This tow hook is meant for pulling your buddys out if they get stuck or hooking a strap up and pulling someone home if they break down.It actually comes in really handy if you like off-roading or around the house jobs like grading a dirt driveway.

Step 1: Materials

I started with a 12000 lb tow capacity reese hitch and a crane hook that can hold 15 tons. These materials were free to me but you can find the reese hitch at any auto store, and my crane hook came from a industrial construction site that my father works on but you can find them online.The hooks and hitches are not cheap at all so unless you have free materials or them just laying around I wouldn't recommend doing this project.

Step 2: Cutting and Grinding

I had to cut the hook and the hitch so that I had a flat surface that matched up on both pieces. Then i took a grinder with a grinding rock and taper the sides of the hook so that i could have a little more surface area to weld. This makes the welds stronger. Also i grinned any paint that was on the hitch or hook so that your welds stick to the metal and not the paint.If the hook has a clip over the hole I would suggest taking that off before cutting grinding or welding on the hook because you could heat up the spring inside the clip and deform it.

Step 3: Welding

First off make sure you have proper safety equipment. Before welding go a head and tack weld your hook up i put 3 tacks down each side and 2 on top and bottom of the hook.Then depending on the metal preheat the metal with a torch and make sure to get it really hot I would recommend about 20 mins of preheating.Then make sure that your welder is welding really hot because you want good penetration with the weld so it sticks good. Then start welding it up I recommend putting 10 passes on each side and 6 on top and bottom of the hook try to stack the welds on top of each other and fill in all if the taper area you made with the grinder.

Step 4: Finishing

Before you go pulling on your new tow hook let your welds settle and air cool for a full day. This gives your welds time to settle and cool. In the long run it will benefit you because your hook won't break as easy when you go pulling on something. But after you let the hook cool you should be good to go and if you want to grind the welds a little and paint it then go for it, and there is your tow hook.