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Mounting A Tow Hook (not the type for trailers)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by a_gray_prius, Jan 18, 2010.

  1. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    I'm interested in mounting a tow hook on my car.

    For example:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Has anyone tried this or does anyone know where a good, solid mount point is? I figured I might have to make a slot in the front bumper, which isn't really a big deal.
     
  2. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

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    Mine (an '04) came with a shipping tie-down eye-bolt under the spare tire. Maybe yours did too.
     
  3. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    What's wrong with using the tow hook that comes with the car?

    It's in the back trunk and you screw it into the hole in the front bumper (which is covered by that round disk on the driver's side).
     
  4. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    I just wanted to do an installation that looked cleaner than the missing-hole in bumper look.
     
  5. klm48116

    klm48116 Owner of Gen I and Gen II

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    Why does the car only have only 1 tow hook? I know nothing about these, but don't you need 2?
     
  6. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

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    Toyota agrees. Check out the front bumper of a 2010...
     
  7. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    No, when would you need to tow a Toyota anyway?
     
  8. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Pat I think this is a 'he's got money burning a hole in his pocket' bling tow hook, not a tow hook to actually tow the car.
     
  9. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Hey I'll admit it. I want a little red tow hook on my gray car. If I get to actually tow the car with it, so much the better.
     
  10. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    You got red paint? You got a red tow hook. ;)
     
  11. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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  12. Oddest_raindrop

    Oddest_raindrop New Member

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    Why not take the tow hook that came with the car and get it electroplated or chromed and just leave it in the factory hole. Or find a machine shop to make one to fit the factory hole. This way you wont have to worry about dealing with anything structural. You could even get it out of platinum and then you would have some major bling.
     
  13. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Be advised that actually towing a Prius at any real speed can cost you a $5000 repair.
    If you tow with the front wheels on the ground, you are generating electricity in an uncontrolled manner (MG2 is directly attached to the front wheels) without starting the transaxle cooling system. Neither would bite you the length of a driveway, but towing to somewhere is best done on a flatbed.

    It can still be bling!
     
  14. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    or keep the car ON and in neutral while towing... or else.. yeah. you'll destroy it

    the pre 2010 prius's only had 1 tow hook because that's all the cargo ships needed to use. the car drives in and locks down with the front hook to keep it from sliding.. they probably figured out it causes slight alignment issues so they issued Two. (alignment issues are my guess based off every 04+ prius where tire wear is uncontrollable due to the rear tire being 1/32 off or something small like that)

    only a few people have actually solved this problem. the thread was lost about a year or two ago.

    the front end has a lot of plastics and sheet metals... you would be forced to chase down the mounting spot for the oem hook and fabricate something that attaches in the same spot.. unfortunetly, it may be strait to the crush bumper.. which privides you with a low momentum/slow tow.. otherwise it may be too much and you may damage the underlayments.

    i've wrecked the front end of my car and have seen what's under there... it's minimal.

    i tow cars.. yet have never been towed... hmm.. longest distance is a 35 mile tow over a mountain pass. er.. i've been towed once.. on a flatbed due to a cheap set of lug nuts and a cheap key that stripped... (couldn't fix the flat)

    btw.. speaking of flats.. this car runs a long time on a flat....
     
  15. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    I don't actually intend on towing the car with it. However, the intended functional purpose of the tow hook would be to get the car towed out of the ditch at the racetrack if I entered a corner waaaay too hot (I don't expect this to happen any time soon).