Tow Hook for pulling Gen 2 Coupe into a Trailer?

[Slider]

While I don't intend to trailer the coupe all the time, it will happen occasionally. Before I put the radiator in, I figured I'd try to add a tow hook that would allow me to attach a winch from my trailer to the coupe to pull it up and in. My trailer winch is on the floor, so ideally, the hook would come out under the car so that I don't have any chance of rubbing the winch line on the body and doing damage. As I look at the frame though, I'm struggling to figure out where to put the hook?

I have seen the tow hooks that come up through the hood via the Radiator tunnel, but that wouldn't work with where I have the Winch mounted in the trailer.

I'm sure someone has come up with a solution, and I look forward to the ideas. Thanks in advance.

[Logan]

I'm building a Gen3 Coupe-R, and thinking about where to put my toe hooks both front and rear. On a fellow Gen3 Coupe, I've seen someone use a 2" wide by 0.5" thick aluminum flat-bar to connect the left and right frame horns (where the hinges mount). This places the bar in the mouth of the radiator opening of the nose. Then bolt the tow hook/loop to the center of that aluminum bar. Mounted back far enough such that when the nose is opened it curves out and around the tow hook. Seems to be crude but effective? Certainly heavier than necessary, and blocks some airflow, but the Coupes don't have a ton of options.

I'm considering the rhino-horn approach of putting a tow hook loop through the hole in the nose where the radiator airflow comes out. Could still open the hood, but the risk is that the winch cable would contact the body if the angles weren't right.

I need something permanently attached, so the ideas revolving around removable tow hooks do not work for me. Pin-in-place, thread-in, quick detach tow hooks might work for some folks who only tow their street cars occasionally. As a racecar, rules require hooks on front and rear, and I trailer my car constantly so the hooks need to just stay on the car.

[Erik W. Treves]

on mine - I use a strap bridle and hook to the front sway bar stays and then hook the winch to that.. the bridle is low enough that won't hit the paint and long enough that it goes on either side of the lower vent.

we used this arrangement for deployment on C5's when I was in the Army - works well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161316&d=1643300691

[Logan]

Great solution Erik! Unfortunately that won't suffice for a track car, as the corner marshalls and track safety team won't have the bridle-strap with them if your car needs assistance getting off the track for any reason. The rules require fixed hooks both front and rear, and even if rules didn't require it I would still want the fixed hooks anyway.

However, the bridle-strap may be just the ticket for Slider's needs. Can keep it in the tow vehicle or with the trailer, and use when loading and unloading the car at your leisure.

[Slider]

on mine - I use a strap bridle and hook to the front sway bar stays and then hook the winch to that.. the bridle is low enough that won't hit the paint and long enough that it goes on either side of the lower vent.

we used this arrangement for deployment on C5's when I was in the Army - works well.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161316&d=1643300691

Brilliant! I had axle straps around the frame, but was not aware of this option in strapping! Thanks... saved me a ton of fabrication and frustration!

[Erik W. Treves]

Great solution Erik! Unfortunately that won't suffice for a track car, as the corner marshalls and track safety team won't have the bridle-strap with them if your car needs assistance getting off the track for any reason. The rules require fixed hooks both front and rear, and even if rules didn't require it I would still want the fixed hooks anyway.

However, the bridle-strap may be just the ticket for Slider's needs. Can keep it in the tow vehicle or with the trailer, and use when loading and unloading the car at your leisure.

tracking Logan the OP wasn't looking for track use that I could tell .... looked like it was more for pulling into the trailer not on track recovery - which to your point this solution won't work.- but a track solution should work for both.

[Erik W. Treves]

Brilliant! I had axle straps around the frame, but was not aware of this option in strapping! Thanks... saved me a ton of fabrication and frustration!

yeah the clasps just fit right over the sway bar ends - and then I just hook up the winch -- too easy... load it up - then in reverse you can unload the same way - I don't have a driver's door escape hatch on my trailer, so this has been solution for me... I had to climb in and out of the back hatch before..... there is a video of all of that somewhere - it was funny .... ONCE!

[Logan]

Yep, your bridle solution is perfect for OP's needs getting on and off trailer when not in a rush. It is a simple, inexpensive, and highly-effective solution.

If racing, when the recovery truck has to pull you out of the sand trap under a red flag condition where time is of the essence, they need immediate access to fixed tow hook loops. I'll fabricate something to solve this soon.

Also, I think that video of you climbing out the back of the Coupe should be posted to the forum, you know.....for science :D

[GThompson]

I’ve used the hole in the lower radiator bracket on my gen1 many times to pull my Daytona into my trailer, has worked very well. I generally get the car up the trailer ramp far enough to still be able to climb out (I’m using a 24’ Forest River Work & Play that has cables to the corners of the tailgate for the tailgate lift), then reach under the nose to attach the hook for the winch, then just pull it into the trailer. I built the winch setup out of 2 Harbor Freight winches and some steel. Their Badlands 2500 winch SUCKS!!!! 5% duty cycle! Run it for 3 seconds, wait for 55 sec for cooldown! Horrible!!! But the wireless controller was salvageable to use for their boat winch. After I modified the ratchet mechanism and attached the wireless controller I attached it to a plate with a chain & hook to secure it to a tie-down in the trailer floor. I also put an outlet in the trailer wall to plug the winch into. As the car gets pulled into the trailer I can move the steering wheel to straighten it out as needed. Once the rear wheels clear the top of the ramp I unhook the winch and get it out of the way, pull the car into place, and strap it down. The Daytona seems safer in the toy hauler and it’s way better for a weekend at Watkins Glen but an open trailer is WAY easier to load & unload. Oh yeah, so far I haven’t seen any significant damage to the underside of the nose from the winch cable but, before I use it again, I am going to stick some clear 3M Scotchguard onto it to limit damage in the future.

[mikeinatlanta]

This is what I came up with for my roadster. Not quite as permanent as you are asking for, but needs to be removable for me. It's not at all designed for tying the car down towing, just track extraction and loading onto the trailer. My winch is in line with the left tires, so for me this is a fairly straight pull. The tow hook itself is out of a Miata.

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