Fino's 58 Wagon

Trying to get some tow points on the 58....as it's not a hardcore wheeler, I do want to keep the OEM bumpers and look realizing they are not for abuse and approach/dept angle are not ideal. But at the same time, even just sliding into a snow bank in the winter, it helps to have some tow points....
For the rear, thinking on the bottom of the frame rail behind the shackle.....it will hang down a bit, but not really an issue given the rear bumper overhang, and being directly behind the spring also provides a bit of protection:


That being said, if hanging below the frame is truly a concern, could go to the side of the frame rail - but it has to angle down such the hook is at least a little lower than the bumper (which is directly in line with the frame rail) to help protect the bumper from getting overly pried in by a taught strap. Obviously this isn't the strongest alignment to pull on the hook, but is really the only other option I've been able to find.


As for the front end....I got no ideas. Can't go under the frame rail due to the front shackle hanger. Can't go on top of frame rail given the front valence/splash pan. Can't go side of frame rail as bumper is in the way....thinking I may have cut a slot through the splash pan to mount the hook on top of the rail.....trying to keep the stylistic aspects here and balance a bit of easy wheeling function.

 

So with side of frame, the hook will basically be same height as the bottom of the rear body panel and bumper - no concerns with strap pulling tight against that stuff - it could cause some minor damage, mostly to the body.

So cut an opening in the splash pan?

 

For those not familiar with the front of a wagon - here is the splash pan that covers over the top of the front frame rails....its truly one of the uniquely designed pieces that really defines the aesthetics of a wagon/truck. I just went through some trouble in the fall getting this one cleaned up, small repairs, some minor reshaping and remounted - I REALLY want to keep it in some fashion, but probably have to cut a slot in it above the passenger frame rail to allow the hook to mount to rail and protude up through the splash pan....

 

Looking into a receiver hitch.... Act as a rear cross member, gas tank and rear body protection, maybe use it to help mount a gas tank skid, and use the receiver for a tow point. Obviously it would be a bit custom fit.....maybe one of those adjustable width ones used on RVs. If I had a bit of fab skills/decent welding for strength, I have a decent idea of what to make. I could probably by the square tube with integrated receiver, cut and fab the end brackets to tie into frame rail (bolted), then take to someone to weld the brackets to the tubing.

 

Something like this could work....
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...ic_remarketing&utm_content=curt-manufacturing

I need to take some measurements, but if above had the receiver too high to safely fit and work under the body and bumper, this one would drop it down a couple more inches:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cht-13701?rrec=true

 

Back at the powerlok....got some cut down shorty shafts from an OWF member:


After doing the standard clean up, dry fitting everything together:


Also I think I figured out the buttons (axle shaft spacers) hold the cross shafts together using a roll pin between the two buttons. They actually make assembly easier than the front D27 unit without the spacers as they help hold all that together.
Lunch break....maybe I'll get it reassembled with proper lube and bolted together with loctite etc and put it in the shelf in a bit....

 

Done....much easier the second time around building these things! Ziploc'd and ready for a later install....

 

Back to the rear tow points - trying to add a 2" receiver hitch that can be a tow point as well as act as a bit of a cross-member for the rear ends of the frame rails- honestly it really surprised me that the rear most cross-member between the frame rails is the round bar in front of the gas tank.....
Test fitting this 2" receiver with 2.5" square cross-tube...its essentially sitting flush up against the bottom of the frame rail - it is sitting tipping up just a bit to the rear from how I c-clamped it, but ignore that....I think this is pretty much the position it needs to be in to keep the receiver just under the rear body lip and bumper, and also allows the receiver to stick out far enough to be both accessible and usable and although its not great clearance/dept angle, the chrome bumper doesn't allow for that anyway, and the receiver can take some abuse protecting the bumper. Plus, the bottom of the square cross-tube is an inch or so below the gas tank which both protects the tank a bit, and eventually would be the rear mounting point for skid protection (probably starting from the round cross-member in front of the tank (as a side note - I find it different that the tank is mounted to the body). Anyway....I will have to figure out the frame rail to cross-tube mounts, so I want to make sure I like the location....seem ok to you all?





I typically use a tow strap/rope loop through just a hitch pin, but sometimes a shackle is needed - intending to add some soft shackles to my collection this summer, but those will probably end up in the CJ, and some of the old style recovery gear will end up in the 58...

you can also see a generic frame bracket that I bought with the receiver (same as in post 992 and 993)....not sure if modifying those is the best plan, or making some from scratch. Advantage of these is the square sleeve that makes for a nice connection with the cross-tube (drilled and bolted), but I could probably fab something up from some angle iron (similar to what I did on the cj winch plate mount), but then I'm not sure I could weld the bracket to the cross-tube effectively. The idea is the brackets bolt through the side of the frame rail....

 

thanks - but the hard work is to come - the brackets and mounting....