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Kpurdue04
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
02:00:03
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 Subject: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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I have a 02 Dodge Dakota Sport Quadcab w/ the 5.9L. I have a grill guard on the front and I am wanting to install two recovery hooks on the front of the truck for when I go mudding. From the looks of it, I need to do a bit of mods to the front to install the hooks. Another problem is that the grill guard is in the way. Has any one run into this problem? What should I do? Thanks for your input.
Picture of the front of my truck
http://www.photodump.com/direct/kpurdue04/02053297.jpg
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8banger
GenIII
3/24/2006
02:12:10
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Tow hooks will be my next mod, and I have been researching them on a few forums. Below is a link showing you the hooks you will need. They are stock S10 hooks but they will bolt directly to your frame and they extend through the lower valence opening, no modifications necessary except for drilling the holes to mount them.(you can also elect to reinforce them by welding plate steel if you choose).
You may have to lose the grill guard though, it is difficult to see in the picture, but the hooks extend throught the openings at the bottom.
Tow Hooks
03 Dakota 4X4 QC SportPlus 4.7L 3.55 LSD AWD
Superchipped, 2Chamber Flowmaster Dumped, K&N Drop-in, 2" Torsion/Blocks Lift
BFG AT/KO's 265/75/16
My 4X4's Baptism
65 Stang
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
09:15:00
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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You are running into the same issue I have with my 02 QC 4x4.
The tow hooks from full size silverado from 02 and similar model (from what i've been reading and i'm not sure what all gm models are the same as 02 silverado) will work as well as those that 8banger listed.
I want to install a winch and grille guard on mine. I may go with a winch bumper with integrated grille guards. I've seen some I like but a little on the expensive side (700+). Then I have an issue of what to do with my fog lights. Some of the winch bumpers with grille guards include fog light holes.
Another option would be to fab a bracket/brace that connects between the frame rails on the front and mount the tow hooks there so you can offset them and not mount directly in line with the frame rails. this is a work around that would allow you to keep your grill guard. The issue with this would be integration with a skid plate and also interfearing with the factory plastic guard that has the oil change hole.
When I get some more time to start doing measurements and checking clearances i'm going to fab something out of sheet metal and wood as a template to make something permanent out of thick steel.
right now I'm leaning towards replacing the front plastic protector with sheet metal skid plate and having a couple of holes to allow for a brace to run through it and mount to the frame rails to mount tow hooks too. I would then use some sort of thick rubber that I can use to cover the hole that would be left between the sheet metal skid plate to keep rocks and crap out from the oil filter and hoses. this would allow a little bit of flex too for rough hits. Then I could get a winch bumper with integrated grille/light guards and holes for fog lights.
you could also do d-rings. but personally, i like hooks better.
I too am open to other suggestions.
- Dan M
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Kpurdue04
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
16:49:45
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Thanks for the input, I spent about an hour under my truck and I think I have figured out how I am planning on doing it. I want to get the hooks that 8banger was talking about. I'll get my friend to weld in a steel plate on the inside of the box frame on the side towards to middle of the truck. Then use a Dremal tool and a nice 4 inch hole in the bumper between the fog lights and the radiator opening. With it done this way I will be able to leave the grille guard on and not mess with that. When it comes time to use the hooks, I will get a tree saver and hook one end on each side and a strap in the middle going to whatever is going to be pulling. This way will put the straps just on the inside of the grille guard not touching it at all. Whats your thoughts on this plan? I have included a pictures of what I am talking about. The first two pics are not my truck but the third one is of my truck. I think you should get what I am trying to say. Doing it this way, I think it would work great and look good to. Thoughts?
http://www.photodump.com/direct/kpurdue04/dodgedakota1.jpg
http://www.photodump.com/direct/kpurdue04/dodgedakota2.jpg
http://www.photodump.com/direct/kpurdue04/dodgedakota3.jpg
One more question, how thick of a steel plate should I use? I was thinking of using 1/4 inch or 5/16 inch.
