Front Tow Points

[Cheech]

So I was back working on my engine removal yesterday, and I needed to get the truck up in the air. I decided to use my ramps but I'm far enough along that the MJ will not run under its own power now. I had to use the front axle as the pull point to get it up on the ramps because I couldn't find any other spot. I realize that the axle isn't the best spot to pull on, but it was a pretty easy pull up onto them. I got me thinking, where is the best spot to pull from if you don't have front tow hooks???

[Wildman]

Pulling from the front axle in not a problem, after all.......you have upper and lower control arms (4 of them) holding the axle in place. I've pulled many MJ's up on car dollies and car haulers from the axle, you just don't want to pull from the sway bar or drag link :no:

 

So.......I can see why you had to get the front end off the ground, but........how are you going to get it back down when your ready to pull the engine :hmm:

 

I mean, your OK with the car ramps, but you should really have a floor jack and jack stands for this type job, where you can lift the front, and drop it back down in the same spot.

 

Are you pulling the engine and tranny as a unit, or separate??

 

Oh, and for future reference.........check This out :brows:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Its a jeep and its a truck... ADD TOW POINTS!!! Your gonna need them at some point, if for nothing else but to pull others out of the ditch!! :brows:

 

CW

[Cheech]

Pulling from the front axle in not a problem, after all.......you have upper and lower control arms (4 of them) holding the axle in place. I've pulled many MJ's up on car dollies and car haulers from the axle, you just don't want to pull from the sway bar or drag link :no:

 

So.......I can see why you had to get the front end off the ground, but........how are you going to get it back down when your ready to pull the engine :hmm:

 

I mean, your OK with the car ramps, but you should really have a floor jack and jack stands for this type job, where you can lift the front, and drop it back down in the same spot.

 

Are you pulling the engine and tranny as a unit, or separate??

 

Oh, and for future reference.........check This out :brows:

 

I'm pulling the engine by itself. I guess I will have to either roll it back down the ramps or use my floor jacks and lift it off the ramps. I decided to use the ramps for safety sake (I'm doing this job outside because the shed is still full of farm equipment that was stored for the winter, and I figured that the ramps were safer than stands on the soft ground) and because it gives me more room to work side to side under the truck.

 

I will definitely look into the tow hooks. They look like a good idea. If I do have to pull by the axle again, where is the best spot? I wraped the chain on the drivers side of the diff pot where the axle tube slides in. Seemed like the stongest side since its close to the control arms and the axle tube is much shorter (less chance to bend than if pulling in the middle of the axle).

[Cheech]

Its a jeep and its a truck... ADD TOW POINTS!!! Your gonna need them at some point, if for nothing else but to pull others out of the ditch!! :brows:

 

CW

 

LOL. If I pull enough people out it might pay for the hooks. :D

[CWLONGSHOT]

Its a jeep and its a truck... ADD TOW POINTS!!! Your gonna need them at some point, if for nothing else but to pull others out of the ditch!! :brows:

 

CW

 

LOL. If I pull enough people out it might pay for the hooks. :D

 

There ya go!!

 

Every winter I pull people up, across or out of the ditch on a hill near my home. Most times I tell them no charge. When its an arrogant kid with a rice burner who's stuck by his own fault, I collect a sawbuck or two... ;)

[Dirteatr717]

I remember seeing a thread where someone cut out 2 rectangular holes in their bumpers and welded some d-ring tabs in from the back and did something for support behind it... looked like a easy and somehwhat decent job.

[mvusse]

Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner and didn't grow up in capitalistic America (although I live here now), but I would never even think of charging someone for helping them out. I like to help people out for no other reason than they need help. If I wanted to be paid for it I would have become a tow truck operator.

[CWLONGSHOT]

Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner and didn't grow up in capitalistic America (although I live here now), but I would never even think of charging someone for helping them out. I like to help people out for no other reason than they need help. If I wanted to be paid for it I would have become a tow truck operator.

