IPSCO GEN 5 Rear Tow hook installation issues

[USCDOC]

There are multiple issues that I had installing the tow hook on my 2014 TA. Here they are, and I hope it helps others:

1. The main frame bar that fits into the sway bar opening is too wide. I spent at least 1/2 hour trying to coordinate it's insertion, and had to bend the ears of the main frame to get it to kinda fit... then had to use a crowbar to get it the rest of the way in to allow the bolts to go in. Would have been awesome to be at my shop where I have a grinder to grind off 1/8 inch from each end.

2. The drill template was not ideal. . Super cool that they included a template with pins to mark the drill hole, but after drilling the hole in the exact location as indicated, the adjuster brace/bar was too long... ok no problem, just adjust it a little and you're golden.... NOPE... I shortened the adjustment brace/bar as short as it would go while on the car, and then had to remove it from the car and shorten it to it's absolute shortest length b/c the threads wouldn't let me by hand... then re-installed. It lined up perfectly thank the car gods!!!, but there is no more adjustment in one direction now and the shaft rattles a little bit b/c it has pivot joints... a template with the drill hole 1-1.5" more towards the front of the car would have been more ideal... which leads me to my final problem.

3. After placing the 5/16 X 3 1/4 bolt through your beautifully drilled hole (which should have been 1-1.5" more towards the front of the car on the template) to mount the adjustment brace/bar to the frame, you will need a 7/16 inch spacer to place over the bolt end prior to placing the adjustment bar/brace and the nut. They provide washers and say to place (3) 5/16 flat washers on the bolt, but that was not even close to working. The adjustment bar hits the ear of the car's frame on 3/8 inch ear that prevents you from being able to tighten the bolt 100%. I guess you could just try to tighten the bolt until things bent a little, but that seemed rigged, so I fabricated a 7/16" spacer...or you could use 7 washers, but that seemed odd too.

Total install time was 3.5 hours... could easily be 2 hours by fixing these issues.

Don't get me wrong, I really dig the tow hook, but wish it would have been a little easier to mount.

[Special Ed]

Could the problem be that you are using a tow hook designed not for a Gen V per se, but for an ACR-e. I don't know that is why I ask. I have their SRT rear tow hooks on my TA. They work great and are a whole lot cheaper at $49 verses $320.

[Bruce H.]

I got mine from JonB 3 years ago and it fit my '14 TA perfectly. I believe it was the same one he sold for the Gen 4.

[LifeIsGood]

I got mine from JonB 3 years ago and it fit my '14 TA perfectly. I believe it was the same one he sold for the Gen 4.

Mark hasn't been making these very long. You're confusing this with his other tow hook that bolts to the frame at the bottom.

[Special Ed]

My question is are there differences on the TA and the ACR-e that is making the install a pia on that it maybe wasn't designed for?

[pj96ss]

I installed the tow hook on my 2017 ACR-Extreme and had no real issues. Yes it is a tight fit to get the main bar in but I didn't have to bend anything.

P.J.

[Voice of Reason]

I can’t imagine there being frame differences between a single model year. But maybe something changed between 14 and 16 model years causing it?

[USCDOC]

Could the problem be that you are using a tow hook designed not for a Gen V per se, but for an ACR-e. I don't know that is why I ask. I have their SRT rear tow hooks on my TA. They work great and are a whole lot cheaper at $49 verses $320.

Yes it is the ACR tow hook, but nothing was said to me about poor fitment when I purchased and told them I was putting it on a TA. Instructions don't say ACR either... just Gen 5. Ya it was $300ish. I really like the look. Super cool

[Simms]

No issues here, but I did have to adjust the brace/bar all the way in (shortest length). The bar between the frame was perfect.

[Arizona Vipers]

Shouldn't you have contacted IPSCO first before posting this thread? They are a GREAT asset to the Viper community and the title of your thread will forever cause them reputation issues.
If you contact them they will resolve any issues you have with their product.

[Colo08]

There are multiple issues that I had installing the tow hook on my 2014 TA. Here they are, and I hope it helps others:

1. The main frame bar that fits into the sway bar opening is too wide. I spent at least 1/2 hour trying to coordinate it's insertion, and had to bend the ears of the main frame to get it to kinda fit... then had to use a crowbar to get it the rest of the way in to allow the bolts to go in. Would have been awesome to be at my shop where I have a grinder to grind off 1/8 inch from each end.

2. The drill template was not ideal. . Super cool that they included a template with pins to mark the drill hole, but after drilling the hole in the exact location as indicated, the adjuster brace/bar was too long... ok no problem, just adjust it a little and you're golden.... NOPE... I shortened the adjustment brace/bar as short as it would go while on the car, and then had to remove it from the car and shorten it to it's absolute shortest length b/c the threads wouldn't let me by hand... then re-installed. It lined up perfectly thank the car gods!!!, but there is no more adjustment in one direction now and the shaft rattles a little bit b/c it has pivot joints... a template with the drill hole 1-1.5" more towards the front of the car would have been more ideal... which leads me to my final problem.

3. After placing the 5/16 X 3 1/4 bolt through your beautifully drilled hole (which should have been 1-1.5" more towards the front of the car on the template) to mount the adjustment brace/bar to the frame, you will need a 7/16 inch spacer to place over the bolt end prior to placing the adjustment bar/brace and the nut. They provide washers and say to place (3) 5/16 flat washers on the bolt, but that was not even close to working. The adjustment bar hits the ear of the car's frame on 3/8 inch ear that prevents you from being able to tighten the bolt 100%. I guess you could just try to tighten the bolt until things bent a little, but that seemed rigged, so I fabricated a 7/16" spacer...or you could use 7 washers, but that seemed odd too.

Total install time was 3.5 hours... could easily be 2 hours by fixing these issues.

Don't get me wrong, I really dig the tow hook, but wish it would have been a little easier to mount.

First off sorry you had issues installing our Rear tow hook, as you know these are hand built cars and features can vary from the factory. Without seeing your car I do not know what the spacing was between the mounting ears to start with, to date you are the first to say the main bar did not fit between the ears of the frame. Your mounting ears may have been bent in from the factory causing the fitment problem. There is no way the main bar is off a 1/4" as we would have had many problems with the other installations if it was that much too long. The main bar is designed to have about 1/16" clearance between the main bar and the mounting ears, so it will not just drop into place if it's not set in place straight. Had you contacted us we would have asked you to give us the measurement between the ears so we could have come up with a solution, if need be we would have made you a custom main bar to fit your car. As for the location of the hole drilled using the drill template, if you move the hole 1 to 1.5" forward the bar will no longer work as that will be out of its range of adjustment with the rod ends, moving the hole a .5" would be more than fine. We always want feedback from our customers so we can continue to supply quality products. From your feedback we have started to supply a 7/16" spacer instead of the three washers which were given as feedback from another customer's install.

[FSTENUF]

Mine went in with no issues. Yes I did have the adjustment bar turned all the way into match up with the bolt. I did add 2 extra washers to clear the butt plate on the end of the frame. Moving the hole back a 1" would make it have more adjustment but would increase the spacer needed to clear the frame rail.
IMG_20170922_093503.jpg

[OTHER SNAKE OWNER]

No issue here, but Brandon and the crew at Gerry Wood did my install
reartowhookinst.jpg