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SteveJ
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
17:15:29
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Here's what mine looked like after I fabbed up a mounting plate and bolted it all in.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/758000-758999/758500_19_full.jpg
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8banger
GenIII
3/24/2006
18:45:38
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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1/4 inch will do the trick.
03 Dakota 4X4 QC SportPlus 4.7L 3.55 LSD AWD
Superchipped, 2Chamber Flowmaster Dumped, K&N Drop-in, 2" Torsion/Blocks Lift
BFG AT/KO's 265/75/16
My 4X4's Baptism
65 Stang
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/24/2006
23:58:45
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Steve the one thing I dont like about the way you did it is that the tow hooks point down. I'd rather have them point toward the side.
what if you get stuck on top of a hill and have to be pulled down. I've seen people get stuck where neither the front nor back wheels get traction. Sometimes you just have to approach a hill headon.
It does look like your hooks are longer than some I have seen (universal ones). So you may not have any issues.
- Dan M
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SteveJ
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
01:13:46
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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I would have preferred that also, but I was also installing police push bars, and their brackets needed to go through the same hole to the frame.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/758000-758999/758500_34_full.jpg
and
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/758000-758999/758500_16_full.jpg
Also, at the suggestion of others on this forum, I'm considering a safety latch of some kind on those hooks so they wont let go of things.
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
11:08:40
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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yeah a safety latch is good.
I've been hunting salvage yards looking for some of the GM towhooks that have the mouting holes perpindicular to the hook. I can't find any around here. Either noone had any of they were all taken.
- Dan M
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
14:58:06
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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on a side but related note. I just picked up a truckers chain from harbor freight. 5400 lb working load for 16.99. Keeping this in my bed tool box. they had a tow strap that was labeled online and in sales add for 8500lb but when i found it in the store it was 8500 breaking and 2200 or 2300 something lb working load. My QC weighs more than that!
here is the chain I got, but it was 16.99 in store not 19.99. 3/8" x 14' long.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40462
Instead of spending the money on a receiver hook, I'm going to pick up a cleavis or something to use in my 2nd draw bar. I saw some at ACE but will check tsc, northern tool and some other local hardware stores first.
- Dan M
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Kpurdue04
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
15:07:59
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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What do you mean by a safety latch, I am kinda new and dont know what you are talking about.
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SteveJ
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
19:52:14
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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It's a small piece of metal, usually spring-loaded that closes the loop of the tow hook. That way the tow hook won't accidentally come un-hookeed from whatever you're hooked to.
Here's a picture of a hook with safety latch I just 'borrowed' from ebay:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/758000-758999/758500_35_full.jpg
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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3/26/2006
19:52:31
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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like this...
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200215374_200215374
keeps what you have hooked from slipping off.
- Dan M
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2002 RC 4x4
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2006
01:19:50
|  RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Heres how i mounted my tow hooks and i think they are pretty good and damnstrong. 3 pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/Ledain/DSC01799.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/Ledain/Cropped.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/Ledain/DSC01800.jpg
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2006
19:36:29
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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2002 RC 4x4 - what kind of hooks did you use? Did you mount it inside the frame? The first picture I dont see the hook under the truck.
- Dan M
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SteveJ
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2006
21:46:20
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Looks like he welded in a plate to fill in the frame and then stuck it inside the frame, Dan.
I see bolt heads, and evidence of some weld work.
Looks good, and should be fairly stout if he used some good grade 8 bolts.
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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4/03/2006
04:13:30
| RE: Recovery Hooks- Need help
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Steve, I saw that as well. Look like he used something other than the "universal" tow hooks. Those all have the hook parallel to the holes from what I've found. In the pictures, his hooks are perpendicular to the holes.
I'm looking at fabing up something similar, just wondering what hooks he used. I'm wondering if he used the hooks from the 97-99 dak or a GM tow hook like most of my research has showed.
- Dan M
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