 

I don't "charge" but people usually offer to pay... I usually don't accept, as I said. When someone is stupid and causes there own troubles and I risk possible possible damage to mine to get there sorry arse out...I accept the $$$

[the_wizard_of_fire]

straight pulling across a driveway or garage is fine to do by the axle. what you never want to do is try and pull either yourself or someone else out when they are stuck, or jerk on the axle.

[jpnjim]

Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner and didn't grow up in capitalistic America (although I live here now), but I would never even think of charging someone for helping them out. I like to help people out for no other reason than they need help. If I wanted to be paid for it I would have become a tow truck operator.

 

 

Maybe it's because I grew up in the greatest country in the world, and still live here,

but I found that somewhat insulting.

 

 

Tho I'm guessing you probably didn't mean it to be. :dunno:

 

I have a job, that pays my bills,

so anything I do beyond that, I either do it for free, or I don't do it.

 

Not all Americans are greedy,

and not all greedy people are Americans.

[jimoshel]

In my life I've pulled maybe 40-50 cars, trucks out of the ditch. All freebies. Got paid twice.Once when I refused his offer he just reached over and crammed $20 in my pocket. The other time I was going down Raton pass after a fresh snow storm and highway wasn't plowed yet. Safe speed for the road was maybe 20MPH.Because I had a Jeep J10 4WD studded snow tires plus chains, if needed I was doing 30MPH. A yahoo pulled up behind me and let me know he didn't like me taking up the middle of the road, hit his horn and blinked his lights. I pull over and as he goes by he flips me the finger. He's driving 4wd Jap crap.2 miles down the road he's in the ditch almost all the way over on his side. I stop. He asks me if I would pull him out. I says for $50. He screams at me "$50, Just for pulling me out" I said "no I pull you out for nothing. It's $25 for driving reckless and $25 for flippin me. If ya don't like it I'll send a wrecker when I get to town." He paid. Also stayed behind me rest of way into town.

[CWLONGSHOT]

In my life I've pulled maybe 40-50 cars, trucks out of the ditch. All freebies. Got paid twice.Once when I refused his offer he just reached over and crammed $20 in my pocket. The other time I was going down Raton pass after a fresh snow storm and highway wasn't plowed yet. Safe speed for the road was maybe 20MPH.Because I had a Jeep J10 4WD studded snow tires plus chains, if needed I was doing 30MPH. A yahoo pulled up behind me and let me know he didn't like me taking up the middle of the road, hit his horn and blinked his lights. I pull over and as he goes by he flips me the finger. He's driving 4wd Jap crap.2 miles down the road he's in the ditch almost all the way over on his side. I stop. He asks me if I would pull him out. I says for $50. He screams at me "$50, Just for pulling me out" I said "no I pull you out for nothing. It's $25 for driving reckless and $25 for flippin me. If ya don't like it I'll send a wrecker when I get to town." He paid. Also stayed behind me rest of way into town.

 

EXACTLY what I'm talking about...Life is hard enough, its harder when your stupid...(Marion Morrison...AKA John Wayne)

 

CW

[Pete M]

Be careful with volunteering to pull people out of ditches. In Michigan, it's illegal to do so unless you're a licensed towtruck driver.

[mvusse]

Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner and didn't grow up in capitalistic America (although I live here now), but I would never even think of charging someone for helping them out. I like to help people out for no other reason than they need help. If I wanted to be paid for it I would have become a tow truck operator.

 

 

Maybe it's because I grew up in the greatest country in the world, and still live here,

but I found that somewhat insulting.

 

 

Tho I'm guessing you probably didn't mean it to be. :dunno:

 

I have a job, that pays my bills,

so anything I do beyond that, I either do it for free, or I don't do it.

 

Not all Americans are greedy,

and not all greedy people are Americans.

 

Edited out after thinking more about this reply and realized I was more venting about recent experiences than overall impression, and in the process forgot about all the other people I have met who are always willing to help out someone in need.

