Upgrading recovery points on Sierra?

Post by **mike_nofx** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:09 pm

Just wondering how others have upgraded their stock 'tie-down' points to proper rated recovery points.

I recently purchased one of those hooks, with the 2 bolts, rated at 4.5t. (It was on special, so i just grabbed one) But looking around, i cant find anywhere good to fit it that will be any stronger than the tie down point.

Just looking for some other suggestions. I don't mind wether the hook can be used or not. Just most of the guys i wheel with have 4x4's which weigh at least twice what my sierra does (cruisers, patrols) and i dont know wether i can trust the tie downs or not.

Thanks
Mike

Post by **PJ.zook** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:36 pm

I have seen people mount them underneath the chassis rail by using a thick plate on the inside of the chassis rail, basically sandwiching the bottom of the chassis rail between the hook and plate.
Saying that, i have had that many rough recoveries from the factory tie down that i would have left it if i didnt do RUF

Post by **Turbo Tonka** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:45 pm

i will also be doing something for a recovery point soon.the other day a mate pointed out on mine that the front hook was starting to crack a little.i think i have only been towed once since i had the vehicle and it wasnt a hard pull,but it could become a little dangerous,ive seen first hand what a recovery gone wrong does to someone

Post by **mrRocky** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:02 pm

i used the rear mounting brackets from a sierra towbar bolted to the chassie and bolted the hooks through the side of the brackets (i had 2 front and rear).
The front is hard to do with the stock bumper in place

Post by **lump_a_charcoal** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:55 pm

I have heard of putting some pipe through the tube at the front of the chassis and mounting near the ends of it...

Post by **DavePatrol** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:43 pm

i did what PJ.zook said but put a plate on both sides of the chassis

and its heaps strong, i use an equalizer strap when its a big recovery tho, held up fine when i pulled this patrol out of the sand

cheers scott

Post by **mrRocky** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:45 pm

hahaha gold, thats what i like to see

Post by **zookeenie** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:50 pm

check out the tyres on the fat slug!!!..the zook didnt have any where near that much rubber clawing its way thru the sand and still come up trumps.........I thought patrols were for towing caravans?

Post by **PJ.zook** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:07 pm

Its amazing what difference tyres make. When we were duning in tassie a few years ago, all our crew had mostly simex or another aggressive tyre, and we just couldnt get the power down. Then a v8 cherokee with AT's came along, and it absolutely hammered. We had a patrol and hilux there with more power, but just couldnt get it to the sand.

Post by **nathandi7** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:20 pm

For a rear tow point I use the towbar on my sierra.It wraps around the petrol tank protecting it aso. I cut the stem short and cut a hole in it to take a shacle. so now no more tow (I have a spare stem but dont like towing with a sierra even with a 1.6 in it)

Post by **DavePatrol** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:57 pm

haha yer my dad had his patrol tyers on 20 from 42 and i was still on road pressures and i dident even come close to being bogged plus his weighs over 3 tone compared to my 700kgs sierra so that makes heeps of difference in the sand, and the mtzs arnt exactly sand friendly lol

Post by **Hybrid** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:38 am

700kgs? Did you take your drive line out

. I think soft tops are around the 1200-1300kg mark. Not sure what your tintop would be.

Post by **v840** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:14 am

Hybrid wrote:700kgs? Did you take your drive line out . I think soft tops are around the 1200-1300kg mark. Not sure what your tintop would be.

My LWB with Glass hardtop and full tank of fuel came in at 940kgs (IIRC, may have been 980kg) but yeah. I can't see a stock SWB weighing 1200-1300 kg.

Post by **Hybrid** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:45 am

Apologies then. I always thought the SWB sierra was around the 1300kg mark. I must have been thinking about GVM or something?

Post by **brendan_h** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:13 pm

got mine mounted the same way but i used a 5mm plate that goes into both holes. i dont have any hooks on the front yet no room with the winch on there

Post by **DavePatrol** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:14 pm

it was just an estimated guess mate on how much my sierra weights its probably a bit more than 700, its stock with no back seats

Post by **11_evl** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:00 pm

Post by **brendan_h** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:13 pm

i am sure somone is going to go off at you mounting it that way

Post by **Turbo Tonka** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:43 pm

pics are good,now i gotta work out best way to do mine.or just use the towbar with ball removed like mentioned above,ive done it before for a little tow but want proper hooks

and my swb tin top with exo etc,all barwork,31 spare in back1.6 efi etc,recovery gear and a few tools came in at 1220 over the weigh bridge the other day

Post by **waandy** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:57 pm

just a warning to people who have a tow bar that wraps around your furl tank and bolts through the center of the floor in the back, i have been snatchieng big trolls n crap off mine since i got my toy and the floor is caving in. it doesnt bother me really but yea if you have a mint zook and like your floor flat keep that in mind

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Upgrading recovery points on Sierra?

Upgrading recovery points on Sierra?

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