Maverick hybrid towed out by a Subaru

[Snax]

AWD or 4WD doesn’t keep you from getting stuck. You just get more stuck, further away from civilization.

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[bgn]

Pin this thread for the folks who wonder why folks like me have the AWD. It's fantastic in mud and snow in the mountains.

 

[Delbert]

No pics. It really was not that spectacular but it has made me wary about pulling off the road even a little bit. Today, I was down by the river to go kayaking and I looked longingly at a shady little parking spot off the main parking lot where I could leave my truck and dog in her kennel for a few hours. I played it safe and parked on the gravel in a less shady spot. Poor dog.

 

[MayhemMaverick]

From the post with Manual cited - " ........ do no use with metal hooks ........."

As typical with this vehicle and it's owner manual, it mixes and juxtaposes conflicting information with different models. All lumped together in the same manual. The XL does not have the front recovery hooks as shown in the illustration, so we are left with two 1 1/2-inch diameter holes in sheet metal. No evident explanation on how the holes should be used. Probably liability issues. How can a secure attachment be made without using a hook ? My existing tow straps are 3-inch wide and one set has a closed fabric loop, which wont work here, and the other has the beefy metal hook.

Anyone here have any experience using these holes to effect a recovery ?

Does anyone know if this hole point is a structural failure point if about 1,500 lbs of force slowly pull on a hook on it ? Will it hold or simply tear or bend the metal given the limitations of a 2,000-lg rated strap which is well below the vehicle weight ?

- thanks.

 

[Deleted member 1483]

I have winter tires on mine and I have done some pretty bad stuff. I would just invest in more aggressive tires.

Edit: Also remember to disable traction control.

 

[Snowbird]

From the post with Manual cited - " ........ do no use with metal hooks ........."

As typical with this vehicle and it's owner manual, it mixes and juxtaposes conflicting information with different models. All lumped together in the same manual. The XL does not have the front recovery hooks as shown in the illustration, so we are left with two 1 1/2-inch diameter holes in sheet metal. No evident explanation on how the holes should be used. Probably liability issues. How can a secure attachment be made without using a hook ? My existing tow straps are 3-inch wide and one set has a closed fabric loop, which wont work here, and the other has the beefy metal hook.

Anyone here have any experience using these holes to effect a recovery ?

Does anyone know if this hole point is a structural failure point if about 1,500 lbs of force slowly pull on a hook on it ? Will it hold or simply tear or bend the metal given the limitations of a 2,000-lg rated strap which is well below the vehicle weight ?

- thanks.

I was hoping someone would answer how to hook up to the holes because I am wondering the same thing.

 

[Delbert]

Soft shackles made of Dynema and some sort of chock or dowel rod inside the engine compartment would be best but a pain to hook up when you are stuck. Tow truck drivers carry big Crosby hooks, but they are better off around the control arm or axle.

I carry 1" webbing straps in my truck. If (when) I get stuck again I'll probably stick a loop of webbing through the hole and around a chunk of wood. The nylon straps will not scratch the paint and will probably be strong enough for a gentle pull. Get high quality tubular webbing with a 4k lb breaking stength. Not the stuff from harbor freight or northern tool that will break with at 500 lbs.

If I were hauling a ladder or canoe regularly and needed a bow strap. I'd figure a way to fix the strap permanently and slip it through the hole when I needed it.

 

[OleFordGuy]

From the post with Manual cited - " ........ do no use with metal hooks ........."

As typical with this vehicle and it's owner manual, it mixes and juxtaposes conflicting information with different models. All lumped together in the same manual. The XL does not have the front recovery hooks as shown in the illustration, so we are left with two 1 1/2-inch diameter holes in sheet metal. No evident explanation on how the holes should be used. Probably liability issues. How can a secure attachment be made without using a hook ? My existing tow straps are 3-inch wide and one set has a closed fabric loop, which wont work here, and the other has the beefy metal hook.

Anyone here have any experience using these holes to effect a recovery ?

Does anyone know if this hole point is a structural failure point if about 1,500 lbs of force slowly pull on a hook on it ? Will it hold or simply tear or bend the metal given the limitations of a 2,000-lg rated strap which is well below the vehicle weight ?

- thanks.

I was wondering the same thing. How are you going to get a tow strap in that small hole and then what are you securing it to? Seems its sheet metal, pull on that and it probably rips.

 

[Delbert]

You use a loop of 1" webbing to go through the hole and around a large blunt object like a stick of oak. The tow strap hooks to the webbing. The sheet metal is the unibody and is plenty strong as long as you don't use small hooks that deform the metal.

Here is a premade nylon one. It is easier to pop the hood and stick something through the loop. The tow hooks on the FX4 are bolted to the same unibody but with big brackets to spread the load.

 

[Snowbird]

You use a loop of 1" webbing to go through the hole and around a large blunt object like a stick of oak. The tow strap hooks to the webbing. The sheet metal is the unibody and is plenty strong as long as you don't use small hooks that deform the metal.

Here is a premade nylon one. It is easier to pop the hood and stick something through the loop. The tow hooks on the FX4 are bolted to the same unibody but with big brackets to spread the load.

Thanks for the answer.
Can you pop the hood and drop the webbing loop down through the hole?
I do not have a truck yet so I can not check.

 

[Delbert]

So I checked it out this afternoon. The hole is not accessible from the engine compartment and there is not much room above it to stick a chock through. The hole is in a heavy cross member. I think I'd use a hook even though the manual says not to. There just isn't any viable alternatives. I looked for plastic hooks, but there are none rated for the kind of stress that towing would produce.

 

[atomguy245]

Ok all you Maverick Hybrid drivers, reality time: Your truck is a CAR. Don't be taking it off road or through the mud. You bought the wrong truck for that. Sincerely, a fellow hybrid owner.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

So I checked it out this afternoon. The hole is not accessible from the engine compartment and there is not much room above it to stick a chock through. The hole is in a heavy cross member. I think I'd use a hook even though the manual says not to. There just isn't any viable alternatives. I looked for plastic hooks, but there are none rated for the kind of stress that towing would produce.

Would a BARN (Big $ss Rive Nut) work?

 

[Snowbird]

So I checked it out this afternoon. The hole is not accessible from the engine compartment and there is not much room above it to stick a chock through. The hole is in a heavy cross member. I think I'd use a hook even though the manual says not to. There just isn't any viable alternatives. I looked for plastic hooks, but there are none rated for the kind of stress that towing would produce.

Thanks for checking.

 

[Redneck Garage]

I was wondering the same thing. How are you going to get a tow strap in that small hole and then what are you securing it to? Seems its sheet metal, pull on that and it probably rips.

the small holes are for securing the vehicle on a roll back wrecker with T hooks. It allows the truck to be tied down without using a J hook which can sometimes damage the steering rack assembly.

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