 

But still, accept my apologies for my original reply, as well as the original post if you feel insulted by it. I will leave the original post stand, although I could have probably worded it a lot better., or at least kept my big mouth shut :fool:

[jpdocdave]

Be careful with volunteering to pull people out of ditches. In Michigan, it's illegal to do so unless you're a licensed towtruck driver.

 

i would also be willing to bet there are some a hole stories where a good ole boy stops and helps some poor idiot out, and somehow the stuck vehicle gets damaged some how, and the good ole boy is getting sued or billed for damage.

[Cheech]

Sorry guys, didn't mean to start a big argument when I made the comment about paying for the tow hooks. Here in Ontario, our farm is on a very busy stretch of provincial highway, and it is not uncommon for a few people every winter to come to the house looking for a tow because they ditched it out on the road. We always use our big 4WD John Deere tractor to do the job, as long as its not too dangerous. Usually people offer 20 bucks or so for a tow. In reality that 20 bucks is a lot cheaper than what the tow company charges.

[Wildman]

:offtopic:

 

Cheech, I don't think you started anything, it just evolved to that :roll:

 

Seen how I personally know Mr. mvusse :D He can sometime get confused over how some Americans act, and that I understand.

 

I'm thinking his statement was more or less poking fun at lawyer's :teehee:

 

As far as pulling someone out of a ditch, all the fore mentioned statements are true, and I know someone that was sued over pulling someone out of a ditch, and that's why alot of us don't do it for free, or don't do it at all.

 

I know several tow truck operators, and here in NY they have to have a special permit and special license on the tow truck, that "proves" that they carry the proper insurance, that cost about $125 per week, yea, that's over 6 grand a year to operate a tow truck :eek:

 

Now, back to topic at hand..........

 

OK.......I under stand that your working outside, and on soft ground, I was just making a point that once you get the engine ready to pull, or up and out, the truck would be to high, and you really can't just "roll" the truck off the ramps.

 

Another point is........if your on soft ground, how do you plan on moving the cherry picker around??? At worst, you could lay down some plywood and keep the hoist on the plywood sheet, but you'll run out to room real quick on that item.

 

Is there any place around the farm that is paved, or hard stoned to work on :dunno:

 

And, as I was proofing this.......it came to me........Your using the John Deere to pull the engine :doh: So, I guest you don't need to worry about moving the hoist around :oops:

 

Most farms I know have a "farm shop" to work on equipment :brows:

 

And yes, I've pulled alot of engines by myself :D

[mvusse]

:hijack:

 

Sorry for starting something that didn't need started and was off topic to begin with. In light of recent experiences I needed an outlet for my frustrations and chose this thread.

 

Please accept my apologies, and let's get back to the original topic.

[wyk]

Be careful with volunteering to pull people out of ditches. In Michigan, it's illegal to do so unless you're a licensed towtruck driver.

 

i would also be willing to bet there are some a hole stories where a good ole boy stops and helps some poor idiot out, and somehow the stuck vehicle gets damaged some how, and the good ole boy is getting sued or billed for damage.

 

He may be an idiot for letting the good ole boy near his vehicle in the first place...

 

If you damage someone's vehicle, you should expect to have to pay for it, if not offer to do so right then and there. If you KNOW you are going to damage someone's vehicle, and it's not a safety or life and death situation, then there's very little reason to commit to the recovery. Let someone else whom has recovery experience pull a vehicle out and leave it undamaged. Even in a life or death situation, it may be prudent to leave the car as undamaged as possible so that it may further protect the individual trapped inside in case something shifts or falls. Depending on the difficulty and the vehicle and type of issues, a recovery will only run $40-$80 to get you out of a deep culvert, to maybe $400 for something that takes hours. If you rip the bumper off of a new vehicle, or damage a painted panel, or force them to visit a mechanic to fix suspension damage you incurred, that could have you see a bill 10X what a recovery tech would charge. Let the recovery person or the casualty pay for it, not you. Also make sure to point out any and all damage to the vehicle before you start your recovery, no matter how simple it seems. I often get a laugh, but I am dead serious when I tell people things like "You may get a few scratches on this panel here..." or "This might rip off your rear mud flap because it's stuck under the tree...", but folks appreciate it when you do not damage their vehicles, and they tend to sue you a lot less often when they tell you to go ahead even if it will add scratches, and your insurance will love you more and charge you less. The state police in Ireland often laughed at me when I carefully recovered drug lord cars out of bogs, hedges, rivers, what not, undamaged(many of the locals would have ripped it right out). It's a matter of principle and professionalism. I have pulled all manner of vehicles out of mud, trees, ditches, canals, rivers, lakes, mountains/cliffs, houses/buildings, drains, construction sites, sink holes, power poles and telephone poles, etc, all undamaged. Unless I can obviously tell the vehicle is already a write off, or someone's life is in danger, I won't do the recovery if I can not do it without damaging the vehicle any further. You should follow the same principles.

