Is This a Tow Hook?

[SonicBoy24]

I got my Sonic stuck this winter, in my own driveway, because I took my snow tires off a week early and we got a freak snow storm.

We have a tractor that I would have used to pull it out, but I wasn't sure if this hook in this pictures would withstand the pressure and not just tear out the bottom of the spare tire well.
So because of not wanting to take the chance, my idiot neighbor was pushing on the hood, trying to help and scuffed my paint (buffed out, just gave me another reason to not like him).

Anyway, do you guys think that this hook would hold up to pulling the Sonic's weight out of snow?

 

[cndctrdj]

Where does the owners manual say to tow from? I have tried and not found anything

 

[$ub$onic]

I have use it as a tow hook

 

[sonichead94]

Looks like it could snap though.

 

[$ub$onic]

You will if your really yank on it but that's not how you tow a car out of a ditch. You ease into it

 

[$ub$onic]

Sometimes they do take some extra force. I would not want to do it all the time though.

3 feet of snow can be a royal pain

 

[SouthFLSonic]

Absolutely. I pulled my girl friends saturn out of 3 feet of snow and i didnt exactly ease into it at times either

^^^ This ^^^ is why I live in Florida I do not miss Michigan snow one bit, not even at Christmas time!!

 

[ChrisJ]

^^^ This ^^^ is why I live in Florida I do not miss Michigan snow one bit, not even at Christmas time!!

Yeah but,

Florida sucks.

 

[SouthFLSonic]

Florida does have its suck moments but so many not suck moments keep me here

 

[Stew]

Those are tie down points for shipping, not designed to tow or pull the car.

Here is an example of what can happen pulling a car and not using a good anchor point, this video has been around for a while, makes me cringe every time I see it. They weren't even using a shipping hook I'm sure but the video is still fun to watch.

Pulling Car out of Snow Fail - YouTube

 

[RoXXXanne13]

bro of course it is what else would it be..

 

[sx sonic]

Those are tie down points for shipping, not designed to tow or pull the car.

Here is an example of what can happen pulling a car and not using a good anchor point, this video has been around for a while, makes me cringe every time I see it. They weren't even using a shipping hook I'm sure but the video is still fun to watch.

Pulling Car out of Snow Fail - YouTube

:facepalm: That was atrocious, another 5 mins of shoveling and the tards could have cleared the snow behind the car and only needed a tug to get out.... or pulled it out from the left side instead of the right.

Worth a good laugh thou.



I don't see what else the hook in the rear and 2 in the front could be used for aside from being a tow hook. I can see them being used for shipping but there are also other approved methods of securing a car without these hooks.

On the other hand there is nothing else to hook the car to if stuck. Control arms, torsion bar, bumpers? those are no no hooking places so where are you supposed to hook up to if not the hooks?


I'm not saying they should always be used, common sense must be exercised. gently pulling out the car because of being barely stuck or undriveable doesn't sound bad. Pulling on that hook to get out of 3 feet of snow obviously isn't a good idea.

Or you could never get stuck or break down .


EDIT: After some reflection I view the hooks as an emergency towing point. Just there enough to provide a hooking point for some gentle tugging on car that shouldn't get extremely stuck. Where some trucks/SUVs have permanent heavy duty towing hooks because.... well you might need to pull someone out or might be offroading, blasting thru snowed in roads, and get stuck. This is more probable with these vehicles where the sonic is not intended for this type of work or situations. And most of the trucks/SUVs I've been under don't have "shipping" hooks????

 

[River_Rat]

The one time I got mine buried in the mud I was glad that I had a draw-tite hitch to hook up to.

 

[Papasonic]

The shipping tie-down loops aren't intended to use to recover a stuck vehicle, but will work for that purpose within reasonable conditions. The problem with using these loops for recovery purposes is the potential to damage the bumper facia, as they are positioned too high under the body to get a straight pull.
Euro spec vehicles, including the Sonic come equipped with tow eye bolts that thread into a receptacle in the bumper. They have a snap in cover in the bumper facia when not being used. Why USA spec vehicles don't have this feature is a mystery to me, as there is really no safe way to recover a stuck vehicle without them. Apparently if you live in the USA you're not supposed to get your vehicle stuck.

 

[$ub$onic]

I have use it 3 times to recovery sonic. But every time I ease into it and do not jerk it at all. Has worked from for me. When your stuck, your stuck.

 

[RoXXXanne13]

when your stuck easing is the best way man good tip for the guys that live up north.. I was born n raised in centeral new York, we got some good snow.. when people jerk n **** omfg o cringe.. ive seen chains snap n smash out the back wondow of trucks.. so tip #2, use a tow ROPE not chain.. I keep one in the back of my wrangler at all times

 

[sx sonic]

when your stuck easing is the best way man good tip for the guys that live up north.. I was born n raised in centeral new York, we got some good snow.. when people jerk n **** omfg o cringe.. ive seen chains snap n smash out the back wondow of trucks.. so tip #2, use a tow ROPE not chain.. I keep one in the back of my wrangler at all times

I've seen a number of tow straps and wire cables snap and turn into a whip. Broken a few chains and they more or less just broke and dropped where they were.