Tow Hooks on Non-Trailhawk Renegades

Discussion in 'Renegade Modified Tech' started by A. Hayes, Jun 8, 2016.

  1. A. Hayes

    A. Hayes New Member

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    Hey guys, I want to put tow hooks on my Latitude, but am having a hard time figuring out the best way to do it. I know there's the factory tow hook receivers on the front right and rear right bumpers underneath the removable covers for thread-in hooks, but i don't know which hooks to buy! Also not sure if they will be strong enough to recover the vehicle when i get it stuck? Your thoughts are appreciated.
     
  2. chrisisnapping

    chrisisnapping New Member

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    Mopar sells the thread-in hooks for the renegade. You would just need to find d-shackles

    Not sure how strong they would be or useful for recovery. They are most likely designed for tie-downs.
     
  3. A. Hayes

    A. Hayes New Member

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    I did some more digging around, and I think i found the answer. As long as the pull is rather straight on, the OEM tow points should be just fine to yank the little toaster out of any sand or mud you get yourself stuck in. Being as all cars in Europe must come with a tow hook standard, it wouldn't make sense to put tow points on that can't at least handle most of the vehicle's weight.


    I just purchased a set of these: https://www.zl1addons.com/index.php/shop-for-gear/tow-hooks/jeep-renegade-tow-hook-detail

    Ill put an update on this thread once I go playing in the dunes and need a tug. In my opinion they look WAY better than the OEM eye bolt, and if you don't want to spend damn near $300 per SIDE to get the TH hooks, this seems about the only option.
     
  4. Volleyholic

    Volleyholic Active Member

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    Any ideal what the load rating is on those rings?
     
  5. chrisisnapping

    chrisisnapping New Member

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    On another renegade forum I asked the owner of the company multiple times if he tested recovery using these and their more expensive mounts and he refuses to test them. Says he doesn't want to damage the renegade. So honestly they seem like over priced "bling factor" hooks that Honda civics use until proven that they can actually be used for recovery.

    If you're going to roll the dice with tow hooks may as well just get the <$30 Mopar ones and shackles from McMaster
     
  6. A. Hayes

    A. Hayes New Member

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    We will see. They're very heavy for what they are, and the quality does seem top notch when you hold them in your hands. But of course, until I need my Renny yanked out of the mud they are just there for show. I emailed the owner about it as well before my purchase and he said that as long as the pull is mostly straight, they should pull me out of most situations.
     
  7. TWX

    TWX Active Member

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    Donno if this helps or not, but just got through installing the Renegade Ready tow hitch kit that goes inside of the rear bumper cover. Basically one has to pull off the rear bumper cover, remove the rear crossmember, and install the hitch where the crossmember went.

    There were two sets of directions, one for the Trailhawk, one for the rest. The trailhawk's rear structure is much beefier, with a crossmember held in by six large metric grade 10.9 bolts with 21mm heads, and two M8-1.25 13mm nuts attaching to two of the rear-facing, sheetmetal-mounted studs.

    The rest secure the stock bumper with just six of the M8-1.25 13mm nuts. Basically there are three of these rear-facing sheetmetal-mounted studs on each side, six total. Since the Trailhawk has the big 21mm-headed bolts they only use the outermost of the studs on each side to align the factory bumper bracket, while the non-TH models, lacking a hook, use just the fairly wimpy studs sunk into thin sheet metal.

    If you want the rear hook on a non-TH you're probably going to want to get a trailer tow kit or else the TH's rearmost crossmember from someone that installed the hitch. You'll need the bolts too, and you'll need to get the actual hook and the 18mm-headed bolts that hold it to the crossmember, plus cut the bumper cover to make the hole for the hook.

    Sorry, I didn't take any pictures when I had it apart.
     
