I ahave a set of tow hooks to put on my stock escudo but i cant seem to find anywhere on the chassis to mount them. How have others gone about it with their escudo/sidekicks ?

Go to a truck supply store and get the weld-on
tiedown D-rings, they are about 2" (50mm) wide,
cut the top of the weld-on plate close to the
bend where the ring swings from, see photos.


You will need 2 pieces of steel plate 1/8" (3mm)
thick 2"x4"  (50mmx100mm) to cap the frame ends.

Remove the Factory tow hoop, use an angle grinder
or a torch if you want, just get it off and clean up the
frame nice so you get a good weld.

Now weld the cap plates you cut out, all around the
edges of the frame end. Now weld the D-rings mount
plate on, cut side of mount plate is up, of coarse make
sure the D-ring is in place before welding, weld the
edges of the mount plate and also weld around inside
the bolt hole to the endcap plate.



Now you have a bulletproof tow hook that won't get snagged
on somthing like the stock hoop could, and you can hook
from either side, I recommend a short strap or chain to
hook between the two D-rings to pull with, the frame
tends to get misaligned if you pull on one side hard enough.

OK now have at it

thanks for the advice Wildgoody I might get into it today.Another thing I hant to know is there any sites that give details on how to rig a air compressor using the existing air conditioning unit. I have been told its a very effective supply of air .

You have A/C and live in NZ?
Dang I live in a hot California area
and got none  

OK, you can't use the A/C and have an air
compressor at the same time, you have to
sacrifice one for the other, unless you have
2 A/C compressors installed.

Set up the compressed air tank somewhere
on the truck, with a high pressure cutoff switch.
Wire the A/C compressor so you can turn it off
too.

Disconnect the lines and find the Low side, this
is suction, and where the air filter should go, or
if you want, pull the air in from your engine air
filter, your choice. The other side is where the tank
gets connected to, now you will also need to plumb
the air outlet to connect tools, airchuck to fill tires
as well as another one for your Air Lockers

I saw a guy here that had a 3 Gallon air tank
mounted under the sidekick above the top
control arm, enough room and out of the way.

You should also instal a check valve at the in
port on the tank, this keeps air in the tank if
the compressor has a slight leaking valve.

Good Luck
Darrin

WOW  That is too ez not to do.  of corse i will have to put a A/C compressor on my Tracker.  Thanks alot.  I have SO much to do this winter.  YAY!!!

P.S. has any one done this on thair Side/Tracker(hehe).  Any one got any pics???

Hey wild,

 What about an oiler on the intake side and a oil seperator on the outlet side of the compressor? Some compressors need this and some dont. I dont know what type of compressor Trackers/Kicks have but its something to consider.

Later,
Bill

Most have some kind of ester oil
in the crankcase, and is not compatable
with conventional oil, so I don't know if
that would be a problem.

A friend of mine did this on his Heep and he just adds a little air tool oil each time he uses it. I dont know how he set it up but I will try to find out.
Zig

Thans again wild ,now the next thing .I have been told that a roll cage makes the best air tank . But as I dont have one will a air tank of a truck do the trick. And also would I need to get a specialist to disconnect the existing ac plumbing .

one more thing totally unrelated but have to share it. A mates Toyota Hilux blew its engine the other day miles from home so as you would expect the little escudo came to the rescue and towed it home, If only I had my camera.

An air tank from a truck... well if it were
small enough, I have seen them in all
sizes, the smallest is usually the "wet"
tank, which is the first tank that the
compressed air goes to, all the mositure
condences there so it is easy to drain the
water out daily.

I don't think I have seen a rollcage used as a
air tank, but I have seen a tube bumper as one.
As long as the thing holds air, sure kill 2 rocks with
one bird, enginuity, thats what makes trick zooks!!

And a specialist to drain the A/C, you should
if you have R-12 freon, as the ozone is getting
battered by it's release, R-134 is supposed to
be better, but as a concerned citizen of this
planet, have the freon recycled, they might even
pay you a little for it, R-12 is worth $40 a Lb here.

Choice ayy,
Darrin