Tow bar/recovery hook mounting and strength?

[SP450andLE]

I'm in the process of fitting a nice big rear bar (with corner bars) to the Lada, and wanted to ask on here about the strength of it all.

It will fit to the standard mounting points like so:



They bolt into the 'chassis rails', so are fairly strong (I think).

But I was thinking it might pay to have some extra brackets connecting to the standard towing eyes (which are also strong if bolted to in the way shown) as shown here:



The previous bar was connected to these, and also the bottom of the standard bar, and I had no strength issues with it.

And one last thing, the actual platform for the tow ball (and also tow hook when I drill another hole in it) seems to me to be a bit weak:



So should I weld a strengthening plate (running lengthways) to the underside:



Or is there a better way of strengthening it?

Any help whatsoever is appreciated

[Sadam_Husain]

It will fit to the standard mounting points like so:



They bolt into the 'chassis rails', so are fairly strong (I think).

The previous bar was connected to these, and also the bottom of the standard bar, and I had no strength issues with it.

Yep that should be fine as a mounting point if you get some plates welded onto the box section, I'd doubt your towing 3 tonne car trailers with it so it should be strong enough to to what its built to do without trying to brace it back to towing points or anywhere else, you also probably want to have a good look at the bar to see just how rusty it is before you go too far with it

And one last thing, the actual platform for the tow ball (and also tow hook when I drill another hole in it) seems to me to be a bit weak:

tow hooks are always better if you can get them straight in line with the chassis rails so there isnt any leverage to bend shit or break the bar mounts like the pic below, you should be able to put some gusseted plates ontop of the bar in line with the chassis rails to mount some hooks the right way up so the strops dont keep falling off

[Jerry]

Geez thats an old pic ... that wasn't the bar that went flying tho

[Sadam_Husain]

Geez thats an old pic ... that wasn't the bar that went flying tho

yeah its a pretty old one I knew I had it somewhere it took a bit of finding, BJ's a young fellar there

[SP450andLE]

OK, thanks for that. Yeah, the bar is a bit rusty, but it's only surface stuff as far as I can tell.

And I'll have a look at how I can mount the hook. This is mainly going to be my Dad's daily hack, and my occasional offroader until I get the Fiva going. So It'll not tow too much, and only occasionally have to pull anyone out with the hook

[Jerry]

As i recall there were 4 cruisers and a daihatsu trying to strop out a stuck nissan .... i think stinky took a pic as he was being towed out

[Hoodoo]

Use the standard mounting points, then weld a plate to the floor above the tubes and drill straight up through to fit an extra bolt. Then, fit a flat bar to the ball mount that runs forward under the exhaust box to the chassis member in front of it and drill / bolt up through there as well.
Regards,