Installing a Woodhouse Tow Hook

[Simms]

Haha, yes it's difficult but I found an angle from under the hood on the passenger side that wasn't too bad. I didn't have any spacer washers under the bumper cover, but I can imagine that they might do that to get it to line up just right. Good luck!

Thanks. I might need to have my son get in there. Did you approach it from the engine bay, or did you sit on the ground in front of the car and get your arm under the hood that way?

[VENOM V]

Thanks. I might need to have my son get in there. Did you approach it from the engine bay, or did you sit on the ground in front of the car and get your arm under the hood that way?

From the engine bay. If your son isn't able to reach in there, perhaps remove the bumper cover, since you've already got most of the screws out. My hands are medium sized, I'm guessing someone with small to medium hands should be able to do it without removing the bumper cover.

[Simms]

All good! My ten year old son installed his first tow hook tonight! Once I removed the other plastic piece that snaps on the radiator, it was a lot easier to access. He was thrilled to feel like he just modded a viper LOL.

[johniew398]

Everyone in my family and MANY of my friends have a scar on their shin from that damn thing.

You can't do that with mine.

http://s268.photobucket.com/user/joh...dd52e.jpg.html

http://s268.photobucket.com/user/joh...tml?sort=3&o=0

[kbench55]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I have a question in regards to the front tow hooks. It says once installed the hook can be removed and replaced in two minutes. Do you guys just leave your front tow hook on all the time or do you remove it. If you remove it how do you go about doing that? Do you just reach through the grill opening and loosen off the bolt?

I do not track my car but I do go on some road trips. I would like to have a tow hook on the front incase I need a tow. I do not want to keep the hook on all the time but would like it to be easy to put on on the side of the road if needed. Is there other options for getting towed? What have guys done in the past that needed a tow but did not have a tow hook installed?

Thanks

[esm_viper]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I have a question in regards to the front tow hooks. It says once installed the hook can be removed and replaced in two minutes. Do you guys just leave your front tow hook on all the time or do you remove it. If you remove it how do you go about doing that? Do you just reach through the grill opening and loosen off the bolt?

I do not track my car but I do go on some road trips. I would like to have a tow hook on the front incase I need a tow. I do not want to keep the hook on all the time but would like it to be easy to put on on the side of the road if needed. Is there other options for getting towed? What have guys done in the past that needed a tow but did not have a tow hook installed?

Thanks

I installed mine and just left it since I don't daily drive my car. Once installed, it's easy to reach through the grille and loosen the nut that holds the tow hook keeping the bracket that goes on the frame intact.

[kbench55]

I installed mine and just left it since I don't daily drive my car. Once installed, it's easy to reach through the grille and loosen the nut that holds the tow hook keeping the bracket that goes on the frame intact.

Awesome, thanks for the info.

[Dr.Ron]

Cost for the short ones?
I cannot find them.

[13COBRA]

Cost for the short ones?
I cannot find them.

http://www.viperpartsrack.com/viper-...ront-gen3-gen4

[allans]

Just installed mine last week. Todd's description is right on. Best, Allan

[Vprbite]

Everyone in my family and MANY of my friends have a scar on their shin from that damn thing.

Viper caused scars are good. It's part of officially being in the club. Like getting your bottom rocker in a MC. Tow hooks are good. My GF got a nice burn on her shin from the exhaust tip. She showed it off like a tattoo.

I say good on ya to anyone who has a scar from it. Be proud of it!

[allans]

Don't worry about the tow hook, the ACR-E splitter will cut you off at the ankles. Allan

[Rocket]

So there are no threads in the tow hook extension?

[ViperPete]

Would a Mod copy/paste the "How to" stuff and move the content to the "how to" section?

Great write up!!!!

[SSGNRDZ_28]

Jon,

Is it possible the bolt was moved in order to make it possible to access and remove through the grille from underneath? Seems like otherwise you'd have to remove the plastic closeout panel?

