How safe/practical/stupid is it to pull my tracker around by it's control arms?

I don't see any other real easy-to-get-at points for hooking up a rope or winch cable.   Got stock bumpers....what should I hook it up to when I get it stuck?   

I'm determined to go sink it somewhere...so I can test out my new tires.

THANKS!

Don't try recovering using the control arms, you will bend them. The stock recovery point usually suffices but don't snatch from it.

So basically I am going to have to bolt steel plates on the frame rails...and get some rings/clevices.  No?


That's the quickest/easiest/cheapest thing I can think of.  I wouldn't mind cutting up my plastic bumper cover to put some rings on it either. 

Obviously, aftermarket options tend to be better/more convenient.
But
If you read the manual, they give you these options:

Frame hooks FTW!!!   

I've managed to rip my front tow point off when I was in the snow and decided to see if I could be pulled down the trail through the snow rather then backwards in my current tracks. 

If you plan on using the stock point very often, I would fire up a welder and put a couple more beads on it.  Just to help it stay in place.  Otherwise look at a new bumper, the ZOR one is a great deal for the price.  Your new bumper should have some solid tow points on it.

u r a tard

I ripped the rear one off my frame...it took a fair amount of abuse before it finally let go though!

I towed a Nissan Hustler King Cab once
I towed a Sierra 1500 Extended Cab out of the mud with a hefty snatch
I bent it down 90 degrees backing down a hill I couldn't climb and then pushed the hook into the ditch at the bottom of the hill
I got rear ended by a Silverado
Then finally I was snatching a Pathfinder with a broken tranny out of the mud and it went flying! Thankfully it didn't hit anyone or anything!

Now I have replaced it with your standard 10,000 pound towhook you can buy from any 4x4 store. I used one of the trailer hitch bolts and then drilled a new hole and welded the nut inside the frame since the back of my frame was ripped open from losing the factory tow hook. After I welded the nut inside the frame I tightened up both bolts and then I beat the frame end cover back into position and welded it shut again.

u r a tard

That's great advice.....thanks.     

u r a tard

What does that have to do with towing stuff? So tell me, RACER X, are you a spammer?

Anyways, on my tracker, I used the rear tow hook and low range to pull a dodge ram 1500 (that was lifted, but 2wd) out of a ditch . I would say it would be better to have the tow hook/loop centered between the frame rails so when you tow someone out, it doesn't pull the kick sideways.