Towing Eyes

[Paul L]

Hurnleft has just added one of these to his Tribute 250 SWB.



This has reminded me of a question I keep meaning to ask…

Please talk me through the Pros & Cons of Fitting / Not Fitting a towing eye.

Swifty has also fitted one that exits through a similar "beer grate" type grille.





I will be fitting a mess grille, which I don't really want to cut a hole in.



It looks like Phil & Barry have fitted one below the bonnet, but I couldn't find a better close up photo.



Their "Run Out" thread also had a few photos of other cars with towing eyes, like this one.



I don't think Mister Towed has one fitted, so are they a nice to have, rather than a must have?

Obviously, this is yet another area I know very little about.

Cheers, Paul.

[hurnleft]

You could tow with the one I had fitted but it's more about my slight paranoia about the bonnet staying closed properly and with some bright colour on it, the 'race' look.

It will be left in if I like the look, thrown in the boot for emergency use if I don't. And probably thrown around the garden if I crack my shin on it!

Cheers, Bob.

[swifty]

I fitted one for peace of mind just in case i need the car on the back of a flat bed, imagine the scenario car brakes down on the roadside and recovery truck arrives how do you winch the car up onto the flat bed, if the strap was pushed through thè grill it would more than likely distort the grill so i would suggest its wiser to fit a tow hoop now.

You could cut a hole in the mesh and get a removable disc made to cover the hole and make a feature of the disc i.e. machined up to look good, or make a bracket that bolts onto the front chassis rail and loops down below the bonnet front valance.

Good luck matey.

[Mister Towed]

Towing loop is a requirement for racing but not for the road.

I have an 'A' frame for planned towing, and on the one occasion I did break down, Phil J very kindly towed me home by looping a standard tow rope onto the front chassis member under the car. (I was only half a mile from home so my RAC cover wasn't valid and Phil's van has a commercial 'eye' tow hitch not a ball so we couldn't use my 'A' frame).

[Paul L]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I was thinking more for breakdown recovery rather than a track/racing requirement.
( Although the racing car look would be a bonus. )

So I will start by having a closer look at any possible route a tow rope would take.
( As my concern is that the bonnet's lower valance would get in the way. )

I'll also have a look at the options for fitting an eye at the rear of the car instead.

Cheers,

Paul.

[swifty]

Paul if you have to cut a hole in the mesh then it could be hidden by an old style AA badge.