So I thought it would be a good idea to fit one to Project Shed.
The first question: tow-eye or tow-strap? I decided to use a TRS tow-strap: it is more pedestrian friendly if you leave the thing in place. And it weighs less. Probably.
Next question: where to mount it.
If you have ever undertaken a google search, you find that the commonest way people attach these is using the bumper-bar mounting screw. I am not convinced that this is a good idea: the bolt is likely to be low tensile (6.8) steel, and at risk of failure. Plus it is also probably only M10 in size, and rather puny when you consider the loads that towing are likely to put through it.
On the MGF, using the bumper bar mount for the bumper is even less helpful, because the big bolt behind the indicator lenses is on the "wrong" side of the crash can: attempting to tow using this mounting point would most likely rip the bumper off.
Since we want to recover the car and not the just the front bumper, we need somewhere else, preferably somewhere sturdy.
Interestingly, the front subframe has a 3mm steel protrusion from its front cross member on both sides that I think should be ideal for this purpose.
So I purchased an adjustable TRS tow-strap from Demon-tweaks, a 40mm M12 high-tensile bolt and nut with washers from the bay of fleas and set to work
TRS adjustable tow-strap:
Here's the hole, after painting the exposed metal with some smoothrite paint:
Now I need somewhere for the strap to pass through the bumper. A bit of measuring later, a bit of drilling and some finishing later, I have a 60x6mm slot in the front bumper
And here, with the TRS strap pushed through the bumper slot (that I made earlier!):
The only problem is for people with front fog lights fitted: the strap exit point is where your front fogs are currently fitted...
But otherwise a very easy, straight forward job! I didn't cut off the excess strap, and instead rolled it up, and secured up out of the way using a cable tie.Hope this is of some help to someone!
