Custom Front Recovery Points

[edsd90]

I have an ARB front bumper along with the Shrockworks front skid plate, and decided the original recovery hook hung down too far, so I designed my own front recovery brackets.
They are made from 3/8" steel plate, and mount into the front frame rail along with the bumper and skid plate. I cad plated them which will hold up better than powder coating.
Below are images showing the original Nissan recovery hook mounted on my truck, and my own design recovery points before and after installation.
They are very short and stout, and I have no doubt these will hold up to either a snatch strap or double-line winching.
Please go to my post on page two for a photo of the brackets with gussets added, greatly increasing their strength.

 

[08whitex]

Those look great :victory:

 

[XJINTX]

Nice job!!!!

 

[mcm4090]

Nice work.

 

[edsd90]

Mike - Coming from you, that's quite a compliment. Thanks!
You can look further, but won't find me showing off the Frontier other than here and Frontier Forum.
Your truck just keeps getting better and better. I've had my D90 for 15 years, and am still making changes to it, so keep it up.
There wasn't room in my first post, so attached is the shot showing how low the Nissan recovery hook hangs.

 

[4x4mike]

Very cool. How did you bend the steel?

Looks much better and easier to use than the factory hook.

 

[edsd90]

Very cool. How did you bend the steel?

Looks much better and easier to use than the factory hook.

I made a sample out of a thin sheet of aluminum, and took that to a local steel fabricator. Both sides are the same except for the mounting holes which are reversed. The shop I used specializes in heavy guage fabrication, so they laser cut and bent them for me. I did spend a few hours cleaning up and easing of the edges before plating, however.

 

[TNxterra]

I like those, but I have to ask. What kind of plating is that? I know you said cad plating, but what is that?

 

[Michael Slade]

hey those look pretty sweet!

 

[edsd90]

I like those, but I have to ask. What kind of plating is that? I know you said cad plating, but what is that?

Cadmium plating is an electoplating process that has very high corrosion resistance. It's properties have made it a standard for military and aviation use. I used it in this case because of the metal to metal contact with winch hooks and shackles. Paint or powder coat would not hold up, and I have an inexpensive souce for cad plating as well.

 

[MisterTinkle]

Those are very nice! Have any extra laying around?

 

[TNxterra]

Yeah, I like the look of those. I may have to make something like that for my setup...

 

[mcm4090]

Mike - Coming from you, that's quite a compliment. Thanks!
You can look further, but won't find me showing off the Frontier other than here and Frontier Forum.
Your truck just keeps getting better and better. I've had my D90 for 15 years, and am still making changes to it, so keep it up.

Ed you give me to much credit. I'm sure if people saw every thing you have done to your truck they would find yours more impressive.

 

[Blain]

Very cool! I was thinking of something for the front but couldn't come up with anything solid.

This is what I did for rear recovery mounts.
http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16363

 

[edsd90]

When the ARB engineer was here finalizing the front bumper, I mentioned my intentions to design some good recovery points, and he asked me to share what I did when the time came. I sent him the photos shown in my original post, and he came back recommending gussets be added to the bend to achieve the strength I was looking for.
I took them off, gusseted then cad plated again. James has seen the attached photo, and approves.