 

Damaging someone's vehicle is rarely doing them, or you, any favors. But, then again, to me there is nothing worse than someone else having to clean up after my mess.

[jpdocdave]

Be careful with volunteering to pull people out of ditches. In Michigan, it's illegal to do so unless you're a licensed towtruck driver.

 

i would also be willing to bet there are some a hole stories where a good ole boy stops and helps some poor idiot out, and somehow the stuck vehicle gets damaged some how, and the good ole boy is getting sued or billed for damage.

 

He may be an idiot for letting the good ole boy near his vehicle in the first place...

 

If you damage someone's vehicle, you should expect to have to pay for it, if not offer to do so right then and there. If you KNOW you are going to damage someone's vehicle, and it's not a safety or life and death situation, then there's very little reason to commit to the recovery. Let someone else whom has recovery experience pull a vehicle out and leave it undamaged. Even in a life or death situation, it may be prudent to leave the car as undamaged as possible so that it may further protect the individual trapped inside in case something shifts or falls. Depending on the difficulty and the vehicle and type of issues, a recovery will only run $40-$80 to get you out of a deep culvert, to maybe $400 for something that takes hours. If you rip the bumper off of a new vehicle, or damage a painted panel, or force them to visit a mechanic to fix suspension damage you incurred, that could have you see a bill 10X what a recovery tech would charge. Let the recovery person or the casualty pay for it, not you. Also make sure to point out any and all damage to the vehicle before you start your recovery, no matter how simple it seems. I often get a laugh, but I am dead serious when I tell people things like "You may get a few scratches on this panel here..." or "This might rip off your rear mud flap because it's stuck under the tree...", but folks appreciate it when you do not damage their vehicles, and they tend to sue you a lot less often when they tell you to go ahead even if it will add scratches, and your insurance will love you more and charge you less. The state police in Ireland often laughed at me when I carefully recovered drug lord cars out of bogs, hedges, rivers, what not, undamaged(many of the locals would have ripped it right out). It's a matter of principle and professionalism. I have pulled all manner of vehicles out of mud, trees, ditches, canals, rivers, lakes, mountains/cliffs, houses/buildings, drains, construction sites, sink holes, power poles and telephone poles, etc, all undamaged. Unless I can obviously tell the vehicle is already a write off, or someone's life is in danger, I won't do the recovery if I can not do it without damaging the vehicle any further. You should follow the same principles.

 

Damaging someone's vehicle is rarely doing them, or you, any favors. But, then again, to me there is nothing worse than someone else having to clean up after my mess.

 

i'm not talking about unnecessary damage to the vehicle, what about damage they've already done, but blame you for.

[ParadiseMJ]

OK then.

 

Two "acceptable" (IMO) options for recovery points, front OR back.

 

1. Hooks (or d-rings) securely bolted to approved brackets, securely bolted/welded to "frame" rails.

 

2. A hook or d-ring in a hitch receiver securely bolted/welded to "frame" rails.

 

With nylon tow strap without hooks.

 

...anything else is just dangerous. (IMO)

[mvusse]

:agree:

[nitroxsteve]

He may be an idiot for letting the good ole boy near his vehicle in the first place...

 

 

 

 

Why are you so down on good ole boy's ? some people on here my find that insulting.