# Most ridiculous aftermarket add-ons **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2014, 8:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164 "2014-05-25T08:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/81 "2014-05-28T23:33:33Z")
" Tow Hooks " made from aluminum, for when you just have to get your ricer crapbox out of the ditch before the cops arrive. [http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/sale/aftermarketparts/Safety/Tow\_Hooks](http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/sale/aftermarketparts/Safety/Tow_Hooks) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/82 "2014-05-29T01:49:56Z")
Aluminum tow hooks. Now I’ve seen everything. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/83 "2014-05-29T02:27:07Z")
Not just plain old aluminum, > "manufactured in the USA and made from high quality AL6061-T6 billet aluminum. Each tow hook has a laser engraved logo, and also includes a laser engraved individual serialized number to guarantee authenticity." fancy aluminum ! ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/84 "2014-05-29T02:42:14Z")
LOL, true enough. I guess my priorities for tow hooks being on tensile strength are misplaced. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/85 "2014-05-29T03:40:32Z")
If they’re ‘authentic’ they MUST be great… ---
**Author:** ![kmccune](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/kmccune/32/1237_2.png) [@kmccune](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kmccune)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/86 "2014-05-29T03:44:10Z")
Spect’ they have plenty of tensile strength-Kevin ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/87 "2014-05-29T04:15:10Z")
I think you are saying these are not worth the investment? So a year ago a new hole was drilled in our fork on the forklift by a new mechanic, I was a little ticked at first, ruining the structural integrity of the fork etc. It was for a not sure the exact name, loop with a bolt. Have used it a few times to pull or lift with a strap, fork has not broken, so I guess I am ok with it, not like I can change it. ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/88 "2014-05-29T04:55:11Z")
shackle ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/89 "2014-05-29T06:43:35Z")
My tow hook is in the trunk. Maybe I should take it out and paint it pink and mount it. Naw. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/90 "2014-05-29T06:47:56Z")
I’m saying that if I were going to put tow hooks on a vehicle of mine I’d go with steel rather than 6061-T6. Steel, any steel, has far greater tensile strength. I will admit that aluminum looks prettier, but I’ve always thought of a tow hook as being functional rather than pretty. Many years back there was a guy that got himself stuck while out 4-wheeling. He had a J-hook on the front of his frame, but since the hole spreads in the hook were different from those on his truck frame, he only used one bolt. His buddy attached a nylon strap to the J-hook and to his own rear J-hook. While trying to pull the guy’s truck out, the bolt broke. The J-hook came through the lead truck’s rear window, striking the driver in the back of his head. I can’t remember whether he was killed or severely brain injured, but it was one of those. With tow hooks it’s foolhearty to go for looks rather than strength. A hook that lets go can kill. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/91 "2014-05-29T06:49:02Z")
Imagine the spouse or friend of an RV owner taking a look out the back window after a complaint of “it feels funny”, seeing a tow bar and the broken remains of 2 aluminum tow hooks dragging on the pavement, and a Jeep Cherokee nowhere in sight… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/92 "2014-05-29T07:03:30Z")
LOL, I’ll go to sleep with a chuckle on my puss tonight. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/93 "2014-05-29T07:21:39Z")
What the same says is not uncommon. One of my BILs is in the insurance business in South Dakota and more than once has had to pay a claim when a chain or hook broke and injured or killed one of the people. Got to be very careful to stay out of the way of those things. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/94 "2014-05-29T07:59:33Z")
The tow hook on page 8 is used to tow your drag race car to the pits on the return lane. For some reason the younger crowd is installing this as an accessory. The first time I saw one sticking out the back of a civic I thought he wanted his car to look like a wind up toy. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/95 "2014-05-29T08:07:29Z")
I didn’t see that on the hook’s website. Towing a dragster back to the pits after a run is an extremely low stress operation on the hook. For that application I’d have no qualms whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/96 "2014-05-29T08:19:55Z")
It has become a fake accessory, like a down force wing. I don’t think they want to market it as a useful or reliable device. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/97 "2014-05-29T17:46:41Z")
But for towing a car around the pits, the aluminum tow hook is perfectly fine. Even if you’re being pulled out of the kitty litter, it’s probably not going to overstress the hook even if it’s made of wood. If they need to tow your race car off the track for any other reason, it’s probably getting forklifted onto the back of a flatbed anyway 😉 ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/98 "2014-05-29T18:25:54Z")
Nevada, if they made that clear on their website I might agree. But they don’t. But that had nothing to do with my original comment on the hooks. I just found it amazing that someone would actually sell, and people would actually buy, an aluminum tow hook. In addition to towing 4X4s out of mud, tow hooks are used to attach safety chains to trailers, many carrying large boats, and many other applications that could easily overstress 6061-T6 and could easily get someone killed if they fail. Commercial users consider application and load strength on items like this, but there are countless laymen dragging large boats behind their cars with hitches and safety chains that they themselves put on, and the thought of their using aluminum is spooky. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/99 "2014-05-29T18:50:17Z")
I really doubt any of the rice racers I see around here with them are pulling anything but money out of their wallets. Oh yeah and don’t they just look sooo cooool LOL LOL. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164/100 "2014-05-29T18:51:34Z")
Ah, to be young again… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164.md?page=4) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/most-ridiculous-aftermarket-add-ons/85164.md?page=6)