good morning everybody, hope somebody could help me out with the issue I have with the tow hook. I bought the car 1.5years ago, and it was delivered without tool kit, so therefore also without tow hook. I want buy a new one, but I am really not sure if my tow hook setup is correct and if all parts are installed on my car. When I remove the front plastic cover, around 5cm further in there is a thick black metal sheet with kind of thread in it, the thread is around 6mm depp and then followed by a shiny solid metal sheet. I cannot really reach well this threat, but roughly measuring with a calipter I would say its 24 or 27mm in diameter and an estimated pitch of ca. 3mm. Can this be normal or is there a part missing on my car? From other threads in this forum, they all mention thread dimensions of M16x1.5 or something in this area. Sorry for the bad quality, but I could not really reach well this area. Can maybe somebody post a picture how this area looks on their car. I was also not able to see these parts on ricambiamerica. Best reagards, Simon Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hard to tell from that pic, but it almost looks like that tow hook has been broken off inside the threaded area.
ya, looks like the oem tow hook broke off in there.. surprised that could happen..? I have a 97 Euro GTB, and did not come with tool kit either.. but the thread area went all the way in, id say a least a couple inchs.. I bought the Hills Engineering Challenge tow hook.. from Ricambi.. and screwed it all the way in.. I guess you can drill a hole into the stub and unscrew it out..? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Could have been a weak tow hook? Could have broken in there and someone stood on it? Who knows but it appears that it's the threaded end stuck in there. It's not going to be easy to get out but it can be done. Not sure just a drill and extractor will get it out, it might. But I'd take off the front bumper for better access and ease of removal. I used to do this type of work when I was a machinist. It will come out just have to figure out a good game plan. I'd start trying to drill it out, dead center and use and extractor to pull it it. If that fails it could have a bit of corrosion holding it in, heat and so on. You could weld a nut to it so you can back it out. All kinds of possibilities.
thanks for all the answers. Would be great if somebody could make a picture how it looks on a "healthy car"... easier to compare. Will try to make a better picture tomorrow as well.... I somehow also have the feeling that when I get my tow hook ready I will for sure have a breakdown soon Best regards from Switzerland Simon
had a look again into the tow hook hole. Unfortunately there is no broken tow hook inside,... just a thread estimated M24/M27x3 , which is around 10mm deep. Behind is a solid unpainted metal sheet, guess its even aluminium.... So there is something different on my car... Does anybody now if swiss cars have a different tow hook setup,... we also have different gear ratios than the rest of the world....grrr Best regards, Simon
my car was german delivered Ill check it out latter. But I did have my tool kit and it apears the same tool kit as my US delivered 95 355. I'll check the threads on mine and get back to you.
