Towing Eyes

[Sterling]

Consider this...

Also, devise a method so the wrecker can retrieve the car when it doesn't want to roll or is missing a wheel or has crash damage.

Even with a flat bed more damage can come from the well meaning tow people. Sometimes there isn't a flat bed available. There are some real bad stories out there.

When I had a front axle break and tire leave we were able to remove the front hood and pick the front of the car up by the strut bar. Yes the strut bar was oversized and heavy, but it saved me a lot of damage.

My production car is mid engined. We're looking at designing a way to lift the car at the one motor mounts. We can already lift the front by the strut bar.

What would you do ?


Sterling

[apr67]

I now know the reason for the 2" hook.

I busted my rear at Moroso this weekend. When they flat towed me, the wanted to run the strap through my loop. Its stiff and wont bend much so 2" it needs to be.

[ShelbyRacer]

Originally posted by wbp:
Bob, the December 18 action of the BOD added the requirement for a tow eye to the GCR. But it didn't alter the ITCS which leaves the tow eye as optional. ITCS trumps the GCR, so the tow eye is still optional in IT.
But a really good idea anyway.

Oh oh, and I can event play the intent card on this one!!!

---------------------------------------

For these reasons, the Club Racing
Board is recommending that effective
1/1/05, the Showroom Stock, Touring,
and Improved Touring cars be required to
have tow attachments.
Effective 1/1/05, delete the last sentence
of GCR Section 17.31 as follows:

---------------------------

Etc. etc. (Clipped from the 12/04 FasTrack

When the statement of intent is available, it may be used as evidence... Especially when it comes via the official method of information distribution of the club.

<pulling up sheet of clear plastic ala Gallagher>

------------------
Matt Green
"Ain't nothin' improved about Improved Touring..."

[EV]

Thanks folks for thinking a lot about this topic.

As an EV worker I like it when I can easily locate and hook up to a car. Double that when it's a hot pull.

Picture yourself on the edge of a hot track, on your belly digging in the gravel with cars whizzing by and design your hooks accordingly.

For those with smallish factory tow hooks, add one of these http://store.karstsports.com/bldiseruny18.html . They are cheap and strong as can be. I carry one with me and I can say for sure, they work.

One more request. Mark them well (bright paint, arrows, etc). At the runoffs, I had to crawl under a GT-1 in china beach to access a hook very deep under the car. Poor judgment was used in that design.

Thanks again for helping make my life easier.


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Enjoy,
Bill

[lateapex911]

From the above site referenced:

"Use them to .....keep your rope running straight. Use them to tie-off chicken heads, loop around ...chockstones "

...sounds like they are indeed pretty versatle!

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[zracre]

now i can jst imagine a bunch of it drivers with tow hooks sticking out front and rear in traffic bumping along.....now that will be ugly!!! Evan

[gran racing]

That's why I'm a huge advocate of soft tow hooks!

------------------
Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si

[Knestis]

I got speared - before the green! - by a e30 bimmer at the NASA race I ran a couple weeks ago. His tow hook stuck out like 5" and poked a big ol' hole in my perfectly find rear bumper cover.

One of his Bimmer buddies clobbered me in the enduro when we got bottled up behind a really poorly driven Miata.

Rough weekend for bumpers.

K

[Ralf]

How about something like this? Paint it bright orange, make sure its 2" round and is soft enough so it doesn't do damage.
http://www.geocities.com/ralf_lindow/DSC04769.JPG

[Racerlinn]

I saw quite a few cable style tow straps attached to stock mounting points this last weekend at Gateway.

[zracre]

anyone know where to get a cable type tow hook???? Evan

[MMiskoe]

try McMaster.com They are an industrial supply house. I know they have them, but don't know if they would be small enough. Go w/ a nylon sling. Much kinder to the paint and lighter.

[benracin]

I think the one thing that concerns me is having a length of rope hanging 5 inches out the rear of my rx7 and slapping around and possibly grabbing something. I don't think I have much in the back of my car, structure wise, to wrap a strap around so that if it was pulled from the side it didn't destroy the whole back of my car.

Same thing goes for the front I guess. I have two towing eyes up there but not 2" around on the inside. Do I just hang a strap off those as well?

I guess I don't like the idea of stuff swinging around under my car. I think the rule makes sense, I just don't know if I want to go tearing holes in my bumpers and welding stuff that may or may not work or possibly do more damage then good when yanked on.

[Greg Amy]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">...having a length of rope hanging 5 inches out the rear of my rx7 and slapping around...</font>

Strip Velcro, like what's used on network cable runs...

[KevSC1]

Originally posted by Racerlinn:
I saw quite a few cable style tow straps attached to stock mounting points this last weekend at Gateway.

And the 1st few sessions those cables led to corner workers reporting "something loose" on the cars. Most of us figured it out on the out lap, others didn't...

Some were dangling VERY low, and didn't look very substantial. I'd agree with the earlier poster who suggested velcro sraps to hold tehm up out of the way. Just put a nice arrow pointing to where it is. (Your friendly corner worker will thank you!)

[This message has been edited by KevSC1 (edited March 24, 2005).]

[Greg Amy]

I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do long-term, but for the sake of getting through the annual tech (and possibly for the first race) I went to Home Depot and bought some 1/4" cable, eyes, and clamps to attach to the stock tie-downs.

The manner I resolved the loose cable was to drill a small hole someplace near the center of the cable length and secured it in place with a small plastic tie-wrap. The open end was still accessible and could be easily hooked on by a corner worker. The tie-wrap is strong enough to keep it in place in normal situations, but when the tow truck gets to a'pullin' that tie-wrap will fail instantly. - GA

[pgipson]

I bought 2 of the "runners" that climbers use (referenced earlier) made from Spectra (it's like kevlar but more pliable I guess). Got 'em at a local REI for 2 for $6. They are rated at 22KN (about a 6000 lb strength).I plan to tape them to the bumper for this weekend's race and see how that works. (on edit -- to keep them from looking like something loose hanging down)

The guy that helped me find them was looking at me sorta funny, like "What's a fat 50-something guy doing buying climbing gear?". So I explained the intended use.

------------------
Spec RX7 #11
Scottsdale AZ

[This message has been edited by pgipson (edited March 26, 2005).]

[Jeremy Billiel]

Greg - I had a similiar idea and I went to Home Depot as well, but to my dismay, the 1/4 cable is only rated to 1800 lbs! in my opinions that is not strong enough, so the search continues. I would think that burried in the sand, the cable/strap should be rated at least for 4000 lbs. No?

[ddewhurst]

Paul, thanks for the towing loop tip. I went to REI & looked at the Blue Water Titan/Spectra Runner. 27.0 kilonewtons (approx 6,000 pounds). I will call Monday & see what colors their headquaters says they have. The store said they get random colors & had purple/white & green/white in 12 inch. They had red/white in 6 inch. Ideal would be orange/white. Loop it around the OEM tow loop using a tie rap so it can't dangle loose & a rubberband to keep it out of the way & from totally dangling down & confusing the workers.

Should work for a 2380 pound ITA/7 car. Don't know if it will work for a 2580 pound Spec-7.

David

ps: How much would you like to bet that a worker challenges the capability of the 9/16 inch Spectra Runner. @ which time I ask the worker, Sir/Mam what strength does the rule require for the tow loop.

[pgipson]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Don't know if it will work for a 2580 pound Spec-7</font>

we're down to 2530 now, although the actual race weight of this car & driver is a secret. We had a guy get dq'd last time out for 7 lbs under. I told his wife to put him on the "beer & brat" diet