Tow Options

[TylerWilson785]

Where are you guys putting the tow hooks on 4th gens?
Anyone have links to pics?

Thanks
Tyler

[wrencher]

Something I am curious about as well.
Short of going full race & putting a hole in the bumper or hood etc, wonder if someone has set these up nicely.

I know I have an open area on my rear from the watts link.
(no pan hard mounted)
But kind of far under the car to be effective for a tow hook from the rear.

[Blainefab]

My std build:

Floppy hook on the rear thru the bumper cover:

(IMG:http://www.blainefabrication.com/projects/2009_03_22/IMG_2620.JPG)

and lift eyes on the front:

(IMG:http://www.blainefabrication.com/projects/2009_03_22/IMG_2619.JPG)


Floppy hook is 4800# breaking strength abrasion resistant nylon sewn with kevlar thread, with steel tab and 1/2" hardware. $55 ea

The floppy hook works on the front, too, in a foglight opening. Good for flat towing but a vertical lift will be tough on the bumper cover - might rip it.

Lift eyes are forged 3700# wll, grade 8 bolts and hard washer. Good for lifting the entire front of the car, or flat tow. $45/pr

[cozog]

I went the crude route and poked a hole in the front bumper and then under the rear bumper:
Roll Cage Installed
Ready For The Track

I was worried about using tow straps and tearing up the bumper when they're used, so I went with 3/8" rod welded on the main frame rail.

[Blainefab]

I went the crude route and poked a hole in the front bumper and then under the rear bumper:
Roll Cage Installed
Ready For The Track

I was worried about using tow straps and tearing up the bumper when they're used, so I went with 3/8" rod welded on the main frame rail.

Todd - The rear one may get enough support from the bumper eggcrate (if it is still there), but the front one will bend and stay bent if tow has to lift an end of the car.

Also, you may have a problem in impound with your front turn signal blockoffs - they should be mounted on the back side of the bumper cover:

7.9.2 All cars must have a minimum of two properly functioning OEM rear brake light assemblies. All other
OEM light assemblies may be replaced with facsimiles, plates, covers, or mesh covered cooling duct
openings as long as these maintain the stock external appearance. Replacements for recessed lights must
also be recessed. Front Turn signals and fog lights may be removed.

[BPWilliams]

Also, you may have a problem in impound with your front turn signal blockoffs - they should be mounted on the back side of the bumper cover:

7.9.2 All cars must have a minimum of two properly functioning OEM rear brake light assemblies. All other
OEM light assemblies may be replaced with facsimiles, plates, covers, or mesh covered cooling duct
openings as long as these maintain the stock external appearance. Replacements for recessed lights must
also be recessed. Front Turn signals and fog lights may be removed.

HUH? how do you get that out of the paragraph above? It states that the oem light may be replaced with covers as long as they are stock in appearance, looks like the plate follows the bumper lines to me?

Now if you were putting lights in there they cannot protrude. Very subjective i guess?

[Blainefab]

Also, you may have a problem in impound with your front turn signal blockoffs - they should be mounted on the back side of the bumper cover:

7.9.2 All cars must have a minimum of two properly functioning OEM rear brake light assemblies. All other
OEM light assemblies may be replaced with facsimiles, plates, covers, or mesh covered cooling duct
openings as long as these maintain the stock external appearance. Replacements for recessed lights must
also be recessed. Front Turn signals and fog lights may be removed.

HUH? how do you get that out of the paragraph above? It states that the oem light may be replaced with covers as long as they are stock in appearance, looks like the plate follows the bumper lines to me?

Now if you were putting lights in there they cannot protrude. Very subjective i guess?

The bolded text is what does it - the OEM turn signals are recessed slightly, so the replacements ie covers must also be recessed. They don't want an aero improvement to result from light removal.

[Steve91T]

Also, you may have a problem in impound with your front turn signal blockoffs - they should be mounted on the back side of the bumper cover:

7.9.2 All cars must have a minimum of two properly functioning OEM rear brake light assemblies. All other
OEM light assemblies may be replaced with facsimiles, plates, covers, or mesh covered cooling duct
openings as long as these maintain the stock external appearance. Replacements for recessed lights must
also be recessed. Front Turn signals and fog lights may be removed.

HUH? how do you get that out of the paragraph above? It states that the oem light may be replaced with covers as long as they are stock in appearance, looks like the plate follows the bumper lines to me?

Now if you were putting lights in there they cannot protrude. Very subjective i guess?

