Several years ago we had a battery go out of the XK8 and after reading the manual decided to have the car towed to the dealer. The tow company came out with a ramp style truck and indicated they needed a tow hook to winch up the car.

When we checked the trunk kit we discovered there was no tow hook in the kit. So off to the dealer I went to get one and had to pay $60 to get the one that screws into the frame opening. Dealer was about an hour away so it cost a lot of time and money before the car was in the dealers hands.

They charged me $200 for the battery installed. The manual indicated if you disconnect the battery you will have to reprogram the radio with the security code, the limit switches on the windows, etc so that was why the car went to the dealer.

These tow hooks tend to disappear if you do not watch them carefully. My second one was gone too and nobody seemed to have a clue as to who had it. Now I have a third one and this one I intend to engrave with my name or the serial number of the car. At least put on my name with a big black permanent marker like I do all my hand tools.

Folks don't have the tendency to put your tools in their box on a permanent basis if you have them marked up pretty good.

Check your trunk, do you have that tow hook???

If not you will have a big hassle if you break down out in the boonies.

 

I pulled the battery for winter storage this year. All that you would need to reprogram are your radio presets and the windows (down and hold, then up and hold for each one) and you would be back in business.

Good point on the tow hook though. I've yet to check for mine. I do know that the early cars (through 2000 I believe) have the rear tow hook attached to the trunk floor and it is non-removable.

 

The tow hooks are part of the shipping tie down system for the trip to the US. As part of the pre-sale preparation the technician is instructed to place the hook in the tool kit in the car. A Jaguar tech admitted most go into some box somewhere. That's where I got mine.

 

My dealer uses a few as paperweights in the shop. People ask what they are and BAM, a sale!

I seem to recall that they are left-threaded, too.

 

My 97 has a rear tow hook. I have not checked to see if the front one is in the trunk or not. I should go look. lol

 

remember, motorcarman (Bob) has a for sale thread in the classified area, where he has many of those tow hooks, and offers them for sale...like $20, and has all the various types.

 

Back in April I joined this forum in order to answer Bob's classified for a tow hook....then I got permanently hooked

 

I'm 99% sure the same tow hook is used in both the front and back. You should unscrew the one from the back, check to make sure it fits the front, then put it in the little holder under the spare tire. It isn't supposed to be mounted all of the time.

 

There is actually a blanking plug to keep dirt and rust out of the threaded hole: Part number KPH100019, lists for 65 cents.

 

My rear Tow (Tie Down?) Hook is welded to the underbody. If there was a front Hook it isn't there now.

However, when I had to have the car towed several years ago (using a tilt-bed truck) the operator had no problem connecting the Winch Lead to the front of the car. I believe he had a Nylon Strap looped around one of the front suspension arms. There was no damage to the car.

 

The early cars had 2 tow eyes in the front and the welded one in the rear. We removed them from the front during New Car PDI and placed one (supposedly) in the boot and threw the other in a pile, a box, the trash etc...

We then put the little plastic 'plugs' in the threaded holes.

bob gauff

 

Sam, on the early cars (through 2000 I think) the rear hook isn't screwed in, but permanently attached.



Here is a picture that shows it. Ignore how dirty the car is