Contents:

• Introduction
• Ordering Information
• Installation Instructions

Introduction:

Most Toyota pickups and 4Runners through the 1995 model year include either a tow hook or some sort of factory anchor point bolted to the underside of the front of the frame rail. These were typically used to secure the vehicle for shipping from the factory to the point of sale. However, for use in vehicle recovery in off-road use, these anchor points may be less than ideal. Tow hooks are usually nice and strong, but with the hook facing downwards, the tow strap or rope often slips out of the hook if you release the tension on it. The other style of factory anchor point is usually just a piece of steel with a hole in it. It is likely only rated for holding a vehicle down to the floor of a ship, but not for yanking the vehicle out of deep mud or off a pile of rocks.

But now there is a convenient bolt-on solution for a secure recovery point. We now have a D-ring anchor that will bolt up to the factory threaded holes under the frame rail. These D-ring anchors are machined out of billet steel and designed to exceed the strength of the 5/8" D-ring shackle they are designed to work with. The anchors are machined of billet steel, a full 1" thick and weigh 2-1/2 pounds (1.13kg).

We also can supply D-ring shackles to go with the anchors for a complete recovery setup (US$19.00 for a 6500 lb.. / 2950kg. rated galvanized, forged steel D-ring shackle). The D-ring shackles have a screwed in pin (5/8" diameter) which lets you insert the pin through the anchor and screw it securely into the shackle to lock the shackle to the anchor. With the loop of a tow strap inserted in the body of the shackle, this gives you a secure attachment point for the front of the vehicle that can't come apart. Yet, it is easy to unscrew the shackle pin to remove the shackle and strap after use without having to worry about a knot getting too tight.

Ordering Information:

US$59.00/anchor (single) or US$99.00/pair plus shipping

US$8.00 US postage and US$24.00/anchor international postage on the D-ring anchors.

International orders: Add telephone number in "Note To Seller" field of the order form for the customs paperwork. And due to weight limitations, orders for a pair of anchors will by default ship in two packages.

Installation Process:

Installation could not be easier. If there is an existing tow hook or tie down anchor already attached under the frame in front, remove it. Those existing bolts may be in there tight, so take your time and break them free. Those bolts go into nuts welded up inside the frame, so take care you don't damage those nuts while removing the bolts. If you do not have anything installed in the frame and the holes have been open for some time, you might want to clean them out first. To do that, lube up one of the supplied bolts and carefully thread it into the hole and screw it in a few turns then back it out before it gets too tight. Clean off the bolt threads with a wire brush and re-lube and repeat going in a bit farther and removing, until you can run the bolt in a good inch or so without it binding up.

Now you are ready to install the anchors, be sure the frame metal is clean under where the D-ring anchor will sit. Check the fit of the anchor against the frame and if it does not sit flat and solid, clean up any bumps or surface imperfections under the frame with a file or grinder. Might also be a good idea to touch up the paint there if you had to do any grinding. Now time to thread in the bolts. Some sort of anti-sieze compound or grease for the threads is a good idea in case you ever want to remove those bolts. Be sure to get both boths started by hand to make sure you have not cross threaded them. Then tighten down the bolts alternately until the anchor is seated against the frame. Now torque down the bolts to approx. 100 N-m (75 ft.lb) if using thread lube, otherwise 130 N-m (95 tf.lb) for dry threads. With the torque, more is not better, so if you have to err on one side or the other, a bit less is better than a bit too much. Basically tighten up the bolts about what you use on your wheel lug nuts.

The if using your own d-rings, test the fit around the anchor. You may need to file or grind a little bit to clean up the inside face of the d-ring to clear the anchor. We do this for you with the d-rings we supply.