Anyone mount a front tow hook with Vararaam installed?
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Anyone mount a front tow hook with Vararaam installed?
Winter project will be removing front bumper to install flexible tow strap I got last year from trackboss. Just not sure where to put it. I guess I could hack up my VR ducts, but don't really want to do that. I dd car so I would prefer mounting it where it can be tucked away like rear. Brake duct openings? I have already hacked them up for the DRM ducts so that would be OK. Thoughts?
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Harriman Tennessee
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I'm doing the same thing. I thought of getting a different CAI like blackwing. I was thinking today about looking at mounting the VR over the hook somehow and keep the VR.
#4
Burning Brakes
It can be done, it just requires some work getting it all to fit right. The PO of my car did the original VR install and didnt do the greatest job of it which made my life more difficult. I ended up spending more time messing with the intake than the tow hook. Mine is a fixed steel unit though and not a flexible one, im not really sure where you could store a flexible unit with the mesh grill still installed.
#5
Pro
#6
Racer
#7
Safety Car
Thread Starter
That sounds like the trick there. Never taken my front cover off. I guess there is a plastic plate that I can cut thru. Because mine is a strap, I will need to find a way to keep it from flopping around.
#8
That's a good idea behind the plate. One thing you could do is make the hole in the plastic larger than normal (so you can get your fingers in there) and keep the strap tucked behind the bumper cover and then when you need it simply fish it out. There are two screws at the bottom of the plate cover that secure it.
#9
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Nov 2002
Location: Farmington Hills MI
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Here's mine, not finished as I'm adding a few final touches and squaring up the cut out etc. but it gives you the idea. I used a short Harbor Freight tow strap previously but Trackbosse's strap would be a much better solution.
Now you see it....
Now you don't...
Now you see it....
Now you don't...
Last edited by Tourmgr1; 12-15-2011 at 01:41 AM.
#10
Racer
Nice.
It looks like you had to bend the bracket down to get it to fit under the plate cover. I'm wondering if being pulled from a gravel trap (or something like that) would bend it back up and jack up your bupmper cover.
It looks like you had to bend the bracket down to get it to fit under the plate cover. I'm wondering if being pulled from a gravel trap (or something like that) would bend it back up and jack up your bupmper cover.
#11
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Thanks for the pics. I have a plan now. Just a shot in the dark, but anyway to mount that way without taking bumper off? The rear bumper wasn't that bad, I just never did get it to line back up. Apparently it is not an exact fit as I aligned the left side but then the right side sticks out about 1/8 of an inch. I didn't take the time to loosen everything again to move it 1/16th of an inch. Be nice not to have to remove.
#12
Burning Brakes
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The cut out will be opened up and quick release fasteners used so the cover can be removed if necessary. A work in progress.
anyway to mount that way without taking bumper off?
Good Luck.
#13
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Got mine on last weekend. Not too bad taking bumper off. Got it back on close to straight. Headlights don't rub when going up and down so I can live with the rest.
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Looks normal with cover on. Took some creative engineering to get nut attached. Still need some way to keep strap from flopping around during track time, but still easy for tow guys to attach. It may not be that big of a deal.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
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Looks normal with cover on. Took some creative engineering to get nut attached. Still need some way to keep strap from flopping around during track time, but still easy for tow guys to attach. It may not be that big of a deal.
#14
There is a simple solution for attaching something like that if you can't reach into the bumper beam with wrench. Custom build a nut plate by welding a nut to a piece of strap formed so that it cannot completely rotate inside the bumper. It can be plug welded from the outside, bolted, or riveted in place if one does not want it to come loose if the tow strap is removed. I can build them pretty inexpensively if there is any interest.
#15
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Dec 2006
Location: East Oakland CA
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im interested. sounds like you might have built one already. do you have any pics?
im looking for something like this but i want mine in the center behind the plate cover and possibly something similar in the rear center as well
http://www.CorvetteC5.de/PDF/C6EUhookC5.pdf
im looking for something like this but i want mine in the center behind the plate cover and possibly something similar in the rear center as well
http://www.CorvetteC5.de/PDF/C6EUhookC5.pdf
There is a simple solution for attaching something like that if you can't reach into the bumper beam with wrench. Custom build a nut plate by welding a nut to a piece of strap formed so that it cannot completely rotate inside the bumper. It can be plug welded from the outside, bolted, or riveted in place if one does not want it to come loose if the tow strap is removed. I can build them pretty inexpensively if there is any interest.
Last edited by mickey_7106; 08-23-2012 at 06:46 PM.
#16
I have built nut plates for a whole lot of things. Not just car related. They alllow for easier assembly because only one wrench is needed. I can build you one if you like. I don't have any photos.
For my tow hook I did not use a nut plate. There is a lot of room to get a wrench inside the bumper beam to hold the nut, and the bumper cover must be removed to do the install the way I did.
For my tow hook I did not use a nut plate. There is a lot of room to get a wrench inside the bumper beam to hold the nut, and the bumper cover must be removed to do the install the way I did.
#17
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
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the toe hook or strap should be exposed for emergency personal to quickly hook your car up to be towed.
Plus dont want to spear anyone or another car if you tap another car, if the hook extends out beyond the front most part of the bumper. So having a folding hook or strap may be a better idea.
if you use a tow strap, it may also flap around as the car is moving. Flaggers can not see what it is, so they may black flag you for having a loose part.
#18
Safety Car
Thread Starter
It would be nice to figure out a way to hold tow hook still while on the track. I thought about zip tying thru the license plate bolt holes, but then the tow people would have to cut it to be used. Is there another quick disconnect solution or just let it fly?
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
#19
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I have built nut plates for a whole lot of things. Not just car related. They alllow for easier assembly because only one wrench is needed. I can build you one if you like. I don't have any photos.
For my tow hook I did not use a nut plate. There is a lot of room to get a wrench inside the bumper beam to hold the nut, and the bumper cover must be removed to do the install the way I did.
For my tow hook I did not use a nut plate. There is a lot of room to get a wrench inside the bumper beam to hold the nut, and the bumper cover must be removed to do the install the way I did.
#20
Drifting
It would be nice to figure out a way to hold tow hook still while on the track. I thought about zip tying thru the license plate bolt holes, but then the tow people would have to cut it to be used. Is there another quick disconnect solution or just let it fly?
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
I've contemplated fab'ing up a two piece tow hook. It would look like a hinged tow hook. But the hinge would be a through bolt that you could remove and take the front piece off. For track prep you bolt up the front piece and off you go.
Hmm, side business anybody want one? Haha.