AFE tow hook: snapped weld from nut and frame

A warning to all thinking about the AFE tow hooks. When installing the second one today, the weld on the nut inside the frame snapped. I was maybe no more than 40ft/lb of torque when this happened. The dealer stated there is nothing they can do about it and to take it to a local 4x4 shop. Shop told me to look for an access point which thankfully there is one right where the nut snapped off the frame. Just wild.

 

Could you just replace it all with a smaller bolt and nut?

 

Not sure. Dropping it off at a 4x4 specialty shop to work on it. Will update

 

This has absolutely nothing to do with AFE tow hooks.
Basically, from what I gather from your post is that a retaining nut or bolt for the sway bar bracket could have been rusted & the nut broke loose from the keeper??
Luckily, I had no issues installing mine, but the truck was new. So maybe a warning to soak bolts with penetrating oil?? What year is your truck? How many miles? Any corrosion issues?

 

2024 with 2300 miles

 

Hmmm, possibly crossthreaded from factory?? That's odd. Sucks that your dealer refused to fix it.
I installed mine at 1000 miles, bolts came out easy, and as per AFE instructions, I torqued them to 55ft. Lbs
Good luck with your repair & please post some pics.

 

i will for sure man and appreciate the reply. The specialty shop said that it will be easier regardless with the access port. Ugh, I can’t believe I did this I feel like an utter failure man.

 

It happens, sounds like it wasn't your fault. Sucks, but it could always be worse.
I'm not sure if those nuts are spot welded on, or if they have a metal keeper that holds them. Will be interesting to see.

 

There was a post on the sequoia forum about this exact thing. Apparently insurance had to get involved and they totaled out the vehicle.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/i-t...ront-afe-tow-hooks.148455/page-3#post-3735215

 

Same thing happened to me. POS design IMO, but also I made a bonehead mistake and as i was trying to reinstall the sway bar I hit the bolts with an impact after I got them started.

What i did was get a couple replacement bolts in similar dimension, put a lock washer on the bolt and drop it through the access ports, then thread a nut on from the bottom. Hardest part was keeping the lock washer on the bolt as you try and drop it in. Then keep some downward pressure as you tighten the nut. The lock washer will catch inside the frame.

You will need an extendable and flexible magnet to fish out the broke off weld nut and the new bolt lock washer when it doesn't make the hole and you have to try again.

My mistake was completely removing both sway bar mounting brackets. Do one side at a time and don't use an impact (contrary to multiple youtube videos)

 

happened to me installing the trd sway bar, i was in a hurry and hit it with an impact and cross threaded the bolts and i proceeded to hand crank and ithe bolt just snapped...local 4x4 drilled out the hole and welded in a new nut, chased all of it and was back on the road in about 90 mins.

 

I started to cross thread mine during install as well. I fortunately stopped in time and chased it with a tap. They have such fine threads on the bolts. I miss the ol' 1/2-13 days when you could thread it blind folded.

 

I always start by hand in lefty loosey...I feel for where the bolt and nut open thread overlap and then go righty tighty from there. You feel a lil jump in the bolt and then sits back down....never fails.

 

So here is the outcome from the nut that was welded inside the frame. Welded in three sections. All fixed now thankfully.

 

So I’m guessing they welded in a new nut in the hole. And what was the cost of the fix?

 

there is an access hole on the side of the frame above where the sway bar is. It is large enough and no drilling was needed on the frame to remove. It cost me a total of $300. I would say better than having to total out the truck like one user did…