Chevy & GMC Vans

Hello,
I have a 99 Safari and currently where i am living (MTU houghton, mi) has alot of snow and that means alot of people getting stuck that do not know how to drive in this weather. I was wondering how a recovery strap be attached to these vans, not really frame you can wrap around. I dont have a hitch... so how can i hook the strap to the van?\
Thanks

midnighthunder89 wrote:Hello,
I have a 99 Safari and currently where i am living (MTU houghton, mi) has alot of snow and that means alot of people getting stuck that do not know how to drive in this weather. I was wondering how a recovery strap be attached to these vans, not really frame you can wrap around. I dont have a hitch... so how can i hook the strap to the van?\
Thanks

I'd go ahead and spend $150 and get a 2" receiver for out back. You can then hook a strap up there. As for the front, you can't do anything without some fab work.... well, at least not without tearing off the bumper cover!

Ya the hitch is a must have for recovery missions in one of these vans. I've even got a recovery loop slide in for my hitch. For the front you would have to cut holes in the bumper and fab up some thing that connects to the sub frame. BC has done somethign liek that to his van. look pretty awesome actually.

mdmead wrote:I'd go ahead and spend $150 and get a 2" receiver for out back.

Or $25 for one out of the bone yard

Good point.

Dean posted pics of tow points he installed on the front of his van in the old forum. Maybe he'll see this and repost here

I welded two shackles on the front crossmember of the Smilie van. When I was under the van installing the rack and pinion steering I noticed there was nothing to hook to.

My tow points are the class 3 hitch out back and the class 3 hitch up front that my winch slides into. BCSUVan, Hannan, installed tow points up front. He bolted his to the bumper support brackets. You could also purchase a tow bridle with either a J-hook or T-handle. These can then go into the slots in the body that are used by the tow trucks to do recovery.

I have an AWD 2003 Astro. The nice bumper has the plastic trim which makes it difficult to install a tow hook and still keep the front end neat.
So to minimize the size of the cutout or hole that needs to be made, I used a 5/8 inch heavy duty eye bolt cast type about 6 inch long. So the only hole that needs to be drill in the lower bumper trim is about 3/4 inch hole to let the eye bolt go through. The key to the design is to install a heavy steel plate to the under side of the front cross member using grade 8 bolts. At a building supply or hardware store you can get a 5" x 21" 7 AWG (about 1/4 inch thick) steel foundation strap that already has 8 holes drill in it. Conveniently, there are already 4 holes in the oem Chevy cross bar. Just install 5/8 grade 8 bolts of about 1 1/2 inch length to fasten the heavy plate to the bottom of the cross member. I used Fine threaded bolts to have slightly better holding power with the vibration of the vehcile. then install heavy duty L brackets to the cross bar to create the mounting point for the eye bolt. Again there are heavy oem L brackets for foundation achors on houses and these L brackets are already drilled.
The eye bolts are rated to 3500 lbs for a straight on axis pull. One could use large eye bolts such as 3/4 shaft and make it a bit stronger.
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I will send a photo when I can. I am a new member and need to get more familiar with posts etc.

submitted by member Astrophyscis

PS 1
An easier way would be to just install the D ring type rocovery rings similar to those used on the H3 Hummer but they would stick out on the front plastic cover of the bumper and kids and the wife could scrap a leg on the front of the bumper.
These D rings and mounting plate are available at trailer supply places.
PS 2
I think the tow ring doesn't have to be ultra beefy and strong because many times you only need to pull with a few hundred pounds of force just to get the vehcile free from mud or snow. The full Astro weight of 4600 pounds doesn't need to be applied unless you are trying to pull the vehicle up hill.

The steel foundation paltes are available at Building supply stores such as OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware ) and other. the company is USP Connectors. Simpson Strong tie could also make a similar product. Still looking for my old photos, which most be on my old computer which was replaced about 9 months ago.

The 5" x 21" steel plate mounts to the underside of the cross member. it is great since 3 of the holes in the cross member just happen to line up with the holes in the USP steel plate. just use some thin wire to pull the 5/8 inch bolts and flat washers in thru the side of the cross member. It the same technique used to pull bolts into the trailer hitch holes.

the L bracket is also made by USP. and the holes line up.

Astrophysics.


still looking for the photos.

2003 AWD Astro. I added to the front cross member a 5" x 21" inch USP brand steel plate (has 6 holes on each end) bolted on with grade 8 bolts.
see photos.
also USP connector L bracket with 4 holes.

I used 5/8 inch eye bolts, galvanized, 6 inch long shaft. 5/8 inch eye bolt has max strength of about 3500 lbs. and derate to 2700 lbs or so if the direction of pull is at a 45 degree angle. I may change to 3/4 or 7/8 inch eye bolts which large max pull rating of about 5300 and 7,000 pounds respectively.

see photos.

photo had a problem uploading to the site. I will try again...

bracket tied to cross member on the 2003 AWD Astro van.

front view of eye bolts. these are galvanized 5/8 inch eye bolts 6 inch long shaft. I may update to 3/4 or 7/8 inch diameter bolts.

also may weld a side plate to the L bracket to make it flex less.

Looks good.

TBH I probably would not trust them for any sort of serious recovery or recovery involving any sort of lateral pull. There's just way to much shank there to chance anything side movement wise at all. They look fine for doing the job but for safety reason I wouldn't trust them for much more than a flat recovery like off of an icy or deeply snowed street. You have to remember when recovering from mud or up hill ( from ditch) the weight of the vehicle isn't the only factor. In mud/snow especially due to the suction effect of the mud or drag of the snow and the fact you are literally dragging the vehicle through opposed to rolling it out.

I know my self I will only use shackles and stretching snatch straps for anything other than helping a vehicle out of some deep snow of flat out of a snow bank.

No offence to you or your handy work at all just concerned about safety.

Edit I figured I would add this. It's a really good item to read for people new to recovery. I know it's long and very technical but very very very worth it int he long run. http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... index.html