Custom Front Recovery Hook

[Hilux Max]

Another one I pulled out at the request of mark from my build up of the custom front recovery hook I made -

As we know, the hilux doesnt have a front recovery hook, just the loops at the front that arent really strong or safe enough to snatch from. The only option currently on the market is from K&N which Rod has fitted to his hilux and which is seen below -

You'll have to blame me, The recovery hook for Max's rig was my idea. Maybe these photos don't quite do it justice but the K&N recovery hook was designed to fit with the existing bumper in place:

Once you get an off road bar in place, the K&N hook hangs low. This pic does not even show the bottom of the hook. The two bolts mount into threaded holes on the chassis rail.

Some members have bent the K&N hook with a snatch strap as the mounting plate is so long, so I suggested to Max that he utilise the bottom mounting bolt for the hook. Yes, Max's hook it might be high, BUT the hook is bolted directly onto the chassis, so it is way stronger than the K&N hook. However, it retains the clever part of the K&N design that utilises a tab that rests on the top of the chassis rail.

This means that the forces from the snatch strap on the mounting plate rotate the monting plate and the force is transferred onto the chassis rail via the tab (which is what we want). Yes it is high, but with the ARB bar, it is workable, gives clearance, and is securely mounted.

Becasue Max loves his angle grinder as much as Macca loves his chainsaw , he decided to cut off the factory hook in his quest for clearance!

My next step in my Quest for Clearance was kindly suggested by Rod which had been in my mind to be done at some stage but like allways, he's pushed, I mean inspired me to make the step.

There is no point trying to gain approach angle if the factory tie down loops remain, which will still get in the way. We all know which ones Im talking about.

Rod kindly sent me a pic of his aftermarket K & N recovery hook mount and some dimension of it and suggested I could make one along the lines seen in red below-



But cut it off at the bottom red line, drill a new hole D which would along with the mounting hole B become the new location of the recovery hook.

The original yellow recovery hook is made from 75mm steel plate, I'll be using 100mm steel plate just for added strength. You can never go wrong with extra strength.

I started on it last night and hopefully will complete by weekend. Then its off with the factory loops and mod the under ARB bar bashplate to allow this to fit through.

Go for it mate. I didn't expect you to get onto this quite so quickly.

Once you got this made, have a think about the forces on a sideways snatch and consider if there needs to be a strengthening rib added along the length of the plate. Somebody on the forum bent one of the K&N's sideways.

I found it, Ah it was Mcsumway; see here:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1866&p=22096



So if you butt welded a length of say 35mm x 8mm steel at 90 degrees that starts Near E and finishes touching the hook near D, this would stop any sideways flex/bending.

Just a thought, some of us followed your original build up thread quite intently which has got lost, so perhaps you could edit the first post and add that link as well and stick a link in your signature.

Maybe Dave, It's about time to add a Fabrication sub-forum.

Rod,

I got the new recovery hook bracket finished this arvo. Bloody sweaty work with 38 degrees here.

It looks very similar to your design you suggested. Where Bolt hole E is, Ive put more metal and welded a tab both above the chassis rail and a larger one below the chassis rail so it hugs it on both sides. The tab below the chassis rail I've drilled a hole and I will be putting a bolt into the location of the front sway bar bolthole.

That along with the 10mm plate and the short and stubby design Im pretty sure will eliminate any sideways tendencies.

Will see how I go fitting it on tomorrow morning with the ARB bar underwing plates that have to be modded abit to fit with this. Then it's off with the factory loops.

Will post pics tomorrow of it all.

Another Mod in my Evolution of Hilux and the search for clearance.

My Maxi Recovery Hook Bracket.

This below is the K&N Recovery Hook Bracket -


It is 75mm thickness and hangs down pretty low on the front. So after getting it suggested by a forum member, I decided to make me own with 10mm thick steel plate and cut it off where the red line is in the pic above. The hook itself will mount where B is and D is in the pic above. The K&N bracket above also has a small tab just above bolthole E to help support downward force when recovering.

These brackets have been know to bend when recovering at an angle, which is why Im using 10mm steel plate instead of 75mm and my bracket will be not only shorter but also braced underneath, with a bolt going through where the front hole of the sway bar used to be.

So heres what I came up with-


The steel plate I used already had the holes in it which is why you see a couple of hole in the side. Wont affect strength.

Below is a pic of it loosely fitted to the vehicle.


And next pic is of it fitted, the under bar wing plate modified to fit in along with the new bracket, and the right hand side factory recovery looops have been cut off.


alot more clearance now

Let me tell ya those factory recovery loops are a fair effort to cut off.

[buggerlux]

Does anyone sell these online yet?

Somewhere where I can order the turn key solution over the net to my door?

[Hilux Max]

theres another thread in the general discussion section that dealt with recovery hooks andwho sells them.

[muznbree]

Im putting my work hat on.

I dont know about the hook bolted straight onto the chassis mmaaxx. I understand that its stronger, but if the hook does bend you have a high chance of shearing the head on the bolt. Grade 8 bolts are very strong, but they are also brittle. i know its a slim chance but if the head shears off (the weakest point of a bolt) it can be a nightmare to get out, you would have to tack another bolt on and try to unscrew it that way. If you have to drill it out your in big trouble. High speed steel wont drill grade 8 bolts. I can promise you that.

The fact that the K&N bends is in someway a good thing, becasue you can see the stress exerted on your car. The energy is being transferred to a replaceable part, and is proven to bend before it will break anything. If you want to strengthen the K&N device just get a cleat welded on.

Ill condense all my waffle into one useful point. Anti-seize guys, its your best friend!!!!

[Shaker]

I'm too lazy to go to all that trouble. A pair of Outback Ideas brackets for Hilux from OL is $120. I was going to make some internal chassis spacers for the mounting bolts before I fit the bull bar and later, was thinking of adding a piece of 25x25x2.5mm RHS fitted between the chassis rails with a shallow elbow bend in the middle so as not to interfere with the crush characteristics too much. If this were possible, an equalizer strap could be used to even out the pull rather than being gentle on one chassis rail only during recovery, as the bull bar won't really help prevent horizontal collapse of the two chassis rails when equalizers are used.

Thinking about it, need to check first.

Shaker.