Tow loop on the K frame?

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armyofchuckness

armyofchuckness

The Flying Valiant
Joined
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Gainesville, FL
Hey, everyone!

I'm about to shore up the K-frame on my Slant powered '64 Valiant. I've seen a lot of people modifying their K-frames for added rigidity, and I'm pretty well set on where those welds and gussets need to go. I've also seen guys graft tow loops onto their Ks while they're shoring everything up. Seems like a smart modification, but all the cars I've seen have been V8s. Have any of you fellow Slant guys done this on your car? I'm concerned mostly about engine clearance. If you have some insight and/or pictures, I'd really appreciate seeing them. As you can see in my signature, I don't exactly have much in the way of personal reference.

Thanks so much!
 
What if I can't log into twitter, then what? What is instagram? is this like graham crackers without the ham?
 
That's pretty clever. Thanks, CrackedBack.

67Dart273, you can always just follow my build thread linked in the bottom of the signature. I thought I'd try using Twitter and Instagram for this project since that's what all the kids are into these days.
 
this is a threaded u bolt, i had laying around

018-1.jpg
 
Good idea. My 85 M-B has a tow hook, and not even centered (on right side, front). I think it is there because those trannys allow push-starting, since they have a rear pump, like Mopars before 1966. Push (or pull) starting is even detailed in the Operator's Manual. Perhaps Chrysler didn't add one because they wanted you to be push started. It would kind of scare me to have the engine fire up as I am following closely behind my buddy. I would rather "roll start".

For continuous towing, I prefer a tow bar (a "stiff arm" prevents crashing into your buddy). I installed brackets for that on the radiator support of my 65 Newport. I found that cheap trailer shackles work well.
 
X2 on the tow BAR brackets if you plan on anything but just an occasional pull. I've done flat towing with chain (and even rope!) but I was a lot younger then and a lot more cautious now!

BC
 
That's good advice, Bill. I hadn't thought about rigid tow points. I'm mostly thinking of this as an emergency tow measure over anything else. I had to tow a '67 Chevy Impala that had broke down once and finding a place to attach my tow rope and not bend parts of the car a nightmare. Don't want to risk that on my car in the like event of a breakdown.
 
FYI, most garden varity u-bolts are ungraded and soft. I would strongly reccommend that you get something of high grade and made for towing. If a hook snaps while the tow strap is under much tension, the strap and its end hook will whip out faster than you can see. I have seen them bust out tailights, dent trunk lids, and bust out rear windows...for real. If one hit you, it would crack your skull open...for real. So use something rated for towing or for logging tie downs, etc.

We buidl tow eyes for our rally cars for flat towing and pulls out of ditches in emergencies that are 5/8" diameter mild steel rod. I have been through the strength computations, and that is adequate to match good tow strap ratings.
 
Not handy; am in the worong state this week (for work). We start with plain 5/8" mild steel rod, heat one end and wrap it around a 2" OD pipe in to a circular shape; weld up the eye. Then thread the straight end or weld on an attachment plate. We usually make the straight end pretty long so we can go through the bumper and to a sub frame member; that is for easy access, but you don't need to do that; we want to get yanked out fast is why we have it a bumper height; you probably aren't in such a hurry and understandably don't want such an eyesore on your car! You will get about the same strength with 7/16" dia mild steel rod bent into a U and welded or bolted into 2 spots a few inches apart.
 
Those are good ideas - I never though of adding a tow hook.

With the motor out of my '64 Valiant am doing the same thing. On mine I tore out the steering box mounts from hundreds of miles of vintage road rallies - the bracket cracked around the weld nuts.

I'm not really sure how to fix it (easily). I do know that the later cars had 1/2 inch bolts (ours have 7/16 NF) to hold the steering box on.

Are you adding a skid plate? The front of my oil pan is all bashed in from the aforementioned hard driving, and I plan to add one.
 
Sounds like you had even more fun with your '64 than I did! Yep, the plan is for a skid plate to be added. I need to find more references to that as well. Thanks for reminding me!
 
Pre-made D-ring. Though I suppose you could make it easily with a torch and angle grinder.


[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Weld-Loop-steel-D-Ring-Rope-Chain-hook-Tie-Downs-1-2-thick-/290649443109?vxp=mtr&hash=item43ac0e8b25"]1 2" Thick Weld on Steel D Ring Rope Hook Tie Down Trailer Truck | eBay[/ame]
 
Wow! That's perfect, Robertob! Thank you! Yeah, I could make 'em myself, but I don't have the steel lying around, so it'd be faster and cheaper to just buy 'em and save the trip to the hardware store.

RockinRobin, that's a cool idea, but I think that'd mess too much with the look of the car. Thanks for sharing though. Neat car!
 
draginmopars said:
this is a threaded u bolt, i had laying around

018-1.jpg
Click to expand...

I thought about the one hook in the center but wanted to reinstall the factor bracket that runs from the K member to under the radiator. The single loop in the center prevented this.

Ended up with the dual loops like crackedback and very happy with the results. Need some handy hook idea's for the back now.
 
Straps do wonders and don't screw up paint.

Are you racing this thing?

Be sure you aim it up a little, in case you catch a curb or dip.
 
Not regularly. I just wanted an option in case there's a breakdown and I don't have a real tow truck to hook to. I had to tow some people with my Valiant because their '67 Chevy broke down and we had a hell of a time finding something to hook to that wouldn't damage either car.
 
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