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Old 12-30-2020, 12:43 PM   #1
Chi_San
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Member#: 53558
Join Date: Jan 2004
Chapter/Region: NWIC
Location: Deadford, OR
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2005 Baja Turbo
White/Silver/Black 3tone

Default "Front Tow Hook" is a stupid joke. Thanks Subaru.

I've got a busted Axle. I'm waiting for a tow truck. Instead of destroying my center diff, I was going to borrow a front tow hook, and have the tow truck winch the thing on the deck...

So I pulled the front tow hook cover.

There's nothing there.

Why the everliving ****, Subaru?

Googling this gives thousands and thousands of pages of results for the tow hook cover. Nothing shows how to install it, because, there's nothing to install. The front bumper cover is literally a solid piece of plastic under the 'Tow Hook' cover...
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Old 12-30-2020, 05:50 PM   #2
Lt. Dan
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silver

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You'll find the "tow hook" with your jack and tools behind the rear seat
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Old 01-08-2021, 09:39 PM   #3
Chi_San
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lt. Dan View Post
You'll find the "tow hook" with your jack and tools behind the rear seat
There isn't one. I looked.

There also isn't a place to screw a tow hook in. Which was actually what this thread was about. I guess I was so mad that I forgot that.

At the dealer, after having the axle replaced, I asked the service writer to look at it, and he was completely baffled.

I'll post pics tomorrow if I can remember to.
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Old 02-02-2021, 01:01 PM   #4
Patrikman
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Regatta Red/Silverstone

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Mine has a hook in the tool pouch and there is definitely a place to screw it into.
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Old 02-02-2021, 06:43 PM   #5
KillerBMotorsport
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2005 WRX/STi
WRB of course

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I know with the GD models if you remove the bumper beam (which many do for FMIC and other reasons) you loose the threads where the tow hook screws into. Maybe that happened here? I have seen other models where the tow hook threads were in the lower grill, not under the access panel. Strange.
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Old 02-03-2021, 04:22 AM   #6
Chi_San
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerBMotorsport View Post
I know with the GD models if you remove the bumper beam (which many do for FMIC and other reasons) you loose the threads where the tow hook screws into. Maybe that happened here? I have seen other models where the tow hook threads were in the lower grill, not under the access panel. Strange.
It's really silly since the little door panel has the words "TOW HOOK" on it.

Anyway, I forgot to upload pics... And now it's like 2 AM, so that won't happen tonight. XD
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Old 02-03-2021, 10:35 PM   #7
Pumkin
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I wonder if the car was in an accident and replaced with a nine oem bumper this covering up the tow hook.
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Old 02-04-2021, 04:23 AM   #8
Chi_San
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pumkin View Post
I wonder if the car was in an accident and replaced with a nine oem bumper this covering up the tow hook.
It appears to be an OEM bumper cover.

However, I am not sure entirely... I'll get pics up tomorrow.
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Old 02-04-2021, 03:59 PM   #9
Chi_San
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White/Silver/Black 3tone

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It's actually easier for me to get a video. So here you go.

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Old 02-04-2021, 04:38 PM   #10
blurred
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chi_San View Post
It's actually easier for me to get a video. So here you go.

Tow Hook nonsense - YouTube


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Old 02-28-2021, 06:43 PM   #11
Flowmastered87GL
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2005 Baja Sport
Regal Blue Pearl

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I've actually never pulled my cover off to look at mine. I hope I never have to.
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Old 03-30-2021, 02:10 PM   #12
steven765
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looks like it wasn't reinstalled after a new bumper
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Old 03-30-2021, 11:36 PM   #13
Chi_San
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steven765 View Post
looks like it wasn't reinstalled after a new bumper
Yeah. Not surprised. Whoever owned this before me trashed the crap out of it. I'm still fixing dumb crap with it, and I've had it for 2 years now.
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Old 03-31-2021, 05:58 AM   #14
KillerBMotorsport
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Isn't it that stamped steel bracket with a big hole in it? Looks like it's there.

Not all of them are the screw in type. For front or rear.
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Old 03-31-2021, 12:21 PM   #15
Chi_San
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2005 Baja Turbo
White/Silver/Black 3tone

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Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerBMotorsport View Post
Isn't it that stamped steel bracket with a big hole in it? Looks like it's there.

Not all of them are the screw in type. For front or rear.
The rear is easy. I've got a hitch mount, so I can just hook on to that...

The front bumper doesn't actually line up. It looks like the previous owner hit something and knocked the entire front end out of alignment. The fender mounting bracket that goes behind where the snorkus lived is folded in half. It kinda looks like someone tried to remove it and just destroyed it instead of unbolting it. Driver side bracket is still in tact, though.
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Old 04-10-2021, 10:10 AM   #16
Elbert Bass
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That 4 pin plug makes me think this vehicle was towed behind a motor home - this could ONLY be the case if the car is a manual. You can safely flat tow a Subaru manual transmission.

If that were the case then there would have been a tow bar bolted to the front frame in place of the crash bar. The tow hook probably interfered with the bar and was removed.
When they sold the car the tow bar was removed and they either forgot or did not have the tow hook to reinstall. If this is the case hopefully they reinstalled the crash bar - does the front bumper cover feel solid or does it have some bounce up and down when you push down on it?

Just my 10 cents from seeing this too many times on trade-ins and auction cars.
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Old 04-11-2021, 01:53 PM   #17
Chi_San
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2005 Baja Turbo
White/Silver/Black 3tone

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elbert Bass View Post
That 4 pin plug makes me think this vehicle was towed behind a motor home - this could ONLY be the case if the car is a manual. You can safely flat tow a Subaru manual transmission.

If that were the case then there would have been a tow bar bolted to the front frame in place of the crash bar. The tow hook probably interfered with the bar and was removed.
When they sold the car the tow bar was removed and they either forgot or did not have the tow hook to reinstall. If this is the case hopefully they reinstalled the crash bar - does the front bumper cover feel solid or does it have some bounce up and down when you push down on it?

Just my 10 cents from seeing this too many times on trade-ins and auction cars.
It's solid. Not lined up (sits about 1/8" low), but it's solid...

Guessing the first owners towed it. Then, second owners bought it for a college student. Then, when it got broken and mommy and daddy couldn't afford to properly fix it (it had 3 new coil packs and new plugs, with a persistent misfire on cylinder 3), they ditched it.

Ah well. If it doesn't have a crash bar, then at least it'll make a FMIC easier to jam in there.
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