Ben Cartwright SASS

I am new to the Jeep community, I have always wanted a Jeep, almost bought a *****'s when I was in my 20's but it fell through, then the 3 boys came along and have been driving vans ever since. Now they are more or less gone and was going to get a 4 door Wrangler but found this 06 Grand Cherokee in phenomenal shape so grabbed it
I call it "roughing it smoothly". I got it mostly for the snow we get here and my steep driveway
There is nothing like coming home and after about 3 hours one of the kids coming in and telling me "Dad, your car is in the street" where it slid on it's own.

I just bought a nice used 06 Grand Cherokee, when I got it home I noticed that while it has the removable air dam there are no recovery points on the front end.

What is the best (not most expensive) way to add recovery points?

Would it handle a front hitch receiver or can rings be welded on? I have heard of adding new bumpers with rings and/or a hitch but that seem expensive.

with a front mounted hitch, soley for recovery not for towing behind anything I would worry about clearance.

Thoughts?

andrewmp6

Front tow hooks http://www.jeep4x4center.com/tow-hoo...-82208987.html and rear tow hooks if you want them too http://www.jeep4x4center.com/tow-hoo...-82208711.html I looked hard i don't see a front hitch and having one welded on would probably be a bigger headache then worth.You have two options get tow hooks or step up and buy a real off road bumper with a winch on it.Only off road bumper i found for it is arb and its 1500 bucks plus the winch.

dave1123

My 2000 WJ has no recovery points front or rear, so I looked into front tow hooks. What I found was there is no substantial frame mounting points in the front. The hooks that are available mount to brackets that are POP RIVETED to the frame sections near the radiator and are not really very strong. They also require removal of the front bumper for installation. They are rated at 1.5 times MGVW but doubt it. The hooks themselves probably are.

In the rear, the best answer is a trailer hitch, or brackets for the hooks bolted to the trailer hitch mounting area.

The bumpers are not really any protection and are not mounted to anything substantial. I backed into a parking lot light concrete base, just touching it, and put a permanent crease in my rear bumper. Even if you had a nice solid bumper, there is nothing to mount it to that wouldn't crumble. I was a 2002 WJ that had hit a deer and the front end was just about totaled. Those bumpers are just facias, made of plastic and styrofoam.

Ben Cartwright SASS

I did have them put a 2" receiver on the rear and wiring harness, but hearing about the so-so options for the front, I guess I would just make sure any recovery is from the rear.
Don't really see myself getting into anything bad, this weekend heading to the beach for a wedding and at a couple points there is soft sand unless you want to drive in a bit of salt water, depending on the tide.
I will choose the salt water I guess.

MCosta

for the rear you can get a D-ring that will mount right in to the hitch. I bought this one for my 94 Grand Cherokee and it seems to work fine. http://www.quadratec.com/products/92144_101.htm

There are definitely more expensive ones out there but this one seemed like a good deal and it's worked fine for me the few times I needed it

Ben Cartwright SASS

I got one of those at Harbor Freight, so from the back I am all set.

with no recovery points on the front is you got stuck on a soft sand beach and they could only get at you from the front, where would you "hook" or wrap the strap?

dave1123

I've been looking at the front suspension setup on your WK and the safest place would be a lower control arm.

MCosta

Yea go with what dave1123 said. Ive never looked at the front of a WK so I wouldn't be sure where to hook to. Maybe in the future you can buy the stock front tow hooks. I didn't have them on my GC and then I got factory replacements for my birthday last year. better safe than sorry if you ever do get stuck

Ben Cartwright SASS

dumb question from a newbie, what is a WK?

anyhow on my Grand Cherokee, if I add stock recovery rings or hooks would the bumper have to be modified or changed?

wiggles

WK is a 05-07(I believe) grand Cherokee

dave1123

XJ = Cherokee
ZJ = Grand Cherokee til 98
WJ = Grand Cherokee 99 to 04
WK = Grand Cherokee 05 to 07?

Correct me if I'm wrong, guys.

MCosta

I wouldn't think you'd have to modify the bumper. As far as I know they come out in the lower grille opening. Probably just have to remove the bumper to get where they bolt to. WK's I think ended in 2009. I think the current body style (WK2's) started for the 2010 model year

Ben Cartwright SASS

Had to take the WK into the dealer to have the cabin fan motor replaced, when it was there I had them put some mopar tow hooks on the front so all set for the beach on Saturday

eagsc7

Just get a Tomken front bumper. It'll have your points that you want, PLUS you can get a 2"receiver for the front at the same time. Why a front hitch? Simple. Be able to winch from the front OR rear(with hitch mount) when you want.

jeeper jason

Go to your local junkyard and get the front hooks off a grand that has them, they won't handle a recovery if u were buried but it couldn't hurt to have them... And this is what I got in my rear hitch