XJ frame confusion...

[B192734]

So I am a little confused here. I know that the XJ is a unibody. I called 4wheel parts today, to see if they sold tow hooks, and he said that you can't mount them on an XJ. He said that the frame that you would mount them to was just thin sheet metal. That didn't make a lot of sense to me, since if that was true, then any little twist or bump would destroy your rig. I had also heard someone a while ago say that the body of the Cherokee was quite strong even compared to the frame of the YJ. So I am a little confused. I know that Rusty's sells a kit for tow hooks specifically for the XJ. Why would some place like Rusty's sell something like that if it was just going to mount into thin sheet metal, and rip out? Doesn't make sense to me.

Anyone got any thoughts out there? Am I missing something, or what?

Signed-

Confused in Portland...

 

[Sly8795]

My bro has an '88 xj with tow hooks, he used them quite a bit last winter to pull people out of the snow I now have the jeep and didn't notice any problems with the front rails bent. I would think that maybe if you hook up both tow hooks to the same chain you might run into a problem bending the front rails?

Im going to put hooks on the front of my '90 soon. Anyone else have any thoughts

 

[Fullsizexj]

Most tow hooks for the XJ come as a kit, they have special mounting brackets for the hooks them selves to mount on, they do not mount the hooks directly to the unibody frame but use brackets the spead the load out. The ones that Rusty's sells will work fine

 

[B192734]

Yeah. I was actually going to get that kit at one point, and have put it off. I was just a little confused. Even mounting straight onto the unibody frame with the mounting brackets, they should still be pretty strong I would think.

 

[MudderChuck]

Yeah. I was actually going to get that kit at one point, and have put it off. I was just a little confused. Even mounting straight onto the unibody frame with the mounting brackets, they should still be pretty strong I would think.

Imagine how much weight you can hang off of a hook thats bolted to a piece of sheet metal. Strong is relative and even reinforced tow hooks have been known to break and/or the bolts themselves. I've seen entire bumpers pulled off.
Mine tie in with my bumper mounts as well as the frame and have extra angle brackets for the front cross over rail.
Over engineering tow hooks is rarely wasted effort. One of those pieces that really can't be too strong. Twice as strong as needed is the minimum safety standard and most lift or tow applications can be up to four times the anticipated load.
A tow hook on the end of a tow strap is a deadly weapon. The last one that snapped on me dented my hood and went through the windshield on the passengers side. Thankfully I insisted my son get out of the passengers seat and stand at a safe distance before I started the pull.

 

[B192734]

Well, as it turns out, My wife the other day backed out with her Sebring, and somehow caugt my bumper with hers, and ripped it off. Not the metal part, but all of the plastic parts and air dam and everything. No way that it's gonna fit back on without replacing everything. So I figure that I am just going to replace the entire bumper. I was going to get some new rims, but I think this will be more productive. I think I will just get a bupre that has tow points already built into it and be done with it. I have to replace the thing anyway...and she owes me now for causing damage...Cha-Ching!

 

[CyberJeepEric]

Just choosing a bumper with tow hook or d-ring mounts doesn't mean it will stand up to actual recovery use. Warrior Products makes a few nice bumpers and "optional" frame rail reinforcement brackets. A set for my 1997 XJ is on the way!

See it here: Warrior Products Cherokee XJ Bumpers

Use code "FORUM" and get an additional 10% off your order!

I'll post pictures as I work on mine...