Just curious, just how many xk8/R owners actually have their tow hook in the boot of their cars?

Also, for the tow hook attachment point, does yours have a plug or cover? Mine is just a open screw hole, it was ugly so I put a rubber plug in it to conceal it a bit.

 

Mine is missing. Does anybody know the size of the threads, so I might be able to purchase a replacement? Do not want to pay big $$ buying one from a dealer, just would be nice to replace with something from the hardware store.

 

Not sure about my tow hook.

But what I find interesting h20boy, is that your attachment point is so visible. I went to look at mine (because I didn't remember seeing one) and see that it is actually covered almost fully by my bumper. If I bring my line of sight below the bumper I can see it and it is just open, there is no cover.

 

Have we run out of things to talk about?????

 

Same here! H2O, looks like your bumper is raised a bit. You have more top clearance over your tailpipe finishers also.

 

Yes we have gus, at least we're not talking about tensioners or transmissions. Its a neutral topic...one that I was always pondering. Looks like the bumper was redone from '01-'03

 

It may be a mundane topic - but I didn't discover that mine was missing until I needed it for a tow (3rd owner!)! You can be there is one in the kit now. Cost from a non-dealer repair shop = $50. I'm sure I could have done better at a local parts store if I had known what I was looking for.

Have you checked your kit lately? DaleD

 

2003 XK8 4.2
Bought last July. No tow hook. Ordered from main Jag. dealer. Supplied wrong size, about 16m. Replaced with correct size about 20m but it was right handed thread. Should be left handed ! I'm still waiting and this has been going on for 3 months.
I will phone them today. Thanks for the original post for reminding me.
You would have a real problem if you needed a tow without the hook !

 

Would love to see what a 'real' tow hook is suppose to look like for our cars, and specs on it would be great. Me and my service writer looked in a few boots in their garage, and all of the xk8s had the tow hook missing. I looked on ebay w/o any luck, someone must be sitting on a ton of them.

Left hand thread is what I thought.

 

My tow hook has been installed below the bumper as long as I have owned the car. I didn't know they could be removed until I read this post. I think I'll just leave it since it's pretty invisible and I'd probably lose it if it was taken off.

 

I received two in a bag with the XKR. I just checked. Thread is 3/4 x 10 nc.
There are body painted covers front and rear.

 

My Car has a different type of Hook that is welded to the Frame and oriented Horizontally. Probably the same for 1997-2000.

 

I would like to have one and will be ordering it soon. I had my car towed 2 times and both times we needed the hook in the front. Pulling the car onto the rollback without it was not what I wanted to do. I had great deal of concern about the pulling and tugging in areas that were not designed for that type of stress and abuse.

 

thanks RJAG, not exactly what I was envisioning at all.

Is that reverse thread also?

 

The thread is regular right hand. I was planning on using the front one for a licence plate mount by welding a licence plate bracket onto a similar bolt.

 

If the thread size is 3/4 X 10nc there's many forged eye bolts that would work. they are considerably cheaper than $50.00 Here's one link. but do get a forged or welded bolt. I have four on my work truck, I figured they would have been metric.
http://www.boltdepot.com/product.aspx?cc=37&cs=190&cm=102&cd=271

 

Umm... theirs one for the front?

 

The original ones for the early MYs were a cast unit Part #HJA4333AA. The HJA4333AB is the same thread but a larger welded loop and were fitted to late 90s/early 2000s. Later cars (2003?>) had a Welded unit with a larger loop and left hand threads Part #HJA4333AC (these also fit the S-Types and New XJ etc.). The XK came with 2 towing eyes and the PDI (PRE DELIVERY INSPECTION) process was to include putting one in the tool kit in the boot in the stowage tray. The other was usually thrown in a pile next to your tool box. I must have had a hundred left over and gave most to Wrecker Drivers so they could hook up to the Jags without looking under the spare wheel for the towing eye. You had to remove the spare wheel to place the towing eye and I guess some (most) people are lazy so they were not included during PDI. Most customers will never remove the spare wheel let alone care about the towing eye so it would never be missed was the reasoning. I think the thread is 20X2.5mm for the early right hand thread. The later ones are smaller diameter left hand very coarse thread. I hope this helps.

bob gauff

 

Bob, you're in Decatur (I drive that way to go to Runaway Bay)...got any stashed away for my car? I hate not having a complete emergency kit. And, i've had my spare down twice while I repaired my curb rash on my wheel. That qualifies me to own one, right?

 

I did a search for one of the part numbers, and found this page from jagbits, HEY, there's a correct cover!! (though I'm not paying $116 for it)