bits (~3/4" thick bolt, welding, etc) looked like a mess and super heavy. But the screw-in idea is not bad.

Soft is just better.

Rob Burgoon

Question.... how bad would it be to loop a strap around one of the lower radiator supports/skid bars to get a tug back to the pits? Assume we aren't buried in gravel or dirt.

In the absence of a real tow hook on a C6, how would you try to pull it if you had to pull it forward?

(going backwards looks easier... I would probably loop a strap around some part of the subframe)

trackboss

If the car has no rolling resistance other than its weight the skid would probably be ok, but otherwise it will bend. It made of 16 or 18 guage, 1" square tube. Very easily damaged. It is a disposable part so not a huge deal, but I wouldn't recommend it for recovery pull.
The only real good place to pull in the absence of a tow hook is the frame slots. You need to use "t" hooks and snap two straps to them to form a "V" in front or rear of the car then attach to both of those.
Why american auto mfg's don't have factory hooks is beyond me. All german cars have them as do just about any import. Many come with tie down points as well for securing on a trailer.

steel_3d

There's actually not much room between those skid rails and the bumper cover if my non-photographic memory serves me right. A hook or anything like that definitely wouldn't fit, maybe some rope. And if you did pull from there, the rope would exert some unwanted pressure on the bumper as it rode up the curve of the rails. And as trackboss said, the aluminum is super soft (I'm on my third rad support). But better than trying to pull from the grille or something dumb

If we're ranting about things like the lack of tow hooks, I should also rant about how ****ty the design of that rad support is. Those skid rails ride way too low, they could be brought up an inch easy by changing the design a bit, while keeping the rad geometry and everything else the same, which I think would be enough to avoid 90% of the contact those skids see. Not to mention that personally I'd shorten the front overhang on the Vette as much as possible to reduce ground clearance issues over sloped driveways and such without having to raise ride height.

Jeez that's a little off topic, just something that bugged me while working on the front end this weekend.

jiggyracing

i have used a tow strap wrapped around the front frame well exiting out the front grill. it is secured with large grade 8 washers and bolt. i have plenty of room and even have an extra oil cooler (ligenfelter)mounted near by.

i learned the hard way at Cal Speedway NOT to loop around the subframe.

too computer illiterate to know how to attach pictures - but feel free to e-mail me an i will send them to you.


jiggyracing@aol.com

gintama

Contact Joe at Phoenix Performance. He has a prototype European style screw in tow hook in addition to the standard steel ones. Don't know if it is in production yet.