WTB: Towplate
- Thread starter iracer7
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hey man, if your into fabricating and want to make your own for pretty cheap, like 10 bucks, let me know. i went out and bought socket head bolts that are a direct fit. i drilled and tapped the center to accept a screw to hold the bracket of mine. let me know if your interested. i can upload pics of the extra bolts i have and how my plate turned out.
jasonspeed3
Member
post pics here..
where did you get a bolt which fits tow hook thread?
I was just planning to do this over the weekend
i went to fastenal, i think they are pretty commercial, amd picked up a box of 5. the thread and pitch size of the towhook itself is M16-2 .. home depot and lowes don't sell metric that large, only 5/8 which doesnt fit the metric. paid 9 and change for 5 of these bolts.
i tapped the center to accept what i think was a 5/16 x 3" cap screw and put a nut on it to tighten up against the piece of cold steel i made the bracket out of. bracket is 1/4 x 1 3/4 cold steel. cost 4.50 at lowes for a 3 foot piece. drilled two holes and used 2 nuts and half inch hex head bolts to attach plate.
i tapped the center to accept what i think was a 5/16 x 3" cap screw and put a nut on it to tighten up against the piece of cold steel i made the bracket out of. bracket is 1/4 x 1 3/4 cold steel. cost 4.50 at lowes for a 3 foot piece. drilled two holes and used 2 nuts and half inch hex head bolts to attach plate.
Wagonbacker9
Member
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- 2004 'Hoe
might want to consider doing as much of that in alloy as you can... either that or just make sure to coat/paint it somehow.
thought the same thing. no corrosion and less weight
I'm gonna go in an hour and see what they have.
Any ideas where to get sheet of aluminum?
or I can just do like you did and get steel sheet. Then paint it with Wurth rust guard I have left..
have you shaped other side of the bold to make a head to screw it to the car frame (or whatever tow hook screws into)?
or you did not cut the head just grind it to match plate surface?
I see this: http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=39277&ucst=t
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Hectik gave me a great write up when i was looking to make my own, and it came out sweet. here is the write up with pics he sent me:
hectik1 said:Here you go:
Used the stock towhook found in the trunk. Cut the hook off as close as I could to the welds of the hook. I recommend a sawzaw and a vise if you have access to one. Grinded off to smooth the end. Drilled the end about an inch down. Tapped the end. ( I used a 5/16-18 thread tap) I also recommend buying a bolt (I originally used a regular bolt but in the end opted for an Allen head stainless bolt).
As for the aluminum bar you can use whatever size you want (Mine is 2 inches wide IIRC). It just needs to be strong enough (thickness) so it won't flex in the wind, etc. I cut mine 10 inches long, and put the bend at 1 1/2 inches. I used the vise to make the bend but a strong table will work too. After this you just have to line up your license plate on the aluminum bar, and drill the holes to mount ( you also will have to get bolts/nuts/lock washers; size is your choice here too). You also have to drill the hole to mount the bar to the tow hook.
Once you have this done, you just have to assemble. Screw the tow mount in the bumper. Use the bolt to tighten. Take out the bolt, and grab the alum. bar. Line it up to your liking, and tighten the bolt as much as possible where you can't move the bar up or down. Then just bolt in the license plate.
The tow mount screwed into the bumper.
The aluminum bar mounted.
Above view of the finished product.
Wagonbacker9
Member
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- 2004 'Hoe
bolts pointed at the bumper make me nervous, and I wouldn't wanna hack up the towhook if I were you guys...
dirty job with bolts. hope nobody will back up and hit the plate.. otherwise..
tried to respond 3 times with mobile but wouldnt let me lol. anywho...
Go to Lowes, they have good selection of steel in both cold and alloys and some aluminum, all different sizes and gauges as well. cheap to, like 3-6 bucks for whatever you need. I found this in my Lowes by the hardware and paint section.
As for the bolt the the bracket attaches to, IIRC it is a 5/16 x 3" carriage bolt so the head isnt that large to begin with. What i did was i put the bolt through the bracket and put the nut on behind it. From there I used a pair of channel locks to tighten the carriage bolt into the tapped part of the bolt used in place of the towhook. Once this was tight I held the bracket where I wanted it and used a wrench to tighten the nut down. Solid and doesnt move. I drive everyday on major highways at 80-90 mph and it doesnt move. And im on them for 100-200 miles depending on where im working that day.
Im sorry no pictures yet, Im at my girlfriends and she doesnt have her USB cable to uipload anything! But I will post ASAP.
thx man. I just got my fog light overlays so bracket job postponed. will pick all I need tomorrow. should not take much time overall.
pls post pics when you can.
What they sold me was what they called a socket head. Its like a reverse hex head. I tighted it as best i could with my hands and then as i was tightening the carriage bolt in it, it tightened down the rest of the way. The bolt you found seems like it would be better because it is longer than what I used, mine was 110mm, like 4 inches or so. Again, no pics bc at girlfriends lol. And i dont have the box or any extra bolts with me.
I plan on getting this one and then shave the head a little to match the metal sheet nicely. should be good.
Let me know how the overlays turn out, I did them with the 3M to my old '04 3 and they looked pretty badass.
We took pics of everything, including the intake im gonna be selling and then she goes, oops, I dont have my USB cable. My reaction .. FU*K! lol
Does your local fastenal have it? I checked and all within 50 miles of me are out of stcok. Thats why I went with what I got. If not, let me know, ill toss one of what i have in a padded envelope and mail it to ya if you want.
yeah that's the problem.. I dont see it either.. in stock..
and hey thx for offering help here.
PMed you about PG inlet and sri..
DISI_TUMBLER
Member
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- 09 MAZDA MAZDASPEED3
I just fab mine at work this week, and I got paid for it! lol....got a SS bolt and a 6" rod. drilled and taped it...looks good here are the pics. 
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