[Clarko]

First, this will NOT work on a 92-96 with the accordian frame.
The 04-up F-150 Towhooks are very similar as well, if not the exact same pieces.
These are what they look like, I also got the nut bracket from the inside of the F-150 frame:

Front of the frame with the swaybar gone:

You have to enlarge one hole a little bit to get the bolt to go through it. You will have to grind around the nut part of the nut bracket to get it closer to the frame, too:

Then bolt them on.

Finished product:

The hooks almost look factory. They are on perfectly straight in that pic, the bumper was off by a little bit when I took that pic but I fixed that afterwards.
I had my friend tow me around my neighborhood and up steep hills to see if they work well and they do!

11/21 Addendum:

I didn't see this anywhere else in the thread, so I'll put in my 2 cents:

I did the same as Clarko but kept the front sway bar. I had to cut the front lip off of the brackets that hold the sway bar to the frame. I did that with a grinder. I enlarged the same hole on each side and had to enlarge the front hole on the bracket as well. When I installed the tow hooks, I used a washer in the front between the tow hook and the frame to approximate the thickness of the bracket.

I know there's been a lot of discussion about whether the sway bar is necessary, but I do mostly road driving and figure the Ford engineers went to a bit of trouble to put it there so it must be a good thing to have.

 

[Andy351]

looks good, only problem i forsee is you will hit them on stuff. but someday when that bumper is gone you can mount them to the side of the frame and that will be :imp:

 

[Clarko]

looks good, only problem i forsee is you will hit them on stuff. but someday when that bumper is gone you can mount them to the side of the frame and that will be :imp:

Yeah I figured when I go custom, I'll have something to hit them on. So far I don't do much that wild, I just wanted these to get unstuck from the mud, rather than getting yanked from the ass via the hitch.

 

[85bronc]

hey, does it only work w/ the sway bars off? or did you trim the bumper @ all?

 

[Clarko]

No, but ya may have to grind the tow hook a little, and no.

 

[Alabronco]

I picked up a pair off a '01 F150 at a local junkyard today, $20, included stock hardware. The brackets were a little rusty and didn't quite fit flush in the boxed frame. I used 1/2" grade 8 nuts and bolts and lock washers along with washers from front and rear swaybar removal. I sanded the hoops with 60 grit and painted with DupliColor truck bed lining. I still have the plastic trim under the bumper, I cut to fit around hooks. Thanks for the suggestion.:beer

And for the rear, Warn reciever with shackle.

 

[derrick36]

Does anyone know how much these are rated for?

 

[Clarko]

I don't know but I've never seen aftermarket tow hooks this thick. I bet that the grade 8 bolts would break well before the hook would.

 

[derrick36]

why wont this work on a '96? i was wanting to do a '05 F150 front tow hook on my BKO.

Look at your frame and you'll understand.
You have that lame crumple zone crap. All 92-96's do.
The earlier models have a flat bottom side, like Clarko's.

 

[stan the man]

i know i have the crumple zones, but couldnt i just mount 'em in front of the crumple zones?

 

[Clarko]

92-up, use the Froggman approach:
http://www.froggmann.com/Bronco/Tech/Tow.htm

 

[96broncoman]

i was going to do something with the froggman approach with the super duty tow hooks turned upward, but i dont think it will look right, so i will wait till i get a bumper.

 

[ScottMoore]

They could mount like this on the 92-96.

 

[stan the man]

^^^^exactly what i was talking about. put 'em in front of the crush zone and cut the bumper. you just have to take the bumper off to tighten the bolts since the frame is boxed.


or am i still not on par?

 

[Clarko]

Pull too hard and the frame horn bends... It happened to Raf (Bronkzilla)

 

[s1120]

They could mount like this on the 92-96.

I like that. Looks nice. Has it survied any hard pulls?

 

[ScottMoore]

I have pulled on it but not really hard. I think the hooks will straighten out before it does any damage to the frame.

 

[Clarko]

It's the sideways pull that bends it...

 

[Bronkzilla]

Pull too hard and the frame horn bends... It happened to Raf (Bronkzilla)

It bent because i landed on it.

 

[fartman]

Would those work on a 81?