Official Track Tow Hook Thread
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,002
Likes: 12
From: somewhere testing various tires, brakes, and suspensions.
it installs like Smike's write up:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...on-w-pics.html
they are pre-drilled in the hook to make install easier; just tranfer punch them to the crash beam, drill, and bolt up. There are 2 row so you have adjustment for the extended length.
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/mo...on-w-pics.html
they are pre-drilled in the hook to make install easier; just tranfer punch them to the crash beam, drill, and bolt up. There are 2 row so you have adjustment for the extended length.
Well done!
Evolved Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 785
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta, GA
Here's mine. Its a TRS tow strap that has been relabeled RaceTech. I have it mounted directly to the frame rail, right above the grill. I tuck it in when I'm not at the track.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13347078@N06/7690803326/http://www.flickr.com/photos/13347078@N06/7690803326/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/13347078@N06/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13347078@N06/7690803326/http://www.flickr.com/photos/13347078@N06/7690803326/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/13347078@N06/, on Flickr
Last edited by chu; Aug 1, 2012 at 05:43 AM.
I have a strap like that sitting in my toolbox as I could not find a good anchor for it. Your idea looks like it will work even if they pull sideways and not press on the fragile bumper cover. Got any pics with bumper off? did you have to drill a hole in the frame?
The straps do seem like a good lightweight alternative that can tuck out of the way when not in use at the track. On the sponsor's car I have the typical red tow hook loop that folds down so you don't break your knee caps walking by it. I haven't decided what to use in the rear, seems the stock tow hook near the passenger exhaust exit should be fine unless you are burried to the frame in gravel.
The straps do seem like a good lightweight alternative that can tuck out of the way when not in use at the track. On the sponsor's car I have the typical red tow hook loop that folds down so you don't break your knee caps walking by it. I haven't decided what to use in the rear, seems the stock tow hook near the passenger exhaust exit should be fine unless you are burried to the frame in gravel.
peter*g ran this set-up a while back before he sold his rally evo:
In order to be legal for the various racing series’ I plan to compete in, I need front and rear tow hooks that do not protrude dangerously from the car. I have investigated various options available from some of the JDM companies, and none of them were both high enough quality for racing and convenient for use in the real world.
BMW Motorsport offers a tow strap designed to be hooked to the bumper shock on the 3-series and stocking out through a slot cut in the bumper. After looking at how the bumpers are designed on the Evo, I decided this would be an ideal solution for the Mitsubishi.
I ordered a pair of tow straps from Bimmerworld. James Clay (the owner of Bimmerworld and a SPEED World Challenge racer) and I crewed together on the Car & Driver/BMW Diesel team at the 2006 25 Hours of Thunderhill. He’s a very nice guy, extremely knowledgeable, and a real racer. It was a no brainer to order safety gear from him.
Installing the two hook is relatively straightforward. I started by removing the front bumper cover. You then unbolt the steel bumper from the supports, and slip the tow strap on. I positioned the strap near the intercooler, as that appeared to be the most convenient place to cut through the cover. Ideally you would mount the strap nearer to the bolts to have the greatest strength (I’ll do that in the rear).
The BMW tow strap has a foam cylinder in the front designed to keep the strap from slipping back through the cutout in the bumper. You want to push that cylinder out of the strap, and plan to cut an opening smaller than the foam so that it will be able to serve it’s purpose.
Mark a 2.5” line on the front of the bumper where you want the strap to stick out of. Use a 1/4” drill bit to punch a hole at either end of the line.
Use a dremel or cut-off wheel to cut away the plastic between the two holes you drilled. Try to keep the opening no larger than the 1/4” holes — that will give just enough room for the strap to go through.
Slip the strap through the opening and then re-secure the bumper cover.
After the strap is through the cover, put the foam cylinder back in the strap to keep it from creeping back into the cover. The easiest way to accomplish this is to push it into the strap as best you can, and then use needle-nose pliers to grab the foam inside the strap and pull it through.
After everything is buttoned back up, feed the tow strap back into bumper cover. Leave a small portion of the strap out to make it easy to grab — you don’t need to have the whole thing flapping around all the time.
Clearly mark the strap with a red arrow or TOW sticker (I picked up mine at Pegasus Racing) and you’re done!
Below are a couple of pics of the rear bumper tow strap attached. Process in the rear is the same as in the front, except that you need to cut away some foam in the rear bumper in order to pass the strap through.
I made the slot a little bigger on the rear to make it easier to move the strap around when attaching a hook (there’s less of the open loop of the strap sticking out on this side).
BMW Motorsport offers a tow strap designed to be hooked to the bumper shock on the 3-series and stocking out through a slot cut in the bumper. After looking at how the bumpers are designed on the Evo, I decided this would be an ideal solution for the Mitsubishi.
I ordered a pair of tow straps from Bimmerworld. James Clay (the owner of Bimmerworld and a SPEED World Challenge racer) and I crewed together on the Car & Driver/BMW Diesel team at the 2006 25 Hours of Thunderhill. He’s a very nice guy, extremely knowledgeable, and a real racer. It was a no brainer to order safety gear from him.
Installing the two hook is relatively straightforward. I started by removing the front bumper cover. You then unbolt the steel bumper from the supports, and slip the tow strap on. I positioned the strap near the intercooler, as that appeared to be the most convenient place to cut through the cover. Ideally you would mount the strap nearer to the bolts to have the greatest strength (I’ll do that in the rear).
The BMW tow strap has a foam cylinder in the front designed to keep the strap from slipping back through the cutout in the bumper. You want to push that cylinder out of the strap, and plan to cut an opening smaller than the foam so that it will be able to serve it’s purpose.
Mark a 2.5” line on the front of the bumper where you want the strap to stick out of. Use a 1/4” drill bit to punch a hole at either end of the line.
Use a dremel or cut-off wheel to cut away the plastic between the two holes you drilled. Try to keep the opening no larger than the 1/4” holes — that will give just enough room for the strap to go through.
Slip the strap through the opening and then re-secure the bumper cover.
After the strap is through the cover, put the foam cylinder back in the strap to keep it from creeping back into the cover. The easiest way to accomplish this is to push it into the strap as best you can, and then use needle-nose pliers to grab the foam inside the strap and pull it through.
After everything is buttoned back up, feed the tow strap back into bumper cover. Leave a small portion of the strap out to make it easy to grab — you don’t need to have the whole thing flapping around all the time.
Clearly mark the strap with a red arrow or TOW sticker (I picked up mine at Pegasus Racing) and you’re done!
Below are a couple of pics of the rear bumper tow strap attached. Process in the rear is the same as in the front, except that you need to cut away some foam in the rear bumper in order to pass the strap through.
I made the slot a little bigger on the rear to make it easier to move the strap around when attaching a hook (there’s less of the open loop of the strap sticking out on this side).
Evolved Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 785
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta, GA
^^^^ I really like the simplicity. My only concern is towing at an angle will tear up the bumper. But on the flip side if your getting a tow I doubt your bumper skin will be your number one problem lol.
