Recovery points 1995 MU
Recovery points 1995 MU
Hi guys. I have some questions re recovery points for the MU. I've read what I can find on this forum and I'm feeling a bit confused. My MU does have the standard factory hook on the front, but nothing on the rear. It does have a factory towbar (Bestbars NZ) fitted. Whilst I'm considering doing any serious stuff with the MU, the last time out at Woodhill I did need to get winched out after driving into what looked like a small puddle and promptly sinking. Had to get winched out. I did winch from the towbar and this handled it ok, but I would never attempt a snatch recovery from this as, being a mechanic, I know the towbar wouldn't handle it. So questions. I have seen some vehicles with the towball removed and a rated shackle in its place. Probably ok for winch or tow, but not for snatch. Are the towbar mounting points on the chassis suitable for mounting a recovery hook? Should I replace the front hook with a better one and will the mountings handle it. Given I only occasionally head off road I don't really want to be modifying the chassis if I can get away with it. Also, if reading the forum right. If I modify the centre factory towbar mount on the chassis cross member with through bolts etc, could I fit a pintle hook for recovery? Silly questions, yes, but I'm new to this job by and if I'm going to spend some money I want to do it correctly. MU not going at present, cooking frost plug in turbo leaking. Job for tommorrow. The joys of older vehicles
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
I hate predictive text stuff. Sorry for the mistakes.
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Mus have always been an issue getting decent hooks set up. Ive never seen a decent front settup that wasnt part of a bullbar design. I invite other Mu owners to show pictures of how they have done theirs to prove me wrong on this point.
Basic requirements of a recovery hook is Sufficient strength and should a failure happen it does not create a missile. A Snatch strap is little more than a 9 meter long elastic band with a 8 ton breaking load. Its dangerous enough on its own but if its carrying a hook when it lets go then you have a half kg of steel traveling at well over 100kph. It takes something very solid to stop it and everything it passes through on the way will probably die. The way I see it is that if you dont put your hook on well enough its you that gets to do the first aid.
The factory hook is held on by 2 10mm bolts and is cast. This is nowhere near enough strength in the bolts plus being cast it can fracture resulting in part of the hook flying. This is why NZ uses a forged hook rated to 10000 pound anchored with 2 12mm bolts. The spacing on these is different to the factory hook.
The way Ive done the bighorn is currently with a TJM bullbar which uses 3 12mm anchor points to the chassis and a gusset welded into the bullbar for the hook. I have a MCC bullbar to go on. This has the same anchor points as the current bar plus the hook is bolted through the mounting plate which is 6mm with a backing plate of 6 x 50 x 150mm long with a third bolt locking it to the mount.
I dont know if the Mu is the same
Rear is much the same and I would be looking closly at how the towbar is attached. Bestbars have a good reputation so as long as the following is true it should be ok. I would expect the mounts to be into the captive bolts for the rear bumper plus a third bolt into the bottom of the chassis. The mounts will be 10mm steel. If so then bolting a hook into the side of the mount as high as you can should work well. Also if its made this way then a 4.8 ton shackle through the ball eye will handle a snatch although messing round with shackles in the mud is not fun
Basic requirements of a recovery hook is Sufficient strength and should a failure happen it does not create a missile. A Snatch strap is little more than a 9 meter long elastic band with a 8 ton breaking load. Its dangerous enough on its own but if its carrying a hook when it lets go then you have a half kg of steel traveling at well over 100kph. It takes something very solid to stop it and everything it passes through on the way will probably die. The way I see it is that if you dont put your hook on well enough its you that gets to do the first aid.
The factory hook is held on by 2 10mm bolts and is cast. This is nowhere near enough strength in the bolts plus being cast it can fracture resulting in part of the hook flying. This is why NZ uses a forged hook rated to 10000 pound anchored with 2 12mm bolts. The spacing on these is different to the factory hook.
The way Ive done the bighorn is currently with a TJM bullbar which uses 3 12mm anchor points to the chassis and a gusset welded into the bullbar for the hook. I have a MCC bullbar to go on. This has the same anchor points as the current bar plus the hook is bolted through the mounting plate which is 6mm with a backing plate of 6 x 50 x 150mm long with a third bolt locking it to the mount.
I dont know if the Mu is the same
Rear is much the same and I would be looking closly at how the towbar is attached. Bestbars have a good reputation so as long as the following is true it should be ok. I would expect the mounts to be into the captive bolts for the rear bumper plus a third bolt into the bottom of the chassis. The mounts will be 10mm steel. If so then bolting a hook into the side of the mount as high as you can should work well. Also if its made this way then a 4.8 ton shackle through the ball eye will handle a snatch although messing round with shackles in the mud is not fun
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Having seen how Best Bars test their bars on their test rig I can attest that they are very safe with the ratings they put on their bars. Mine is attached each side as you describe. Just got a 4.8 shackle for the rear. Hole for towball about 0.5mm too small. Easy enough to open out. Your comments on the front do worry me. I only have the domestic jap bash bar on the front, it wouldn't hold anything. Don't really want to yet go for a new front bar. As you said, I too invite othe MU owners to share what they've done. Thanks. Replaced frost plug in turbo nice easy job, just the way I like it
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Have a think and maybe a look at bullbars on Mus rodeos and wizards. You might see a way to fabricate something that will work. Spread the load over as many captive nuts as you can. Remember my comment on first aid.
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Don't get me wrong, I'm very safety conscious and wouldn't do anything that could be dangerous. Having had a good look at the front and after talking to an engineer freind, I think we can make something for the front. Something along the lines of plates bolted to mounting points on the front of the chassis. One per side. I'm thinking 8mm plate or maybe even 10mm. I've had a good nose around the intreweb and can't find much that I like. Once it's done I'll load some pics up for comments
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Hello, On my Mu I have fitted a MCC bar and I have fitted a 10000lb hook on each side as in the photo. There was 2 holes for the hooks on the bar but they didnt fit the sizing of the bolt holes on the hook so the rear bolt is through the factory hole and I drilled the front hole. Also in the photo is how the bar mounts using the 2 bolts. Hope this is of help. Cheers
Re: Recovery points 1995 MU
Have a look at your bar. If its like the bighorn version there is another bracket behind the one shown that lines up with the factory tie down point. You will need to make a shaped spacer as that hole is 17mm but then you can get a third 12mm nut and bolt into each side of the bar. Also have you considered a 6x50 bar on the opposite side of the bar to the hook collecting all three holes.
As Ive said on hooks if you can see a way to make it stronger you should.
As Ive said on hooks if you can see a way to make it stronger you should.