Preventing Vanagon Towing Damage and Use of T-Hooks

[SyncroHead]

I've seen way too many Vanagons with torn sheet metal underneath caused by careless tow-truck operators slinging their hook into the first hole they see! You've probably seen this too.

This is typically one of the elongated holes on the bottom side of the front diagonal braces. This metal is very thin and what happens is with just a little resistance (parking brake on, pulling up a ramp, etc.) the hook tears through this thin metal like butter. Read on for more detail and how to avoid this damage to your van.

Here's a photo of modest damage:

Here's how it might have looked with the perpetrator's hook in the slot.

Here's more severe damage, all the way through to the next slot!

Hook staged in slot:

So, there's clearly a WRONG way to do this. But there's more than one bad way. On the front-right underside of our vans is a small tie-down loop that helped secure the van during export shipping. Hooking here is better than in the elongated slot pictured above, but still not a great spot. I've also seen these loops bent out of proportion or torn all the way through. Often the tow-truck's hook might be too big to go in this loop, so the next nearest spot is the worst place, the elongated slot in the very thin metal.

Here's an example from the Owner's Manual showing an old-fashioned tow hook up with chains strewn back and forth. The important thing to note is the instruction to insert a T-Hook.

Hopefully our tows will be on a flatbed truck, or at least with better equipment than the wooden 4x4 shown in the manual. However, what's still important is where and how to attach with the T-Hooks. Even if it's just hooked up to winch the van onto a flatbed, it's still important to hoof the winch to a spot that's not going to inflict damage to our vans.

Below are photos showing that spot in the Owner's Manual sketch for the T-Hook. The metal forming the "frame" in this location appears to me to be about 3-4X thicker than the thin metal on the bottom of the diagonal brace. Additionally, it's doubled-up, making this spot probably about 6-8X stronger.

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Here are a few photos of a T-Hook and a similar J-Hook.

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Photos of T-Hook inserted

Photos of J-Hook inserted

The T-Hook is specifically mentioned in the Owner's Manual and that's the best device. If you (or the operator) have a J-Hook is that ok? I'd say probably yes, but with a warning. The T-Hook I have can barely be inserted in the hole in the frame and likewise can barely be removed. Almost like a puzzle, where you have to twist it "just-so" to get it in or out. The T-hook is never going to just fall out of that slot. The J-Hook on the other hand slips in and out easily. If the winch were to become slack, any backward force on the cable could cause the J-Hook to come out, so more care and attention would be needed to make certain this doesn't happen.

Here's the bottom line:
1. Make sure no one puts a hook in the thin sheet metal on the bottom of the diagonal braces. No good can come from that.
2. The tie-down loop under the front/right might be adequate for light-duty uses.
3. It's best to use a T-hook and insert it where the Owner's Manual shows.

I've recently purchased a pair of T-Hooks and a J-Hook and will keep these in my Westy. I can use it as an example to show the truck operator what's needed. The truck should be equipped with several different types and sizes. If they don't have one that fits, at least I'll have a couple on hand they can use.

These are available from online retailers and the size I got is called "5/16". If you buy your own, try them out to make sure they fit before tossing them in with your jack and lug wrench.

I think I might paint the bottom sides of my diagonal braces red or yellow and maybe add a "NO HOOKS" stencil. Also, probaly paint the side of the frame around the T-Hook slot green and add a "T-HOOK" stencil.

Jim Davis
_________________
"A Vanagon? It's not a car or a van. It's a hobby!"

Check out:
www.VANAVATION.com
www.SyncroSafari.org and
www.Vanagons.org

[Glenn]

You're referring to 40 year old towing technology.

Wheel lift tows only touch the wheels and nylon straps hold the wheels to the lift.

_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[SyncroHead]

[Glenn]

[DanHoug]

for the small cost, i've considered getting a set of hooks just to avoid this problem when getting a tow out of BFE by 3 Swedes Towing. or more likely, just me winching it up onto a U-haul.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[hans j]

[jimf909]

[jimf909]

[DanHoug]

what about pulling backward from the rear? are there T hook holes? those axles are just Sirens beckoning to the tow truck driver with J hooks, luring them onto the rocks.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[Glenn]

You guys need to better maintain your vehicles.

My car has almost 500,000 miles and has been towed 4 times. Once when I left the engine and once when it came home.after being repainted.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[DanHoug]

[Abscate]

Gauntlet , hook, and chain thrown ….


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🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[Glenn]

Maybe someone can develop a bolt on product that give you 4 specific loops so tow hooks can be attached without damaging the frame. And if they get damaged, you just replace them.

Paint then red so they are obvious.

Maybe something like this????

_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[jimf909]

[Glenn]

[danfromsyr]

buncha pedantic posturing here..

shit happens and shyt breaks or fails no matter how well YOU maintain your vehicle

had the coil go out on my 80 yr old mom's van this weekend.. had to tow it into camp.. cause like it's not good to have her on the side of the road till the autoparts deliver.

thing is. this was the NEW coil that replaced the bad (arcing) coil last week.

new part lasted 50miles..

at camp and proper no spark diagnosis.. we put the old arcing coil on and hit it with wiredry spray to get her home the 70miles.



as for towing.. we do our own arrangement.. carry the rescue towbar and bolts.. we try to stay away from gorilla Jim and his wrecking chains.
_________________

[kamzcab86]

[DanHoug]

Kamz-- where did the tow attach the slings to?
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[Glenn]

[9.5isCanadian]