Recovery Hook Location On 76 Cj5

Did they come with recovery hooks from the factory? If so where were they mounted? I currently have none and have a set to add but I'm going to need to drill some holes to mount them. I can't find a front mount receiver hitch to save my life, everything I've seen requires me to replace the stock bumper with an aftermarket bumper which I don't want to do.

To be specific I'm talking about hooks similar to what you see on the front of most factory TJs. Similar not the same. The ones I picked up are the typical generic ones from CURT. 2 holes, with the spring metal strap keeper. Wanting to add one front one rear until I can get my rear 2in receiver hitch but would like to put them into a close factory position if they had them.

 

Mounted mine by drilling down through the front frame rail 'horns' with a heavy angle iron backer also bolted through the side of the frame channel.

On the rear, I have standard clevis type chain-grab hooks I can attach to the draw bar. But the OEM tow ball usually does fine.

This is on an early CJ5. YJ had them from the factory mounted in a very similar way.

 

Alright I found some random forum posts elsewhere it looks like on the front you just use the factory bumper bolt for the front hole then use that as a guide for the second hole which you have to drill (1/2 inch). If someone knows differently let me know.

 

I think I have some spare angle from a previous project may do that.

 

Don't know if they were OEM on a '76, but that is the era when they were considered very sexy.

I prefer not to have anything protruding beyond the bumper, so I did not use the bumper bolt.

 

Here's how I bolted those hooks on my '76. The winch and winch plate had been installed by a previous owner. I bolted on the hooks.

 

They did not come from the factory. Whatever is added is owner mounted in those years.

 

I have always said. Own a Jeep? Buy a welder.

 

Unfortunately for some people they get a little carried away. This video is from my CJ5 about 4 months ago when I was starting to tear it down. One or more of the previous owners had a welder and got a bit carried away.



Not seen in that video is where they also welded side step tubes on INTO the body mounts. Which when I pulled the tub required me to break off the tubes by cutting them midway then levering them around with a breaker bar until they broke close to the frame. Then I had to break out the Plasma cutter to cut what was left out to the point I could get to the body mount bolts. Total crap show. Having a welder is good and all but some folks take it too far haha.

 

Some folks have zero fabrication skills. Looks like you found at least one of those guys.. Fugly... I built bumpers for my CJ front and rear, but I made em so they could be removed and used 2X4 tubing..

 

This. I've fabricated many custom add-ons, but I always try to make them reversible, and do the minimum of impact on the original vehicle.

On my M38A1, I mounted and used a snow-plow without drilling a single hole in the jeep.

 

I found a picture of some factory add on recovery hooks and put one in that location on the front. In the rear I got some extended grade 8 hardware and use the mount holes for the shackle mount.

 

I have an angle iron rear bumper drilled two one inch holes in it to fit a shackle. The front bumper/winch mount is three inch channel I hook a short strap to both ends and tension pulls it tight to the frame on both sides so the eyes don’t slide off.