Recovery Points on Stock Jeep Wrangler

[grahamfitter]

What's the best way to secure a recovery strap or tow rope to the front and back of a stock Jeep Wrangler?

I don't venture off-road that often but it has crossed my mind that, at some point, I'm going to get stuck and it would be nice if I could get myself unstuck.

A hi-lift jack can lift and winch and, with the off-road kit and a longer cable or similar to reach an out of reach tree, should be adequate. The only thing I haven't worked out is how to securely attach a tree saver strap to either bumper. The front bumper has tow hooks but they're open at the back and don't seem particularly safe. The back bumper has nothing.

I've found various things like shackle mounting bracket and tow hook that prevent the strap from coming off unintentionally. But I'm not sure whether these can reasonably be mounted on the stock bumpers.

All advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance

Cheers,
Graham

 

[Beowulf]

Those little stock hooks are pretty tough. I have tug and yank quite hard on them. The only bad thing is that the strap can slip off.

 

[grahamfitter]

Those little stock hooks are pretty tough. I have tug and yank quite hard on them. The only bad thing is that the strap can slip off.

Thanks! What about a rear attachment point? There's nothing to pull on other than the bumper, which doesn't look like it would stay put.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[Beowulf]

You should have a hook under the bumper on the drivers side. It is flat and points sideways. I have pulled and tugged on that thing. You are not going to hurt it.

 

[BigAl]

If you take the plastic frame cover off (4 screws) you can wrap a tow strap around the front crossmember and bumper. It is pretty bombproof and a good option if there are no tow points.

 

[grahamfitter]

Thanks for your help

Cheers,
Graham

 

[TJVach]

Hey just a thought, don't know if you know about this but you can put tow hooks in the rear if you don't have a factory tow hook. They will mount to the outside of the frame rail between the bumper and tire. All you have to do is use one of the existing holes and then drill one more. That's what a lot of guys do out here so they can run their stockers on the trails.
Hope this helps

 

[Grim Reaper]

Those little stock hooks are pretty tough. I have tug and yank quite hard on them. The only bad thing is that the strap can slip off.

Tow hooks are an option on a jeep.

Hit a junk yard or the dealer and they can sell you a set of factory hooks that will bolt right up on the front.

 

[computeruser]

I second the vote for the factory rear loop tow hook thing. I took mine off my TJ when I put my hitch on, and I know that lots of guys take theirs off for aftermarket bumpers. Look around, that's probably your best bet if you're not looking for a receiver hitch for the rear. I used mine a number of times and other than the fact that it was not centered (which annoyed me), it worked great! Heck, I'm sure it's still somewhere in the garage.

For the front I'd suggest the good ol' aftermarket tow hooks with strap keepers, like the one that was linked. This also gives you the chance to replace ALL the bolts on the front bumper with grade 8 hex, instead of those damned torx ones. I took the stockers off mine and use the standard aftermarket tow hook (From Pro Comp? I don't recall), and they've worked great for pulling, being pulled, and as an anchor point for tree work. The little metal keeper things rust out pretty quickly, but they tend to hold on and keep working all the same.

 

[rusty_tlc]

If you have a receiver hitch you can get one of these. They are made by Warn and a bunch of other companies.

 

[Bulldawg]

Jeeps are easy for recovery points. Mine didn't come with any at all, so I just picked up a few standard 10000lb hooks you'll find at any offroad shop. They bolt right up to the front of the TJ (once you've picked up the proper bolts from the hardware store), and one common method for the rear is to install one directly to the side of the frame by using an existing hole in the frame and drilling another.

As you can see in the above pic, there's a hole in the bottom of the frame that will let you get a wrench in there to tighten everything up.

 

[MossMan]

If you have a receiver hitch you can get one of these. They are made by Warn and a bunch of other companies.

That's what I'd recommend for the rear. As for the fronts, just use 'em.