Are the oem XJ hooks any good? Especially how they are mounted? I am trying to keep the weight down by not adding big beefy bumpers with built-in recovery points. What are the options?

 

OEM tow hooks up front and a hitch in the rear are good stock recovery options. Both of these tie into the body.

 

Where can you get the oem tow hooks?

 

Sometimes I come across these in the junk yards. They were part of the Up-Country oem lift and skid plate package. (Not to be confused with the Country trim level package.) Hooks, skid plates, and one inch factory lift were all included. Can't remember if the hitch was also included. But OEM hitches are abundant. Hooks, not so. Didn't have time to grab the last set I saw.

I really like some of the interated bumper/hitch aftermarket units. But I am sure they all add weight I don't need to carry around, since I don't do real rugged wheeling or towing.

Someone clued me in when looking for an XJ to avoid ones with hitches and you are likely to get way more life out of the AW4 tranny. This makes sense, since I had a 1990 XJ Laredo and did a lot of towing with it. Tranny went out at 225,000.

 

How about a almost off road bumper http://www.detoursusa.com/xjbackbone.php and its only 38lbs if you don't use a winch on it.

 

These are basically the OEM hooks but from Rustys.

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/vehicle...ok-kit-xj.html

 

I was thinking of this earlier but couldn't remember who made it. Way better option than tow hooks.

 

Yeah i trust detours backbone more then i do the factory tow hooks,And the shackles would be a lot easier to get to if your stuck then a hook under the bumper.

 

Thanks for the help. This is what I was looking for.

 

Replacement bumpers, weight well spent. Coming from someone who's old half ton rated truck had a front bumper coming in at 120 lb, a rear coming in at 230 lb, 90 lb headache rack...a cobra decided to use my brakes instead of its own (hit me doing about 30, I was stopped), several 5 or 6 deer tested out the front one for me, the Mexican who bought the truck from me rolled it a week later and have me a report on the headache rack.

The rear bumper on my xj has a class 4 hitch where oem is class 3. Yanks Ford's buried to the diffs just fine. The front did it's job when a sink hole opened up on me...

Aside from the tabs on the bumpers, I have the rusty's tow hooks. Only use them for safety cables when flat towing.

 

I got a questions! Does 1990s Chevy Tahoes tow hooks boult up on my jeep? I don't have a front bumper so I don't have to worrie about that being in the way!

 

no

 

oh ok I was wondering cause I got told that they do! And was wanting to know from more then one person lol

 

Items like hooks, hitches & bumpers when used as recovery points are serious business. If it lets go while in use it can get someone killed.

 

Yeah that's true lol