Tow/Recovery points in the rear

[blackglasspirate]

Hey all,

Does anyone have experience or recommendations for installing a tow/recovery point loop or hook in the rear of the van? I don't have my van with me right now but it seems like it might not be possible to add something unless it is integrated into the bumper. I have the GoWesty steel bumpers, so I don't have the stock loops on the bumper mounts, which is why I am asking.

The GoWesty bumpers have two loops on the bottom, as well as a square hole for a hitch accessory (which I guess would solve this problem, for extra $$$), but I doubt they would hold up very well in a recovery situation. I also don't think the metal is thick enough to add some sort of loop/shackle.

I spent the last 1.5 years or so in South America just hoping I wouldn't need to be pulled from the back and so far I've been lucky. The combination of the TBD, good tires, maxtrax knock-offs, a shovel, an air compressor, and careful driving have made it pretty easy to not get badly stuck. But I'd still like to be more confident of a recovery point in the event that it is needed in the future.

Any suggestions?
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'87 Vanagon GL Westfalia
IG: @holidayatsee
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[shagginwagon83]

I thought about this. There is factory tow hooks - but mine are covered by my gowesty hitch. I thought about buying this.

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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[rfoubi]

I have the burley bumper so lost the stock tow recovery points. Stock points were great, used them many times with snatch straps in sand, snow, mud. One of them did eventually break though. Now I have a receiver hitch one like in the photos above. It lives with my recovery gear and can be pulled out when needed . Only tested it once to pull a sled trailer out of a snowbank and it worked great. Bonus is I can throw the receiver hitch piece in the subaru when on winter road trips and have a rated recovery point for the suby.

[SCM]

[flomulgator]

So I needed a tow up a hill once when my engine died (turned out that slush got into the fuel pump electrode boot and shorted the pump), and a rancher in a truck helped me out. He pulled his tow ball off (those things are deadly if used for towing) but then just used the hitch pin directly through my tow strap loop. Seemed like a great idea to me and that's been my theoretical strategy ever since. Is there any reason to use that hitch D-shackle thing instead of just the pin?
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She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro!

[danfromsyr]

all of the load goes across/thru the pin anyways..
the D-ring is just a little better for off angles

but yeah loop the tow strap and hook the pin in the 2in square alone.
if you fold the strap like a flat ribbon, and slide the pin in the loop, then hook the hook to the outside of the hitch.. you won't have an airborne metal hook

FWIW tow balls are rated ~5k or ~10k lbs.. and you can easily max that by twanging on a loaded westy that's buried in the mud with a big winch or lifted diesel brodozer.
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[flomulgator]

Yep and from what I understand the metallurgy of the ball is not intended for shock loads. Brittle shear of the shaft during a yank has resulted in fatalities.

It took me a second to get what you were saying about the hook, and yeah that makes sense for safety if you have a hook strap. Personally, I only use straps with sewn loops at both ends.
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She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro!

[SCM]