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08-20-2016, 10:01 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3
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Front Tow Hook advice needed
I have a 2012 Sportmobile E350 with a Quadvan conversion. Does anyone know of bolt-on or near bolt-on tow hooks for the front of the van. It has a stock Ford bumper. I searched the internet and can't find anything and I, hopefully, don't have to have something custom made. Any ideas?
If not, where do you loop a tow rope on the front for pulling - as out of a ditch! I hate to tow off of the front suspension or front axle. And, I don't want to buy an expensive after market bumper just for the tow hooks.
Any advice?
Thanks
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08-20-2016, 10:33 AM
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#2
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Massachusetts, Northshore
Posts: 3
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Curt manufacturing makes a front mounted, frame mounted hitch mount. This bolts to the existing Ford frame and provides a 2" tube ball or shackle mount in the center of the van. I have an Aluminess front bumper, added after the front hitch install. All fits well.
Not sure of total capacity, but listed 3000..5000 lb pull ratings. You can easily add a tow ring attached to a 2" standard hitch fitting. Cost for the Curt unit is $250-$300. Easy self install.
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08-20-2016, 08:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,072
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seabilly
Curt manufacturing makes a front mounted, frame mounted hitch mount. This bolts to the existing Ford frame and provides a 2" tube ball or shackle mount in the center of the van. I have an Aluminess front bumper, added after the front hitch install. All fits well.
Not sure of total capacity, but listed 3000..5000 lb pull ratings. You can easily add a tow ring attached to a 2" standard hitch fitting. Cost for the Curt unit is $250-$300. Easy self install.
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Any chance that you could post a pic of the curt front hitch...from the bottom looking up? Those of us with leaf suspension 4WD are curious...I think the front leaf brackets preclude the use of an off-the-shelf front hitch.....
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08-20-2016, 08:41 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
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couldnt get camera far enough away to get the entire unit.
hopefully that shows you enough to answer your questions...
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
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08-20-2016, 08:58 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,072
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yup..thank you!
...the fingers are a nice touch...
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08-20-2016, 11:04 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 2,554
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I thought I read somewhere that the front hitch IS NOT a good source as a recovery point because of the front crumple zone it is bolted to. I'm in the same boat where I don't want to spend the big bucks for a front bumper and could live with the stock front bumper with a front hitch. Can anyone post up on this?
__________________
2005 E350 Chateau - V10 - Agile Offroad 4x4
2012 CTS-V Wagon - For the baby...
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08-21-2016, 06:38 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,072
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikracer
I thought I read somewhere that the front hitch IS NOT a good source as a recovery point because of the front crumple zone it is bolted to. I'm in the same boat where I don't want to spend the big bucks for a front bumper and could live with the stock front bumper with a front hitch. Can anyone post up on this?
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The bumper is bolted to this same crumple zone too........and it would be aluminum.....the receiver assembly is steel...
I'm curious about this too.........
based on Shenrie's picture above, the receiver appears to be stiffening up the crumple zone significantly, similar to front leaf mounts in 4WD conversions.
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08-21-2016, 07:24 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
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fyi, the curt receiver i have is this one: http://www.curtmfg.com/part/33055
Quote:
Originally Posted by boywonder
yup..thank you!
...the fingers are a nice touch...
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of course!
...and the fingers? if you heard all the noises my knees made kneeling down for that pic, you'd understand 
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
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08-21-2016, 08:20 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 57
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etrailer has the Curt front hitch for $150, and a DrawTite for $121.
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08-21-2016, 08:25 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
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got mine from auto anything. on sale right now for $113.
CURT Front Hitch - Curt Front Mount Receivers
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
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watchtower, white whale, land yacht, big pig...
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