Xterra tow points installation

[Kalahari]

@Thomas Varghese I hope you fix your front recovery hook before the drive?  You should not do any drive without proper front and back recovery hooks - a key requirement, not only for you but also to prevent damage to the person who is recovering you (like what nearly happened to Jeandre on Friday).

[Thomas Varghese]

35 minutes ago, Kalahari said:

@Thomas Varghese I hope you fix your front recovery hook before the drive?  You should not do any drive without proper front and back recovery hooks - a key requirement, not only for you but also to prevent damage to the person who is recovering you (like what nearly happened to Jeandre on Friday).

already getting fabricated. should be fixing it tomorrow. The bash plate fabricator had to cut the front hook slightly to accommodate the plate. Anyways the hook didn't break but the rope came loose as the hook length was small. We recovered again using the same hook only 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[Srikumar]

@Thomas Varghese it's surprising that your mechanic had cut the tow point and not informed you. You ought to really blast him for this. 

[Thomas Varghese]

16 minutes ago, Srikumar said:

@Thomas Varghese it's surprising that your mechanic had cut the tow point and not informed you. You ought to really blast him for this. 

In the stock front tow point of the XTERRA there is a place where the hook bend inwards. He promptly cut the bend to accommodate the bash plate. Anyways I have ordered 4 new tow points yesterday (front & back) and is getting fabricated today to be fixed. The back stock tow point also got bent and twisted after all the battering it took in the sands. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[Ale Vallecchi]

10 hours ago, Thomas Varghese said:

My finger is already on the trigger button to shoot for the RSVP.

Hi @Thomas Varghese. Thank you very much for your loyalty and exciting participation.

Just a reminder, to make sure the front tow hook of your X has been fixed properly. I have been made aware of the tow rope snapping off during the last drive. You will appreciate that only members with perfectly functioning recovery points are to be allowed to drive, for their own safety, and especially that of others. Please do not take this personally, but participation to any drive will be OKed only after a thorough check of the tow points' situation. I am looking forward to seeing you, in perfect shape, on Friday.

[Thomas Varghese]

4 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese. Thank you very much for your loyalty and exciting participation.

Just a reminder, to make sure the front tow hook of your X has been fixed properly. I have been made aware of the tow rope snapping off during the last drive. You will appreciate that only members with perfectly functioning recovery points are to be allowed to drive, for their own safety, and especially that of others. Please do not take this personally, but participation to any drive will be OKed only after a thorough check of the tow points' situation. I am looking forward to seeing you, in perfect shape, on Friday.

I will post pictures of the fixed tow points by tomorrow afternoon. Today I can't fix it as got to drop and pick up my daughter for her 1st RTA road test. The tow points will be made out of 10mm steel plate and I have to give the car to the mechanic for atleast half a day as he has to drill the holes in the chassis for the 2 places where stock tow points don't come. 

Its not only the front tow hooks - the back one is also bent. So totally replacing the stock ones and adding 2 more. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[Gaurav]

3 hours ago, Thomas Varghese said:

I will post pictures of the fixed tow points by tomorrow afternoon. Today I can't fix it as got to drop and pick up my daughter for her 1st RTA road test. The tow points will be made out of 10mm steel plate and I have to give the car to the mechanic for atleast half a day as he has to drill the holes in the chassis for the 2 places where stock tow points don't come. 

Its not only the front tow hooks - the back one is also bent. So totally replacing the stock ones and adding 2 more. 

Fabricating own tow point will be extremely risky, than relying on the rated tow hooks from reputed off-road companies.

Secondly tow point ideally should be secured with 3 bolts for proper safety than just 2. 

Xterra inherently has a weak tow points, that doesn't justify that they are good or usable again. Doing it proper job will save repeated hassle and also save you from expensive damage if your tow point fail and hit other car, where you supposed to pay for all the damages due to your tow point failure.

Read more here:

 

[M.Seidam]

Regarding the X Terra front tow hooks as well as the back one no need to drill holes in the chassis to accommodate the fore coming 3 bolted each hook also bash plate need to be removed for installation of the new hooks and put back again. 
Integrity checking these hooks especially after recovery events is important.

[Thomas Varghese]

Don't worry. I will personally oversee the fabrication and fixing of the tow hooks. I'm a mechanical engineer even though I run an interior company.  Moreover even for any work on my car I don't just dump the car in the garage and expect the mechanic to do the work. I personally supervise the whole job. 

I will take responsibility for the tow hooks. I know its a safety issue not only for me for others too. 

Hopefully all will like the job done. If I have to bring the car for inspection after fixing the tow hooks I can if location is given before joining another drive. 

Last time the tow rope slipped from the front tow hook as the original bend was slightly cut to accommodate the bash plate. We had done many recoveries in the past with the same tow hook after it was shaved a little. The rope slipped because of the angle the car had to be pulled out. To tell all of you the truth the only marshal who had commented on this tow hook issue after inspection is only @Chaitanya D for the back hooks. It was on my 1st drive with him and he said the back tow hook looks weak. The front tow hook was like this after I fixed the bash plate after my AN drive. There were numerous recoveries till now and the tow hook was good for all that. Now also it didn't break but the rope slipped out because of the angle of the pull. The same recovery point was used to pull me out from the stuck from a different angle and it worked. 

[Thomas Varghese]

Dear @Kalahari I hope this will quell your fears about the tow hooks in my car. 

On 3/7/2021 at 12:21 PM, Gaurav said:

Fabricating own tow point will be extremely risky, than relying on the rated tow hooks from reputed off-road companies.

Secondly tow point ideally should be secured with 3 bolts for proper safety than just 2. 

Xterra inherently has a weak tow points, that doesn't justify that they are good or usable again. Doing it proper job will save repeated hassle and also save you from expensive damage if your tow point fail and hit other car, where you supposed to pay for all the damages due to your tow point failure.

Read more here:

 

@Gaurav I didn't experiment on the tow hooks by getting it fabricated myself. Got it fabricated & installed in a reputed off road garage in Dubai. Have posted the pictures. Please go through them and approve

On 3/7/2021 at 9:01 AM, Ale Vallecchi said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese. Thank you very much for your loyalty and exciting participation.

Just a reminder, to make sure the front tow hook of your X has been fixed properly. I have been made aware of the tow rope snapping off during the last drive. You will appreciate that only members with perfectly functioning recovery points are to be allowed to drive, for their own safety, and especially that of others. Please do not take this personally, but participation to any drive will be OKed only after a thorough check of the tow points' situation. I am looking forward to seeing you, in perfect shape, on Friday.

@Ale Vallecchi please go through the pictures and kindly approve my participation in yours and future drives.