Opinions on LRA recovery points wanted

Really , you can make your own if you have a couple of days to spare and a bench drill.
I made a pattern from the LR tow loop. I had a piece of 10MM door lintel sitting at home which is exactly the correct width to make a template from the normal loop sides.

I cut the 10MM to the triangular shape with a power hacksaw.

I drilled 11MM holes in the triangular sides using the holes in the LR mount as a template.

I drilled 2x 12MM holes for a "Toyota Hook" at the same angle that the original loop sat at, so that the position would be the same. Toyota hooks are available from Supercheap, but I had one in stock from a long time ago. They are rated at 10,000LB AFAIR.

I went to the nut and bolt shop and bought 4x 7/16? ( 10.9MM) high tensile bolts of the required length along with 8 nuts.

I fitted the plates on the inside of the chassis where the crush can holders usually go with the hooks facing outward so that they are in the same position as the original loop. These are the same as the bumper holes from time immemorial and are tubed. I noted when I pulled an earlier iteration out that you can get a 1/2 inch (12.5MM) bolt through the tube and this would be better , but I think they are PLENTY strong..

I made up 2 sets and would use 2 for heavy snatching with an equalisation bridle for a really heavy bog ( which I have never had) .

I have tested the fit and the bridle juuust fits between the chassis and the hook and is retained by the retainer, No shackles required.

I drilled a similar hole in the RH front bumper as on the LH side and placed a black poly cover that I found on Stockton Beach from some jap car which came complete with 4 x press in locks.
Done .
But it took a lot of planning and a lot of drilling but saved a lot of money and although not "rated" it seems that no others are either.
Regards Philip A
Just a couple of things . You have to make sure that you have sufficient material around the mounting holes IMHO at least 13MM or so . The thrust will be forward on the bottom mount but backward on the top mount. And of course at least 13MM around the 12MM holes for the Toyota hooks. I used 2 nuts on all bolts as AFAIK the stress can be both in the line of pull and inwards.

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Originally Posted by bob10

To my knowledge, no, but I will stand corrected. Contact ARB, would be the first move I suggest. Although I think they were only spending the big bucks on development for the most common 4WDs in Australia. I also think that the cost of the rated points would put most people off, & if the public wasn't buying their product, there would be not much point spending the money in development. Personally, if used correctly & with caution, I can't see any reason not to go with the former " recovery points", now called tow points by some providers, but the legal side of it is a can of worms, especially if a car under warranty used them, & damaged the chassis, or such. I can just imagine the fight with Land Rover over warranty on that. Bob

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Have already spoksn to ARB, they class the Discovery 2 as a 'dead' model, ie it's been out of production for over 5 years and the current model Disco is vastly different so no new products will be made by them for it. But even the Defender or Disco 4 are not considered a large enought market for them to produce points for them either.

I'm looking for options for a better/safer/stronger 'recovery' point than the factory tow point.

Pretty sure that Davis Performance Landys have a recovery point for the front of a D2 that was tested when they first started making them and actually broke a disco chassis before the recovery point gave way. Hope this might help

From memory the 4x4Intelligence ones I purchased were rated. Massively heavy points. I very confident in them but never used

Cheers

These are the "tow points" MR Auto provide, bolted behind the crush cans, where the bull bar fits to the chassis. Bob


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...2013/11/52.jpg

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Originally Posted by kelvo

Interestingly the photo on their website for the steering guard shows it fitted to a Disco with the LRA 'recovery' points APT Fabrication for Land Rover parts - Steering guard | Discovery 2 | AF1025 . I would not be too keen on using the steering guard as a recovery point, it's only 6mm steel where the shackle would go. The APT 'recovery' points APT Fabrication for Land Rover parts - Recovery Points on the other hand are my other option for 'recovery' points.

But I would rather use a strap looped over a hook than using a shackle, unless anyone has a valid argument that a shackle type point is better than a hook (With retaining spring/clip) type point.

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The mounting brackets are 8mm thick the bash/steering guard is 6mm. I fitted one to my D2 last month, haven't used it off road or for recovery yet , but it sure looks the part!

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Originally Posted by Expatdisco3

The mounting brackets are 8mm thick the bash/steering guard is 6mm. I fitted one to my D2 last month, haven't used it off road or for recovery yet , but it sure looks the part!

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Yep my mistake, actually read the mounting brackets were 8mm but still wrote the bash plate thickness :angel:

But I would still want a thicker plate than 8mm to 'recover' off.

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Originally Posted by GregD2

Pretty sure that Davis Performance Landys have a recovery point for the front of a D2 that was tested when they first started making them and actually broke a disco chassis before the recovery point gave way. Hope this might help

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BD makes a recovery point which is a beefed up front tow hook. However, BD says the connection to the chassis is not sufficient for recovery unless it, too, is beefed up. You also need to use high tensile bolts, too.