How to Mount a Tow Bar on an S10
You can use an S-10 pickup to pull a trailer, but if you want to tow the S-10 itself, then you need to install a tow bar. This bar mounts on the front of the truck and allows it to be towed behind another vehicle without the need for a trailer or tow dolly. These tow bars also can be quickly removed when you're not towing the truck, so the overall look of the truck doesn't suffer.
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Things You'll Need
- 1/2-inch ratchet and socket
- Metal drill bits
- Drill
- Open-end wrench set
- Fishwire
- Tow bar kit
Instructions
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1
Crawl underneath the front bumper of the truck. Unbolt the factory tow hooks from the frame using the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket. Install a metal drill bit into the drill and enlarge the factory tow hook bolt holes on the frame to approximately 1/2-inch.
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2
Install the lower brace plate included with the kit, aligning the holes in the brace plate with the tow hook mount holes. Slide one of the receiver hitches through the air dam and inside of the frame horn. Slide the mounting bolts through the lower brace plate, through the holes in the frame and through the receiver hitches. Secure them in place using the hardware included in the kit and a 1/2-inch ratchet and socket. Repeat this process on the other side of the truck.
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3
Pull back the side fender braces with your hands and secure the side plates from the kit to the frame using the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket and the hardware included with the kit. If you have a 1998 or newer S-10 pickup, mount a carriage bolt in the flat plates included with the kit. Use the fishwire to pull the bolt and plate through the front of the frame horns and through the bolt holes. Then bolt the side plate in place using the hardware with the kit. Bolt the side plate to the lower brace using the kit hardware.
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4
Insert the tow bar mounts into the receivers using the pins and cotter pins included with the kit. Connect the safety cable to the receiver brace and the tow bar with the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket. Bolt the tow bar to the tow bar kit using the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket.
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