waddisme

Winter project will be removing front bumper to install flexible tow strap I got last year from trackboss. Just not sure where to put it. I guess I could hack up my VR ducts, but don't really want to do that. I dd car so I would prefer mounting it where it can be tucked away like rear. Brake duct openings? I have already hacked them up for the DRM ducts so that would be OK. Thoughts?

ssdeuce

I'm doing the same thing. I thought of getting a different CAI like blackwing. I was thinking today about looking at mounting the VR over the hook somehow and keep the VR.

ErnieN85

on a C5 a neat way is to cut out behind the front plate and put it there.
doesn't show at all until you uncover it

stevensa

It can be done, it just requires some work getting it all to fit right. The PO of my car did the original VR install and didnt do the greatest job of it which made my life more difficult. I ended up spending more time messing with the intake than the tow hook. Mine is a fixed steel unit though and not a flexible one, im not really sure where you could store a flexible unit with the mesh grill still installed.

JohnAlley

That is what I did , cover stays on until you need the tow hook and it doesn't get in way of Vararam

YYZ06

Interesting idea, do you have any pictures?

waddisme

That sounds like the trick there. Never taken my front cover off. I guess there is a plastic plate that I can cut thru. Because mine is a strap, I will need to find a way to keep it from flopping around.

trackboss

That's a good idea behind the plate. One thing you could do is make the hole in the plastic larger than normal (so you can get your fingers in there) and keep the strap tucked behind the bumper cover and then when you need it simply fish it out. There are two screws at the bottom of the plate cover that secure it.

Tourmgr1

Here's mine, not finished as I'm adding a few final touches and squaring up the cut out etc. but it gives you the idea. I used a short Harbor Freight tow strap previously but Trackbosse's strap would be a much better solution.

Now you see it....


Now you don't...

YYZ06

Nice.

It looks like you had to bend the bracket down to get it to fit under the plate cover. I'm wondering if being pulled from a gravel trap (or something like that) would bend it back up and jack up your bupmper cover.

waddisme

Thanks for the pics. I have a plan now. Just a shot in the dark, but anyway to mount that way without taking bumper off? The rear bumper wasn't that bad, I just never did get it to line back up. Apparently it is not an exact fit as I aligned the left side but then the right side sticks out about 1/8 of an inch. I didn't take the time to loosen everything again to move it 1/16th of an inch. Be nice not to have to remove.

Tourmgr1

The tow bracket is hinged and just appears bent in the pic, I have used it to winch the car into a trailer as I have no drive train currently !
The cut out will be opened up and quick release fasteners used so the cover can be removed if necessary. A work in progress.

No, bumper has to come off ....a real pain with the VaraRam.

Good Luck.

waddisme

Got mine on last weekend. Not too bad taking bumper off. Got it back on close to straight. Headlights don't rub when going up and down so I can live with the rest.

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Looks normal with cover on. Took some creative engineering to get nut attached. Still need some way to keep strap from flopping around during track time, but still easy for tow guys to attach. It may not be that big of a deal.

trackboss

There is a simple solution for attaching something like that if you can't reach into the bumper beam with wrench. Custom build a nut plate by welding a nut to a piece of strap formed so that it cannot completely rotate inside the bumper. It can be plug welded from the outside, bolted, or riveted in place if one does not want it to come loose if the tow strap is removed. I can build them pretty inexpensively if there is any interest.

mickey_7106

im interested. sounds like you might have built one already. do you have any pics?

im looking for something like this but i want mine in the center behind the plate cover and possibly something similar in the rear center as well

http://www.CorvetteC5.de/PDF/C6EUhookC5.pdf

trackboss

I have built nut plates for a whole lot of things. Not just car related. They alllow for easier assembly because only one wrench is needed. I can build you one if you like. I don't have any photos.
For my tow hook I did not use a nut plate. There is a lot of room to get a wrench inside the bumper beam to hold the nut, and the bumper cover must be removed to do the install the way I did.

AU N EGL

Hiding the tow hook may not be a good idea.

the toe hook or strap should be exposed for emergency personal to quickly hook your car up to be towed.

Plus dont want to spear anyone or another car if you tap another car, if the hook extends out beyond the front most part of the bumper. So having a folding hook or strap may be a better idea.

if you use a tow strap, it may also flap around as the car is moving. Flaggers can not see what it is, so they may black flag you for having a loose part.

waddisme

It would be nice to figure out a way to hold tow hook still while on the track. I thought about zip tying thru the license plate bolt holes, but then the tow people would have to cut it to be used. Is there another quick disconnect solution or just let it fly?

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waddisme

I was able to get wrench in there to hold nut. To get it started, wife held nut with long magnetic picker upper thing, and I was able to get bolt started, then attached wrench. Not as hard as it sounds.

Bad Karma

Tape it down? Easy for the safety guys to pull off.

I've contemplated fab'ing up a two piece tow hook. It would look like a hinged tow hook. But the hinge would be a through bolt that you could remove and take the front piece off. For track prep you bolt up the front piece and off you go.

Hmm, side business anybody want one? Haha.