[AZTVR]

Seems illogical to have the bolt going upwards versus downwards and WTF why would it be different than Venom's...????
This photo is how it would be installed on the car. Looks ass backwards.

Wow, what an insulting post with respect to a great vendor ! Why didn't you just call Mark at IPSCO and ask the person that knows. He is a very helpful guy. Well, maybe it wouldn't be a good idea for you personally to call him at this point.

[Dfunk]

Jon,

Is it possible the bolt was moved in order to make it possible to access and remove through the grille from underneath? Seems like otherwise you'd have to remove the plastic closeout panel?

That is why the bolt head faces down toward the ground. Mine is that way. Removing the extension is now a couple minute job. Checking the extension bolt is easy as well, no need to worry about it getting loose.

[Arizona Vipers]

Does anyone here strap their Viper down via these tow hooks? I'm currently strapping through the front wheels on my ACR.
Adding a 2nd tow hook on the front and strapping from there would make my life a lot easier... lol...
The way they mount seems very secure, but they flex easily when you push on them.. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated!

[Viper Pit]

What is it actually attached to? Is that area strong enough to pull a car out of the weeds without tweaking anything?? Just wondering...

[Jack B]

Have you tried the frame slots. My car is extremely low and the frame slots work fine. You do not want to use the front tow hooks for tie-down, they are only meant to be in direct tension, not an angle or cantilever pull. The rear tow hooks are different, I use those to tie the car down, they work fine.

[ViperJon]

Awesome. Got the silver colored tow hook, cleaned it thoroughly with acetone and rattle-canned it with three coats Rustoleum gloss red.

[Arizona Vipers]

Have you tried the frame slots. My car is extremely low and the frame slots work fine. You do not want to use the front tow hooks for tie-down, they are only meant to be in direct tension, not an angle or cantilever pull. The rear tow hooks are different, I use those to tie the car down, they work fine.

Thanks for the info on not using them as tie downs, I have been tempted. I'm driving up on 3" race ramps now, which lets me get a strap through the wheel. My Mac's tied downs hook is too big for the slots. I might get something welded on there, as strapping through the wheel makes me paranoid that the alignment will get knocked outta whack.

[cashcorn]

Thanks for the right up VENOM V! I would also like to add that if you have the DSE heat shield. The air box needs to be removed to get the plastic cover off as the cover also sits under the heat shield. I also mounted the tow hook bolt from the bottom, which has easy access from the front grill. The IPSCO tow hook is a nice piece of machinery. Adding the rears next.

[stradman]

Does anyone here strap their Viper down via these tow hooks? I'm currently strapping through the front wheels on my ACR.
Adding a 2nd tow hook on the front and strapping from there would make my life a lot easier... lol...
The way they mount seems very secure, but they flex easily when you push on them.. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated!

Wow you're adding a second tow hook to the front with its mega base taking up another section of your radiator? Good luck to you on that. I removed mine altogether.

[ViperGeorge]

Wow you're adding a second tow hook to the front with its mega base taking up another section of your radiator? Good luck to you on that. I removed mine altogether.

I used to run two IPSCO front tow hooks and I did use them to tie down my TA 2.0. I had them both moved to my ACR-E. The TA would run hot on the track all the time as did other's peoples TA 2.0s. There are several threads on here about it and cars without the hooks were heating up too. The ACR does not run hot on the track (max 220 coolant). Mark J. theorized that the heating issues on the TA 2.0 were related to the small splitter designs on the front. A friend with a GTS with the aero package (very similar to the TA) was at the track with me one day and his car ran hot as well without the front tow hook.

I recently removed the second hook on my ACR-E and moved it to my GTS. I now tie the ACR down through the wheels.

By the way, IPSCO now makes a new tow hook extension that pivots up and down (like the IPSCO ACR rear tow hook) further reducing how far the thing protrudes. I changed over to the new design, very nice. Also anyone with a Viper should have the rear ACR hook, solid as a rock. Ok, it adds a few pounds to the car probably about the same as 1 gallon of gas but most of us won't ever notice the difference.