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C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
I want to install front and rear tow hooks on my C6 Z. so many to choose from. I welcome any recommendations. I will do the Rear first but need both. I have stock exhaust at the moment. Want a sturdy hook.
They do require a little a of work to install and are not just "bolt-on". The rear has virtually no room to install it unless you drop the mufflers (then it is easy). For the front, the fascia needs to come off to access the front bumper beam that it attaches to. Good time to install a splitter reinforcement brace. It is a little bit of work though but if you can turn a wrench it isn't a big deal. I've done alot of them and can get them both on in an afternoon.
I recently purchased a front tow hook from Phoenix Performance. I'm pretty happy with the way it installed. The owner is a forum member.
I also have an LG rear tow hook. Like Mordeth said there isn't much room to install the rear hook.
Thanks Mordeth and Brian71. I know the front is a job and I’ve considered the reinforcement brace. Kinda thought the back would be easy!
I did my heads a few months back so I figure it’ll be easier then that!
I have VMS racing for the rear, its very similar to LG except half the price and great quality. For the front I have a strap that I picked up at VIR. Haven't used it but it was only $20.
Last edited by fred50stang; 06-02-2019 at 08:41 AM.
I have VMS racing for the rear, its very similar to LG except half the price and great quality. For the front I have a strap that I picked up at VIR. Haven't used it but it was only $20.
I liked the price on the VMS, just wondered if it was sturdy. I’ll prefer a pull from the rear when the time comes! Where did you buy it?
The strap seems nice as it’s not meant to be rigid. Will it damage the grill if pulled from a side angle?
i like your splitter. What brand is it?
thanks!!
I recently purchased a front tow hook from Phoenix Performance. I'm pretty happy with the way it installed. The owner is a forum member.
I also have an LG rear tow hook. Like Mordeth said there isn't much room to install the rear hook.
Did you unbolt your mufflers to do your rear hook?
You want to always pull from the front if you can, not the rear. This allows you to control the car better, steer it properly, and see where it is going. Other than the fact that the sanctioning body I race with requires both a front and rear tow hook, I only have the rear hook in the case that the car is situated such that I cannot easily access the front. I have pulled my car literally hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times from the front hook and never once have I used the rear hook as that is not how you want to pull the car. It is there only for emergencies.
So let's start over:
You want one front tow hook and one rear.
The preferred method is to pull from the front
The front can be secured off-set to the left, or off-set to the right. It doesn't matter. Mine is offset to the left as that is the side that my winch is on my trailer.
This front hook is secured by removing the front fascia and attaching it to the frame rail. To get and hold the nuts on the bolts that go through the tow hook bracket that is mounted to the rail, you will need a long extension that slides in the hollow frame rail. I quite literally taped a 3' metal rod I had laying around to the end of my socket. Then you wrench the bolt onto the nut by holding the nut in place with the extension and turning the bolt on the other side. Makes it easier with two people.
For the rear, the problem is that the bolts that you need to install are long, the space is small and you need to get a wrench them. It is exceedingly difficult to get them situated properly as the space between the back of the muffler and the bracket that you bolt to is very small. I have used shorter bolts and wedged apart the mufflers and got them in without dropping them, but it is a pain in the ***. It can be done though.
And here are a few pics from my car.
This is the LG front hook. There are four bolts that secure the bracket. Two that you can see here and two underneath that you cannot. This makes it very secure and solid. The two bolts that you see in this pic have a nut behind them that needs to be held in place with the extension I spoke of aboe.
And here is the rear. Looks easy, but is a bitch to get the bolts in without dropping the mufflers:
I liked the price on the VMS, just wondered if it was sturdy. I’ll prefer a pull from the rear when the time comes! Where did you buy it?
The strap seems nice as it’s not meant to be rigid. Will it damage the grill if pulled from a side angle?
i like your splitter. What brand is it?
thanks!!
