ZL1 Addons toe hook write-up and pics

Wings65288

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I bought this a while back and finally put it on this weekend. Very easy install. I helped the guy design a mount that fits our cars perfectly. Got him all the measurements for our crash bars and heat exchangers etc. Even had him put a very small angle in it so it clears perfectly. His work is 2nd to none as the fitments is PERFECT.

Onto the install:
Remove front bumper by following this (huge shout-out to Danny Johnson this guy rules. Has a BUNCH of how-to's on the Terminator / Mustang on his YouTube page. Goes by xsellr8 on here:
My only note here is have 2 people when u actually go to take off the bumper. Was very intimidated by this but it's very simple. Also another side note, be VERY careful when you put the bumper back on, also a 2 person job. You must get the studs in FIRST so u don't scratch up your fenders. Other than that just take pics of it before you take it off so you can see how it goes BACK in near the grille.

Anyway once this is off the next part is even easier. Get 2 Jack stands and place them below the heat exchanger. Loosen all 4 bolts that mounts the heat exchanger to the crash bar then rest the heat exchanger on the jackstands .

IMPORTANT, test fit where you want the toe-hook WELDED ONTO THE CRASH BAR. Mark it good with a sharpie.

Now take off the crash bar (4 bolts total. Bolts are located inside these slots with the red arrows. I believe it's just a 15MM. Very easy.
55379B1B-CB30-49C9-AF1B-167191EE5F59.jpeg


Now that the crash bar is off weld on this: YELLOW is where it was welded onto the crash bar. RED is just showing that this portion is going on the back side of the crash bar. And the green is only showing where you screw the D-ring into.
878DA705-F6BA-40D8-A19C-8E0597878C12.jpeg

End result:
844576C8-55E7-4A69-9E9D-C498A9C4D18A.jpeg

08728586-84D3-48E3-B792-B95DD709FD4D.jpeg

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I'm not the greatest at write-ups so if you have any questions let me know.
 
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Wings65288

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With the way our crash bars are designed it would be the biggest PITA to drill and then install a bolt/nut on. Welding is much easier and reassuring. He initially did send me one that was suppose to be bolted on but the new design should definitely be welded on.
 

zredfire04

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nutserts would probably work...don't know what the pull out strength of them is, so it might not be great if you actually want to use it as a tow hook.
 

Wings65288

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Yeah I'm definitely wanting to use it as a toe hook. These cars break and I track it so it's good insurance. The car is so lowered it would be awful trying to hook up to if it needed a toe.
 

cj428mach

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Nice work but man that is to close to the bumper for me. I don't see anyway that eyelet doesn't get into the bumper and mess it up.
 

Wings65288

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It's actually VERY stiff. It takes some force and I mean force to make it vertical so a tow truck could hook up to you. It definitely won't be flopping around when driving
 

03 DSG Snake

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With the way our crash bars are designed it would be the biggest PITA to drill and then install a bolt/nut on. Welding is much easier and reassuring. He initially did send me one that was suppose to be bolted on but the new design should definitely be welded on.

That actually makes me feel better about using it for extraction on the track. There was another member who test fitted the ZL1 hook some time ago but I believe it was bolt on.
 

cj428mach

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It's actually VERY stiff. It takes some force and I mean force to make it vertical so a tow truck could hook up to you. It definitely won't be flopping around when driving

I wasn't concerned about it getting into the bumper during driving its during actual use of the hook. Any pull in an upward direction and the bumper is toast as it looks like if the hook is perfectly horizontal it just barely misses the bumper. I'd also fear that my D ring or whatever you're hooking to it will get into the bumper, I hope I'm wrong. I've just been in the construction business all my life and been around A LOT of towing/pulling of equipment.
 

Wings65288

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Ohhh, I've just got it screwed in all the way. You could back out quite a bit if you wanted. I tested it where it's at and it was fine.

As for the "ricer look" the D-ring screws all the way out so you'd really only have to screw it back in when you need a TOW. If you had the D-ring off you'd never know the mount was the really.
 

Dave.O

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I bolted an old school D ring with grade 8 bolts to my crash bumper on both my cobra's.
for flat ground tow or even out of mud after off track excursion was no problem. But when pulled on flat bed on angle, the whole bumper assembly was bending.
The crash bumper supports acted like springs under load and bent. I don't think the crash bumper is the best spot for a heavy pull, something to directly to frame would be better for a stronger mount point.
upload_2019-3-18_16-50-13.jpg


upload_2019-3-18_16-50-35.jpg
 

Wings65288

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Ok interesting. I thought about that and that's why mine was more off to the side for better support when pulled. I guess I'll find out when I need a tow
 

351stang

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ZL1 Add-ons shop was just a couple blocks away from my friend's place that I visited over the summer. Cool guys and it is a neat machine shop in the middle of a suburb. I bought a tow hook for my ZL1 while I was there. I was lucky flying back that the TSA agent was a car guy. He looked at me, looked at the tow hook, and said he's cool it's for a race car.
 

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