[MobileMountainHuette]

This is probably a bad idea but here it goes, could the front Jack points be used with a couple of shackles and a 2" recovery strap to give my rig a pull if needed. Here's a pic I stole from another article on this site.
Any chance this would not tear up my 350HD?

 

[kazuo]

That is the strongest attachment point on the frame. The hole and slot are intended to be used with a hook or a shackle.
Have not needed it yet, but that's where I will attach my shackle and use a recovery strap to pull me out.

 

[kazuo]

Here is a carton picture of the jack-lift brackets:

With the help of an assistant, remove and discard the 4 transmission support crossmember bolts, position aside the 2 jack-lift brackets and remove the transmission
support crossmember.
Torque:
1: 148 lb.ft (200 Nm)

 

[carringb]

You can use those holes with a mini-J hook for doing forward pulls. Do you attempt any sort of side pull off those.

You can also just wrap the K-frame with choker.

 

[MobileMountainHuette]

You can use those holes with a mini-J hook for doing forward pulls. Do you attempt any sort of side pull off those.

You can also just wrap the K-frame with choker.

That’s great thanks much, I’m still a little worried about tearing up the plastic on the front of the lower part of the bumper but at least I have an option now. Ideally I would like to have a very small foot print with a receiver hitch upfront. The van Compas receiver hitch is nice but a little too pricey. Has anyone else come out and affordable receiver hitch for a 2020 HD 350?

 

[ranxerox]

Those holes on that bracket are what the wrecker driver used to pull my transit up on the flatbed wrecker when my throttlebody went bad, I gave him the keys but he just drug it up there in park.

 

[ranxerox]

That’s great thanks much, I’m still a little worried about tearing up the plastic on the front of the lower part of the bumper but at least I have an option now. Ideally I would like to have a very small foot print with a receiver hitch upfront. The van Compas receiver hitch is nice but a little too pricey. Has anyone else come out and affordable receiver hitch for a 2020 HD 350?

Build your own.

front hitch build

after being disappointed with no good options for a front hitch receiver, i decided to build one for light duty use. bike rack for now. its made out of 2" square tube 1/4" wall cross member. the cross member has a 1/2" angle on either end. the receiver tube is 12" long from harbor freight...

www.fordtransitusaforum.com

 

[Stokeloafvan]

I've used those attachment points with a strap and shackle when I got stuck once. Worked just fine. As mentioned try to keep the direction of pull in line with the van.

 

[austincobrafreak]

I've used those attachment points with a strap and shackle when I got stuck once. Worked just fine. As mentioned try to keep the direction of pull in line with the van.

Did you pull it from both points or just one point?

 

[Stokeloafvan]

Did you pull it from both points or just one point?

Just one point. It wasn't a super hard pull but no damage was done. We were stuck in 8-10 inches of sloppy clay muck. It was a really nice campsite in the Utah desert but it rained in the night and turned the whole thing to soup. Luckily a guy came along in a older 4Runner and got us out without a problem. Every scenario is different but if it were a really ugly situation you may want to use both points. Realistically it's a 9000lbs, 21ft long, 2wd cargo van so you're unlikely to get into a really bad situation just unless you're asking for it.

The worse part of the whole deal is the location of those point means I had to get down and crawl under the van in the mud to attach the strap.

 

[MobileMountainHuette]

Just one point. It wasn't a super hard pull but no damage was done. We were stuck in 8-10 inches of sloppy clay muck. It was a really nice campsite in the Utah desert but it rained in the night and turned the whole thing to soup. Luckily a guy came along in a older 4Runner and got us out without a problem. Every scenario is different but if it were a really ugly situation you may want to use both points. Realistically it's a 9000lbs, 21ft long, 2wd cargo van so you're unlikely to get into a really bad situation just unless you're asking for it.

The worse part of the whole deal is the location of those point means I had to get down and crawl under the van in the mud to attach the strap.

Wow that's good news, sounds like the points can handle the load for sure. I'll look around for a couple of recovery hooks that will bolt on. The holes are spaced at about 2.5"s which makes it bit hard to find a hook.
cheers

 

[kazuo]

In 2019 Ford added a Rear Tow point, right hand side only. So pulling from one point up front should be fine. With some common sense thrown in. Although common sense is not that common.

 

[kazuo]

Pick up a Shackle or two. Attach when needed, and a recovery strap.

 

[ranxerox]

There are lots of Transit rear tow loops on Ebay from people who have installed trailer hitches.

 

[MobileMountainHuette]

I picked up a couple of shackles, afterword's thought a couple of bolted on tow hooks instead would give me one less thing I would have to do by just hooking a loop instead of making up a shackle. I must be getting lazy.

 

[EddieZ]

I wanna get one. Looking underneath my 2015, I'm not seeing a matched set of holes in the "frame" extension. The 2015 pre-dates the tow loops. I can see drilling holes, but, getting nuts in there could be a challenge. Anyone have insight on this? Or, a pic of the underside?

There are lots of Transit rear tow loops on Ebay from people who have installed trailer hitches.

 

[kazuo]

 

[EddieZ]

...pics...

Thanks! OK, I have the forward, ready-to-tap hole. No hole for the rear. That'd be easy enough to remedy...

...BUT there's another difference that may be relevant to others contemplating a retro-fit: on mine, that "frame" doubler that wraps around 3 sides, and through which a bolt goes into the ready-to-tap hole -- the doubler stops about 2 1/2 inches short of the bumper (it ends where the bolt-through ears end, in the above pics).

One could add a spacer to get the recovery mount to lay flat. But, the finished install will be weaker than what the factory has installed. You can't just replace the doubler with the newer piece, as they are spot-welded in place.

The recovery mount has a 3rd hole. If the mount is slid forward, it looks like -- with the forward hole -- they may match the TWO ready-to-tap holes shown. It may have been designed with this in mind. Then, possibly drill for the rear hole, and use a spacer, and it's now much less relevant.

 

[kazuo]

Here some pictures of the Left bumper mount. Front hole not taped, No rear mounting hole, and the doubler that stops short.

 

[EddieZ]

...and, here are pics of an OEM recovery loop, to retrofit onto a 2015 Transit 250 LWB. No, it does not actually "fit," in spite of my logic (that the 2 tap-holes would have the same spacing as the frontmost tow loop holes), and the ebay listings all stating that the recovery loop fits all years.

The spacing on the recovery loop for the tap-holes needs to be at least 3/16 inch greater. And, if one wanted to run a primary or 3rd bolt through the rearmost hole in the non-doubler area (must be enlarged, with filler plate to take up gap) the spacing is also not a match to either of the frontmost holes.

I will oval out the frontmost hole. Not sure I'll add a 3rd hole to the rear.

The asking price for these on Ebay is now $35 to $40, delivered plus tax. In checking recent sales, it's clear that there's not much demand. Probably anyone with an older Transit that wanted one, has already gotten it. I used "make offer," and got one for $25 delivered, including tax.