I bought directly from VMS, very quick shipping too. The strap runs directly under the metal bumper, so a direct straight pull, it 'shouldnt' damage the bumper or the plastic there. However, if/when the times comes to pull from there, I suspect there will be more damage elsewhere. It gives a place to tow without having to hook into suspension or cradles.
The splitter is an Etremeonline piece. I bought it though Veloz Designs (Hector Martinez). He has some side skirts that he makes himself that look really good, that I'll be getting in the future.
I will say this about the splitter, its a visual piece as far as aero, I wouldnt put much faith in it at speed. If you want a splitter that works, my opinion is LG and APR is the way to go.
I bought directly from VMS, very quick shipping too. The strap runs directly under the metal bumper, so a direct straight pull, it 'shouldnt' damage the bumper or the plastic there. However, if/when the times comes to pull from there, I suspect there will be more damage elsewhere. It gives a place to tow without having to hook into suspension or cradles.
The splitter is an Etremeonline piece. I bought it though Veloz Designs (Hector Martinez). He has some side skirts that he makes himself that look really good, that I'll be getting in the future.
I will say this about the splitter, its a visual piece as far as aero, I wouldnt put much faith in it at speed. If you want a splitter that works, my opinion is LG and APR is the way to go.
You want to always pull from the front if you can, not the rear. This allows you to control the car better, steer it properly, and see where it is going. Other than the fact that the sanctioning body I race with requires both a front and rear tow hook, I only have the rear hook in the case that the car is situated such that I cannot easily access the front. I have pulled my car literally hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times from the front hook and never once have I used the rear hook as that is not how you want to pull the car. It is there only for emergencies.
So let's start over:
You want one front tow hook and one rear.
The preferred method is to pull from the front
The front can be secured off-set to the left, or off-set to the right. It doesn't matter. Mine is offset to the left as that is the side that my winch is on my trailer.
This front hook is secured by removing the front fascia and attaching it to the frame rail. To get and hold the nuts on the bolts that go through the tow hook bracket that is mounted to the rail, you will need a long extension that slides in the hollow frame rail. I quite literally taped a 3' metal rod I had laying around to the end of my socket. Then you wrench the bolt onto the nut by holding the nut in place with the extension and turning the bolt on the other side. Makes it easier with two people.
For the rear, the problem is that the bolts that you need to install are long, the space is small and you need to get a wrench them. It is exceedingly difficult to get them situated properly as the space between the back of the muffler and the bracket that you bolt to is very small. I have used shorter bolts and wedged apart the mufflers and got them in without dropping them, but it is a pain in the ***. It can be done though.
And here are a few pics from my car.
This is the LG front hook. There are four bolts that secure the bracket. Two that you can see here and two underneath that you cannot. This makes it very secure and solid. The two bolts that you see in this pic have a nut behind them that needs to be held in place with the extension I spoke of aboe.
And here is the rear. Looks easy, but is a bitch to get the bolts in without dropping the mufflers:
thank you for the detailed explanation. I feel much better about the front hook. Also makes sense now that the front is preferred to pull from. That LG looks solidly connected.
Did you unbolt your mufflers to do your rear hook?
After 2 hours on my back I couldn't get the rear hook installed. I gave up and got my Corvette mechanic to do it.
I did the front hook myself and it was easier than trying to install the rear hook.
I have VMS front and rear. The rear was a million times easier than the front since the front requires the bumper to be removed. I have Borla ATAK’s though, so that may have made the rear easier, it was a straight shot with nothing in the way.
was reading this thread and was annoyed the c6 z06 had no tow hook or even mount for it or anything what the hell GM? pleasantly surprised one of the modifications necessary for JDM delivered vehicles is a tow mount. I can just by a threaded piece of stock and screw it in!
that said being corvette they overcharge like crazy for a correctly sized item which is ready to slap on. :-/
06-01-2019, 02:23 PM
Best Tow hooks for C6Z ?
