11 replies to this topic

[CITS]

Hi All,

 

Currently trying to put the finishing touches on the race car and need to install a front tow strap. Has to be a strap so cant be a solid loop style one like Cheddas.

The best idea I have come up with so far is reinforcing one of the bumper supports (the two parts that protrude forward at the front of the car) and making a bracket that will allow me to get it clear of the bumper mounts toward the centre of the car so it can stick out the front of the bumper.

But that doesnt fill me with a whole lot of confidence if it seriously needs to be pulled out of somewhere since the bumper supports are only thin sheet.

And I feel like using the bar that the oem tow points are attached too will only cause the bumper to be completely destroyed since it will be down too low.

 

Has anyone installed a tow strap on a 3G civic and can enlighten me with either words or pictures?

[1985 CRX SI]

I think if you made a bracket to mount where the bumper supports mount to the body and attach your strap ends there. It should be very solid to mount there on the body.
Jeff

[CITS]

That's a very good thought, I'll go stare at it for a while and see if any light bulbs go off in my head now. Thanks

[anjin]

I run a rhd crx, B18 with a three row half (EG) radiator. bottom radiator support is now aluminium.

Within that picture, I attached a cut down snatch strap, via an out of code seat harness buckle piece that self locks that strap, to the transmission side RH side) battery support bolt in a rhd crx. The strap comes out alongside the radiator, between that and the radiator support.  Not ideal if the tow full has to come from the middle, but it is a very solid part to attach to being one of the body rails.  I did look at bringing it out from inside the rail, but it was difficult and I already had the outside option. There are also the secondary transmission mount bolts on the underside of the engine rail.

 

Been towed out of sand traps several times with no issues.  Hope this helps with your install.

[CITS]

Thanks Anjin,

 

Just to clarify - 

 

Is this the bolt hole you used? The one that I have connected a ground to, next to the coolant overflow bottle? My battery is where the passenger seat would have gone and i've tossed the tray so I cant be sure which bolt holes it used.

 

 

This is another shot of the bolt/hole looking through from the front of the car.

 

If you need to be pulled out and they can't get right infront of the car and they are pulling from the right side as you look at the front of the car, would your strap come close to the side of the radiator? I assume i've got the right side of the radiator in the photo below? Or did you put a bracket on the frame so you can bolt the strap to it a little closer to the front of the car.

 

Thanks!

[anjin]

They bolt on the battery tray closest to the front.  I liked that any pull would be in shear to the bolt and the rail, and not pulling on the thread. Clearance to the radiator is the only worry, and a length of steel to the front might resolve that.  At work at the moment - I'll try for a photo tonight.

[djsteviec]

I have a Gen1 CR-X and do endurance racing. I am certain this would work for other body styles. I drilled a hole through the bumper (top to bottom) and used a very large bolt, about 1/2" diameter. I tac welded the bolt head to the bumper on top, which is hidden under the bumper cover, then just made a notch in the bumper cover on the bottom, from the back to slide the cover on.  You then bolt the strap to the bottom of the bumper and use a large washer and nut. I did the same in the rear.

 

Take a look at my page.-  https://www.facebook...f=page_internal

[1985 CRX SI]

I have a Gen1 CR-X and do endurance racing. I am certain this would work for other body styles. I drilled a hole through the bumper (top to bottom) and used a very large bolt, about 1/2" diameter. I tac welded the bolt head to the bumper on top, which is hidden under the bumper cover, then just made a notch in the bumper cover on the bottom, from the back to slide the cover on.  You then bolt the strap to the bottom of the bumper and use a large washer and nut. I did the same in the rear.
 
Take a look at my page.-  https://www.facebook...f=page_internal

The 84-84 have no beam behind the cover like the 86-87 do.

84-85:

86-87:

[CITS]

Thanks guys,

Ended up going with Anjin's solution. I made a small 'guiding' bracket that the strap runs through to have it come out infront of the radiator to prevent any damage to it if the pull isn't from straight in front. I forgot to take a photo but will do and post it here tonight hopefully.

 

Cheers

[CITS]

Sorry for the delay but here we go:

 

Used an old 2" harness as the strap bolted to the lower battery tray mount

 

 

Strap runs along frame rail into the 'guiding' bracket

 

 

Close-up of the bracket: Its just two pieces of RHS welded into a Z shape for lack of better wording to allow a step to conform to the shape of the body and then the strap runs through the outer part. The inner part is bolted to the frame.

 

 

Where the strap pops out the front: Note - I had to grind off a tiny bit of metal but it wasn't anything important or structural. I then cut a slot into the front bumper to run the strap through

 

 

Cheers guys!

[CRXer87hf]

How are you going to address where it comes out of the front?  Are you going to cut a hole in the bumper or run it through the holes in the bumper?

[CITS]

Just cut a slot in the bumper. Heres a happy snap of it. I made the slot a bit bigger than necessary so in the hopefully unlikely event I need to be pulled out, the bumper wont get destroyed.

 

 

Cheers