In the past I have needed to hook to the front of the van to pull it out of mud or such. This typically happens when a trailer it also hooked to the van. I am looking for options to easily hook a recovery strap to the front of the van. I know about the T-hooks but when using them I can't find an easy way to run the strap out the front. Is there a front tow hook option or is a front receiver the way to go?

Thanks,

Michael
'05 E350 V-10

 

Front receiver is probably your better bet. You could get some aftermarket hooks on there and anchor them to the frame by removing the front bumper and drilling holes into the frame, then reinstalling the bumper. The front end past the spring buckets isn't really structural anyway (as evidenced by the fact it has to be reinforced when converting to 4wd).

The only major downside is the frame directly behind the bumper is actually intentionally weakened to absorb damage in a crash, and you would have to plate over that section for maximum strength.

Edit to add: The aftermarket front receivers typically require 2 extra holes to be drilled anyway.

 

Put a front recever on it. It is prety easy to get acess to the inside of the frame rails for the bolts/nuts.Just have a chain hook welded onto a piece of 2" sq tube for the hitch part.

 

Was under my '98 F150 4X4 today & noticed how the formidable looking OEM forged Tow Loops are. They're attached to the frame's front extensions. The bolts just don't look equal to the massive Tow Loops. Just 2 bolts thru the bottom of the 'box' frame, no doubt w/robust 'captive nut' back up plates.

Would be tough to modify things so these Tow Loops could work on Econoline, but bolted on the same way they'd probably be virtually as strong.

Problems are: Front of E frame is closed by a plate the bumper bolts to, so you'd need to cut windows to sneak in custom back up plates, AND bumper extends much lower than F, so you'd either need to cut opening thru bumper, or fabricate spacer to lower Loop & thus weaken attachment.

I've put chain right around E front cross member.

 

i have a front reciever on mine, and i love it. it gives me so many options, including the option of mounting a winch onto the reciever, and removing it when i don't need it

 

I failed to state: The bumper is held on with 2 bo;ts on each side. Remove those 2 bolts and the inside of the frame rail is open. Ive got front hitches on all 3 of my vans. 2 of them were "universal" type recievers and one I fabricated from something I took off another vehicle.

 

I ordered a front hitch for around $150. Seems like the simple solution.

Michael
'05 E350

 

You are really going to love the front hitch,especialy if you mpve trailers around.I have a boat storage biz in the winter and summer trailer storage biz and you cant believe how EASY it is to move trailers around.An old bass fisherman clued me into the front hitches; the drive wheels are always on dry launch ramp!. You willnot be sorry for the front hitch. rick

 

For those of you that have a front receiver, what kind of tongue weight do you experience?

Considering getting one on my van to possibly help get my camper into its storage area easier but tongue weight may be an issue.

Rob

 

Tongue weight isn't an issue for a front receiver. You're pushing the trailer at a walking speed. If your trailer's tongue weight is that heavy, maybe you need a lighter trailer ? I just put a Curt front receiver on mine, two holes need to be drilled larger (to 1/2") and the heads on the grade 8 carriage bolts need to be ground off on one side to feed them into the oval holes in the frame, other than that mounting it is a piece of cake.