The bolded text is what does it - the OEM turn signals are recessed slightly, so the replacements ie covers must also be recessed. They don't want an aero improvement to result from light removal.

So, are headlight covers not legal?

[Blainefab]

Also, you may have a problem in impound with your front turn signal blockoffs - they should be mounted on the back side of the bumper cover:

7.9.2 All cars must have a minimum of two properly functioning OEM rear brake light assemblies. All other
OEM light assemblies may be replaced with facsimiles, plates, covers, or mesh covered cooling duct
openings as long as these maintain the stock external appearance. Replacements for recessed lights must
also be recessed. Front Turn signals and fog lights may be removed.

HUH? how do you get that out of the paragraph above? It states that the oem light may be replaced with covers as long as they are stock in appearance, looks like the plate follows the bumper lines to me?

Now if you were putting lights in there they cannot protrude. Very subjective i guess?

The bolded text is what does it - the OEM turn signals are recessed slightly, so the replacements ie covers must also be recessed. They don't want an aero improvement to result from light removal.

So, are headlight covers not legal?

The flush covers sold for the LT1 Camaro are not CMC legal.

I bend up a piece of aluminum that is oriented vertically and follows the contour of the front face of the headlights, and mount it to the bumper cover.

[mitchntx]

Welcome to CMC.

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Edit:
Let me elaborate ...

Welcome to CMC where you can hammer out the fenders to make a non-factory track width fit underneath the fenders but heaven forbid you simply cover a hole with $.50 worth of material as opposed to a $50 parking light lens.

[BPWilliams]

Subjective, subjective, subjective.... I call (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

Has anyone ever had an issue with using a plate to cover a hole? I doubt it... Where are the CMC guys? I think there are plenty of examples out there where this is not the case and NASA Tech reads the rules differntly. Now if you designed a new nose or put canards in there ya, I could see that....

I think that paragraph (in bold) deals with lights and not covers which is the sentence before that...

This post has been edited by BPWilliams: Jan 16 2012, 01:02 PM

[cozog]

I went through nats without anyone saying anything to me, but I was never officially impounded.

I'm pretty sure the rule was written for the recessed headlights (i.e. Fox body and 3rd gens), but could be used against turn signals too, based on it's wording/definition of "recessed lights".

Back on topic, I did bend the front tow hook when I ran over the tow strap being towed. It yanked the tow hook down about 3/4" before the strap broke. I just hammered it back up when I had the nose off. No biggie for me.

[trackbird]

Everytime a discussion about tow hooks (and solid tow hooks) pops up, I think of this event:

http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=12206

I'm not saying to quit using solid hooks, just to be aware and trust your instincts if there is damage (and to load safely even if there isn't).

[mitchntx]

Subjective, subjective, subjective.... I call (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

Has anyone ever had an issue with using a plate to cover a hole? I doubt it...

Cody Powell was DQed or repositioned at Nationals one year for covering the front turn signal holes.
So he removed them and almost was DQed again because some one claimed the open hole on the left front was creating a ram-air effect.

Yes, its ludicrous some of the tings that get focused on and some of the things that are allowed.

[supermac]

Subjective, subjective, subjective.... I call (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

Has anyone ever had an issue with using a plate to cover a hole? I doubt it... Where are the CMC guys? I think there are plenty of examples out there where this is not the case and NASA Tech reads the rules differntly. Now if you designed a new nose or put canards in there ya, I could see that....

I think that paragraph (in bold) deals with lights and not covers which is the sentence before that...

I was called on this, it happens

[Blainefab]

I went through nats without anyone saying anything to me, but I was never officially impounded.

exactly - when you do get impounded it will be an issue. Easy to change before next Sept.

I'm pretty sure the rule was written for the recessed headlights (i.e. Fox body and 3rd gens), but could be used against turn signals too, based on it's wording/definition of "recessed lights".

The bolded item was added specifically because of flush covered turn signal holes, and headlight covers, about 7-8yrs ago after an incident at Ca Speedway.

[Blainefab]

Back on topic -

I've built a couple of 'shark fin' front hooks for C4 and Fbody - they are 1/4" aluminum, bolted to the bumper beam with a steel angle bracket. I also added reinforcements to the bumper beam attachments to the frame rails. Here's one on a C4 - the Fbody looks very similar:

(IMG:http://www.californiaclassix.com/images3/c432-rightfront-remote.jpg)

Functionally, the floppy hooks and the topside mounted eyes won't take out a kneecap, and are lighter.

This post has been edited by Blainefab: Jan 17 2012, 02:29 AM