Matthew Jeschke
Full Access Member
Is there a kit to change out those front tow hooks with mounts for d shackles.
Replacing front Tow hooks with D Shackles?
- Thread starter Matthew Jeschke
- Start date
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swathdiver
Full Access Member
I've seen them around, but why?
OP
OP
Matthew Jeschke
Full Access Member
Ibwould like to swap my tow hooks out for shackles.
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swathdiver
Full Access Member
I gathered that! Just wondering why. I guess you could then run a tow strap instead of hooks, something I once considered and then rejected for my needs.
OP
OP
Matthew Jeschke
Full Access Member
Haha yeah sorry. i have a crazy idea to build an a frame w/ hitch reciever. That would then mount to the d shackle recievers i put on in place of the tow hooks.
This a frame could then be quickly inserted on end of truck when i off road. I would carry a winch that could slide into the reciever.
I personnaly dont like idea of putting a reciever on front of truck, nor a winch bumper. It changes loads on frame and I feel out trucks arent really meant to be stressed that way.
However using the tow hooks with a frame puts loads where designers intended them to be.
Crazy idea I came up with lol Just need a d shackle receiver there instead of town hooks to accept the aframe.
Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk
This a frame could then be quickly inserted on end of truck when i off road. I would carry a winch that could slide into the reciever.
I personnaly dont like idea of putting a reciever on front of truck, nor a winch bumper. It changes loads on frame and I feel out trucks arent really meant to be stressed that way.
However using the tow hooks with a frame puts loads where designers intended them to be.
Crazy idea I came up with lol Just need a d shackle receiver there instead of town hooks to accept the aframe.
Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk
swathdiver
Full Access Member
Makes perfect sense. I think rough country had them and or another popular 4x4 company.
I used to have a full size 73 Blazer with the receivers at either end that I would swap my Warn winch to when needed. If you are going to winch at the front and use the correct combination of ****** blocks the stress you are worried about at the receiver would be minimal. How bad you are stuck and the location of pull points for the ****** blocks greatly diminish the stress. I have been in some very precarious spots and stuck badly and at that time I also switched from a steel line to the synthetic rope line. My Blazer was a heavy rig and never had a frame problem from winching at either end of it. I am talking off roading in the Tillamook Forest of Oregon, at Moab rock crawling and mud bog runs.
OP
OP
Matthew Jeschke
Full Access Member
Thanks everybody 
Cosmetically I like idea of hidden winch and or receiver to slide winch into. However, I'm super **** retentive. I did some chassis design as an engineer and see what the engineers were thinking at GM when they designed these. I think I can maintain the factory stress points designed for towing and have the best of both worlds, with a little a frame and hitch receiver. Although honestly, I probably don't even need any of this stuff lol However, either way I'd like to swap out the tow hooks for the d-shackles. I'll look on rough country's website.
Cosmetically I like idea of hidden winch and or receiver to slide winch into. However, I'm super **** retentive. I did some chassis design as an engineer and see what the engineers were thinking at GM when they designed these. I think I can maintain the factory stress points designed for towing and have the best of both worlds, with a little a frame and hitch receiver. Although honestly, I probably don't even need any of this stuff lol However, either way I'd like to swap out the tow hooks for the d-shackles. I'll look on rough country's website.
You never think you need any of this stuff, till you do. The reason I went with a rear winch receiver was because I was badly stuck and it took an hour for another rig to get around the trail to my rear to help winch me out. Winch from the front was not an option at the time. After installing the rear receiver and the cable kit, I never ever had to depend on anyone again on the trails. It was personal. The rig was nicknamed "BRUTUS" for a reason.
OP
OP
Matthew Jeschke
Full Access Member
Ah that's cool. My buddy swears by a hitch mount winch. He says I shouldn't need anything else as you usually get stuck front first and need pulled from the back anyways.
Yea, if you are just flat out trail wheeling that is correct but when I rock crawled or mud bogged, sometimes I did not have complete control as to how I was pointed when I would get stuck. Believe me, with the 1 ton axles and special hydraulic assist ram steering, I would try lots of ways to get out before I gave up and started setting up a winch out.
PutUpYourDux
TYF Newbie
Forgive the necromancing, but did the OP ever end up finding or making those front hitch receivers somehow? If so, did you end up making that frame for mounting a winch?
Last edited:
Wrecker_Tahoe
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Looks like etrailer has front mount hitches. Its where I bought my rear tow hitch.
https://www.etrailer.com/fmr-2004_Chevrolet_Tahoe.htm?&Redirect=8
PutUpYourDux
TYF Newbie
Yea, I've seen the Curt and Draw-Tite front hitch receivers. They just do not mount to the factory tow hook mount points, which is what the OP was attempting to do. Instead, they bolt onto the front cross member. I was wondering if the OP had figured on a solution for mounting a receiver to the factory tow hook mount points. Thanks for the heads up, though!
