Tow Hook Location

[CTHiker52]

Hi folks I’m new to the forum. I’m contemplating building a Factory Five Daytona Coupe. My general design concept (today anyway) is:
1) this car WILL be a driver nota garage or trailer queen,
2) maybe a track day once in awhile,
3) try to keep it as close visually to what would have been seen in 1964-65 (engine bay, 350-400HP SBF, interior, and exterior,
4) because it will be a driver will probably use a T-5 vs. a T-10 transmission, and more modern wheel size (17”) and modern tires.

Well that’s the background. The question I have is where have people placed the front and rear tow hooks. I would like them to be functional incase of a break-down and need to be winched onto a flat bed. If I track the car I believe they are required.

THANKS
CTHiker

[1795]

I race an FIA, not a coupe, but the design is basically the same. They allow tow straps as well, in addition to hoops. I attach my tow straps to the front and rear quick jack mounts. You will need to get a longer bolt for each one and I would use a strong grade bolt as well.



You can just add them on during the track days, or if you choose to leave them on all the time I would suggest zip tying them to the quick jack so that they do not flap around. I have been towed off a couple of times and there was never any damage to the car or quick jack.

Jim

Edit: Just went to the FF5 website and it does not appear that they have the quick jacks mounted low on the under carriage. I would suggest checking on the Factory Five forum and asking there.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 1795

I race an FIA, not a coupe, but the design is basically the same. They allow tow straps as well, in addition to hoops. I attach my tow straps to the front and rear quick jack mounts. You will need to get a longer bolt for each one and I would use a strong grade bolt as well.

I like that... a lot. A few years ago when I had to get up on a flat bed, because my clutch linkage had failed, the only way I could do it was to start the car up in gear and kill the engine before I drove it in to the cab. I never want to have to do that again, but we couldn't find a way to safely pull it up. I take it that tow hitch is this: G-Force Bolt-On Tow Hook Part No. 2605.

[1795]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I like that... a lot. A few years ago when I had to get up on a flat bed, because my clutch linkage had failed, the only way I could do it was to start the car up in gear and kill the engine before I drove it in to the cab. I never want to have to do that again, but we couldn't find a way to safely pull it up. I take it that tow hitch is this: G-Force Bolt-On Tow Hook Part No. 2605.

Patrick,

Yes, that is it. While I wold not suggest using the quick jacks to let a car vertically, they work just fine for towing. The mounts are solid and work very well for towing. Have not seen any deflection or stress marks. It does not take long at all to attach one, just measure the bolts that you have and get one a 1/4" longer to account for the thickness of the metal flange and you are good to go.

Jim

[1795]

When I load the race car on the trailer, I use a winch and the cable is hooked to the tow strap. The cobra is also off loaded in the same manner. That tow strap has been used probably 100 times or more in that manner.

[Karl Bebout]

1795, Excellent idea to use the quick jacks for tow straps, as long as they are actually structurally sound and not just cosmetic.

[CTHiker52]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

1795, Excellent idea to use the quick jacks for tow straps, as long as they are actually structurally sound and not just cosmetic.

Karl, THANKS for taking the time to respond. I can't install quick jacks on the coupe since the entire nose hinges forward to access the engine bay.

THANKS

CTHiker52

[desgros@vtlink.]

In addition the brackets securing the hoops, front or rear on a Slabside work well.


John

ERA #3010 Slabside 289 SB BRG

[desgros@vtlink.]

In addition 1/2" - 3/4" nylon line has worked very well.


John
ERA #3010 Slabside 289 SB BRG

[bkozlow]

I am sorry, but my skills are limited when adding photos. I have added to my album a method I us for tow line attachments. The Daytona's quick lift jack points lends it self to attachment points like I have pictured with out destroying the use of the quick jacks. The quick jacks were welded on the original Daytona's chassis. The one point you have to address is the distance between the yellow attaching circle on the front jack and the attaching piece that holds the front on. You must allow enough clearance so that the front end can rotate freely.

Bill K

[patrickt]

I pulled my Quick Jacks off last night just to see the quality of the hardware, with an eye towards whipping up something like 1795 did. I was also thinking about adding an aesthetically pleasing folding tow hook to the top bolt of the quick jack. The threaded rod, of which there are two per quick jack, appear to be standard, general purpose, low carbon steel Grainger type stuff, in 3/8". There are hex nuts and washers on the threaded rods behind the frame mounts and there are acorn nuts on the threaded rods in front of the jack pads. It appears to be general purpose stuff. Now, even the weakest, low carbon steel, 3/8" threaded rods have a safe carrying weight of 600 lbs. The quick jacks themselves are thick, heavy steel. If you ran a synthetic web sling, through and behind both quick jacks (four fastening rods), in a basket hitch formation, wouldn't it be significantly stronger than a tow hook attached to one single threaded rod and fasteners that were all upgraded to Grade 5 or even Grade 8? A simple 1" x 8' web sling like this easily holds over 3000 lbs. and would take ten seconds to fish behind the quick jacks. https://www.e-rigging.com/1-inch-X-8-foot-Web-Sling

[1795]

Patrick,

That should work fine. I did upgrade my bolts to Grade 8 to be sure that they could handle the task. Had to have a tow strap/hook permanently mounted for racing, otherwise I would have just looped something through as well.

Yours is a simple solution that you can carry in the boot for emergency purposes. I wolud suggest upgrading the bolts and just painting the heads to match the quick jack.

Jim

[patrickt]

I was going to mount a folding tow hook directly above the quick jack, that caught my eye, but it was actually going to require a decent bit of fabrication to look clean and proper. Here's the hook that I like:



https://www.rennline.com/Rennline-Fo...SABEgITJPD_BwE

[patrickt]

Or this, I was going back and forth...

[CTHiker52]

Originally Posted by bkozlow

I am sorry, but my skills are limited when adding photos. I have added to my album a method I us for tow line attachments. The Daytona's quick lift jack points lends it self to attachment points like I have pictured with out destroying the use of the quick jacks. The quick jacks were welded on the original Daytona's chassis. The one point you have to address is the distance between the yellow attaching circle on the front jack and the attaching piece that holds the front on. You must allow enough clearance so that the front end can rotate freely.

Bill K

THANKS for taking the time to respond. I looked at the pictures you posted. It looks like your Coupe is a Gen 1 or 2. I got the general idea how you installed them. Since I don't yet have the car and it will be a Gen 3, I might have to wait until I get the car built to the point where I can see how I could fab them, especially in the front.

BTW the car looks beautiful. It is along the line of what my vision for mine is.

THANKS AGAIN Gary

[bkozlow]

Gary,

My cars are not Factory Five cars, they have carbon fiber bodies, which I built from molds I made, on a modified EM chassis with coil over Corvette suspension and is a copy of CSX-2286.

BillK

[Karl Bebout]

Patrickt, like your idea of the sling strap and ordered a 1m, 2t strap from fleabay. Hoping I'll never need it but it'll join all the tools and spare parts that occupy my trunk, just in case. I didn't want to go with a longer strap on the off chance I'd need to get pulled up on a short trailer.

[lomdel]

This is what I fabricated out of 4mm mild steel plate and powder-coated. Next time I will use 5mm plate. Might not be structurally ideal, but I love how subtle it looks on my Backdraft...

[Morris]

We’ve been using this method for Tow Hooks.....to pull KMP259 into the trailer for years....

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Morris

We’ve been using this method for Tow Hooks.....to pull KMP259 into the trailer for years....

Yes, but can you dangle your car from that hook using a crane?
Can I Dangle My Car in the Air from the Quick Jacks Alone?