Old Style GM Tow Hooks.

[marc_w]

Hey guys... I mentioned these in another thread, but figured I'd put it over here in the correct place.

The stock tow hooks look to be pretty weak for 6,000lb-plus trucks. GM just recently went to this new style. If you want something more beefy, check out the older style hooks. If you do a internet search for "Chevy tow hooks" or "GM tow hooks", you'll see a surprising amount of people putting these on their non-gm-trucks.

Here are a few pictures of the hooks:

Website...
Picture...

Note that these hooks ARE bent slightly. They were angled down slightly for whatever reason, from the factory.

I have a set leftover from one of my old trucks.... I never offroaded the thing, and yanked them off for the 'street' look. I'm going to mount them up tonight - shouldn't be a problem at all.

The hooks themselves are threaded, so all you gotta do is remove the stock hooks, and pop another hole in your frame.

I'm "pretty" sure these will clear the cladding okay if mounted 'inside' the frame rail. Outside will clear just fine. I'll letcha know...

 

[mrosenfield]

Actually, those hooks aren't threaded: there is a nut plate inside the frame for the bolts to thread into.
The hooks angle down to clear the frame better.
I don't know if the old hooks are stronger than the new ones, but the new ones mount to the frame in 3 locations, as opposed to the 2 places used on the old ones.

 

[pdxkevin]

I prefer the look of D-rings and a pintle hook like on the photo below. Looks best with metal bumpers.

​

 

[marc_w]

The hooks I have are threaded...!? I've got the bolts screwed into them right now. They're off a '96 S10.

I thought I only saw two bolts for our stock two hooks. I'll have to double check.

The hook material is substantially more beefy compared to the small hooks the Av's come with now. After some more thought, I wonder if it's a safety thing? The small hook material is designed to 'let go' first, rather than a 2.5lb hunk of tow-hook?

I still haven't had a chance to get them on - sorry!

 

[mrosenfield]

I haven't seen the S-10 hooks. I have fiddled with the hooks off several mid-90's Suburbans and a pick up.

 

[marc_w]

Ahh... Gotcha.

They look just like the ones in the pictures......... but now you got me thinking. I'll have to put them side by side.

 

[LoopySilverado]

Damn. too bad,threw two(old style) in the dump two weeks ago, wish I known that someome could have used them for free. But shipping!!!!Bummer