  8. wvanbusk

    wvanbusk New Member

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    The Latitude front bumper tow eye threads into the welded aluminum bumper that can pull apart in a recovery situation, See video and http://www.jeeprenegadeforum.com/forum/66-off-road-discussion/68314-surprise.html for photos. I'm not sure about the rear bumper tow eye thread point. I am assuming that without serious changes, like a tow package or a winch bumper, tow eyes and hooks on the Latitude would be mostly decorative or for a straight free rolling pull. After looking under my Renegade and not finding any factory recovery points, v straps and J hook pairs on the wheels or the strongest suspension parts (lower control arm) may be best for a stock Latitude recovery. Actually there are plugged slots for t-hooks used by tow companies; http://tow411.yuku.com/topic/136102/Tow-Slots-on-2015-Jeep-Renegade
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2016
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  9. wvanbusk

    wvanbusk New Member

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    Here are trailhawk rear tow hooks in use. Seem to work well.

     
  10. Thomas Duryea

    Thomas Duryea Active Member

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    Hehe, yep that's mine.

    Moral of the story, unless you're on flat pavement, dont use the screw in tow hooks. This happens:

    FB_IMG_1477411503352.jpg

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  11. wvanbusk

    wvanbusk New Member

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    That does not look like a very bad case of "stuck".
     
  12. Thomas Duryea

    Thomas Duryea Active Member

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    2in of sand and broken up shale, Wranglers crawled right through and the Renegade clutch fell the f apart.

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  13. Josh P.

    Josh P. Member

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    A thread in eye is meant for low resistance. Loading onto a flatbed or transport. Tow hooks mounted to the vehicles frame or subframe are meant to be used in an off-road situation either individually or bridled. User error.
     
  14. Thomas Duryea

    Thomas Duryea Active Member

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    Then they ought not to call it a tow hook, just saying. Thus thung broke with virtually zero effort. If it would have ripped the mount, fine. But for the crash bar welds to fail like they did is simply unacceptable. We were at less of an angle than going up a flat bed, no yanking either.

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  15. Josh P.

    Josh P. Member

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    I understand the build quality aspect. My '12 gti is lowered. When putting the lift kit on the renegade I noticed that the suspension components on my gti (i.e. tie rods crossmember..) were a lot mor substantial. Two different cars I know, but this being my first Jeep - I probably won't get another from a quality standpoint.
     
  16. Josh P.

    Josh P. Member

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    Just an fyi. My gti and my wife's bug have thread in tow eyes. They are both cars not a moderate off-road vehicle.
     
  17. Justin Burrows

    Justin Burrows Member

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    GTI's are German engineered cars and pretty heavy with a stance for faster driving around corners and whatnot. I wonder if maybe that is the difference?
     
  18. Thomas Duryea

    Thomas Duryea Active Member

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    Agree @Josh P

    The Renegade is nice and I really do like it, but man they screwed the pooch with a few items....

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  19. Newadventurer

    Newadventurer Member

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    Yes! It should not be called a tow eye! Also, if the non-trailhawk Renegades have no easily accessible recovery points Jeep should make it clear from the beginning they are not to be taken off-road. This is really the only problem I have with our Renegade. If only Trailhawk came in manual there would be no problem. Instead I am obsessing over putting a trailhawk front on our 75th. Thanks, Jeep!
     
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  20. TWX

    TWX Active Member

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    My parents had an '86 Isuzu Trooper for the better part of fifteen years. It had no recovery points. They have a '99 Chevy Tracker and an '09 Hyundai Santa Fe, the Tracker has exactly one tie-down point under the back bumper that's accessible and there's nothing on the Santa Fe that's accessible.

    It's normal to not have recovery points on four wheel drives and all wheel drives. Hell, Jeeps didn't have all of these modern recovery points until very recently, historically speaking. A buddy's TJ Wrangler has a sheet-metal (admittedly stout sheet metal) front bumper and the rear bumper is equally light and thin. I think there might be one understated hook on the front that he added to the Jeep.

    I look at it that the 2wd is for the street. For the four wheel driven options, the majority are basically Awd and are for dirt roads and inclement weather conditions. The only 4wd that's an actual light-duty 4x4 is the Trailhawk, as it's the only one with the ground clearance, approach/breakover/departure angles, and underside protection to give it a chance on unimproved trails in stock form.
     
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