Hi guys,

I am looking to flatbed my '86 that has a brand new spoiler on it and I am concerned that the eye hook that screws into the front might bend when it gets pulled up by the tow guy onto the flatbed as the angle of the cable steepens.

I have had another 928 flatbedded and the tow guy hooked onto the pressed steel pieces that are attached to the front of the lower A-arms (didn't have a tow hook). He assured me that the spoiler would bend enough and I ended up with a cracked spoiler.

Any ideas?

 

It didn't bend when mine was pulled up onto a flatbed.

 

im not sure how...but i have a broken one in the back sheered off in the socket..need to have to tapped out......id say they are plenty strong but not for extreme angles.
My Audi has the same hook eyes and have used them twice to flat bed her (bent rims on a pot hole both times)

 

The towing eye is a pretty stout forging, and shouldn't bend if the driver pulls in a reasonably straight line.

This would be a good time to remind everyone that the aluminum plug covering the front towing eye receptacle USUALLY doesn't come out. Many of them end up being drilled out. You really don't want to mess the receptacle threads up - they aren't any standard that you will be able to find.

Don't wait until you need it to try to get the plug out!

 

I'ld say most end up being drilled out unless your 928 has lived all it's life somewhere hot and dry.

As regards pulling it upwards onto a flat bed - ensure the eye is vertical not horizontal - if neccessary unscrew it a quarter turn. This will ensure the eye is loaded in it's strongest axis.

They do not like being used as a tie down point. Ratchet strap Tie downs put a lot more force on the eye than simple towing onto the flat bed forces. Insist they use the straps that go around the tire to tie down the 928.

 

Those are the important words - IN A STRAIGHT LINE..!

Pulling at a sharp angle, or using the tow eye as a tie-down can bend or break it. Had an inexperienced tow truck driver do that to a customer's car.....

 

I cannot find the front plug socket on the frame and have looked to no avail - anyone have a pic of where exactly on an OB that socket for the front is? (I know where the rear is)

 

I've never heard of a tow hook breaking.

 

They are strong in tension but not very strong in shear we broke one trying to lift the front of a wrecked car with the forklift that was the last time we tried that ! They should not be used to tiedown or pull at much of an angle.

 

On the '85, there is a plactic insert (access hole through) the bumper passenger side, outboard of the centerline. As mentioned, it is a good idea to get some antiseize in there, otherwise when you need to twist it in, it can be a bear.

 

To get a 928 onto a flatbed the driver must use some lengths of 4x4 ,wooden ramps to get the front wheels up enough to cut the angle of the ramp or the spoiler/nose grill gets REALLY stressed. And the towhook will not bend .....it will break !

 

Mine was broken in the rear by a side pull, but I managed to winkle the stub out with a sharp pointed driver, as there was no load on the threads. The early tow hooks are 15mm OD, 8tpi, later are 20mm od, also 8tpi - S4 onwards. Since the S4 onwards have the thread exposed in the grille (not covered by bumper plug as in earlier cars), an alloy plug was fitted, but these can and do corrode in place. I have had a tap made up to clean up these 20mm threads after the plug is drilled out (no mean feat!), and have used it on two cars so far - there is a pic on another thread somewhere.
FYI the thread is a 'Knuckle' , as defined here - like an Acme, but rounded.
http://www.gewinde-normen.de/en/knuc...d-din-405.html
jp 83 Euro S AT 50k

 

Once you take out the old screw in protection blank - hopefully you can get it out - it can be replaced with a rubber pacifier. Protects the threads and was made for the larger hole size 87 and newer.
Can't remember the part number but I have about 20 of them.

 

one of mine is bent

I bought one from Roger but its for an OB. Couldnt tell you how it bent though but one of mine is.

 

I use the front and rear tow hooks when I winch my car up onto my car trailer; I use 2x4 in front to set spoiler oer my ramp lips (home built) and have never had any issues with them bending or breaking. usually the car sits nose front, but on occasion, I have pulled it up on the trailer rear-end first - this was primarly because I couldn't get out of the car because the door wouldn't clear the wheel-cover, but since then I have modified the wheel fender/cover to be removagle, and now the cars always go up nose first. Anyway, straight pulls help tremendously. I would be extremely caution if you let a tow truck driver hook anyting in the front end to pull the car up; ruined a relatively new steering rack that way.....