[Midnightsky228]

Guys Im 1 foot deep, stuck/high centered in the snow, Mazda did not give me a tow hook for the front, local Mazda parts does not have any available locally and cannot tell me what the thread pitch/size is. I have been looking far and wide to find the thread pitch/size of a 2017 Mazda 3 front tow hook so I can try local auto parts stores before they close. Does anyone know what the thread pitch/size is? HELP!!!!!!

 

[CerealKiller]

M18 x 2.5

Google rocks.
CK

 

[Midnightsky228]

M18 x 2.5

Google rocks.
CK

Apparently my Google skills need some polishing, i spent the last 20 minutes searching and couldn't find that for a 2017 Mazda 3, I dunno what to say lol. But thank you very very much

 

[CerealKiller]

I got lucky and found a universal jdm tow hook that the site said fit a 2017 Mazda 3 and it included all of the sizing details.
CK

 

[Midnightsky228]

I got lucky and found a universal jdm tow hook that the site said fit a 2017 Mazda 3 and it included all of the sizing details.
CK

Nice, ya Im looking for one now locally. I ended up calling a tow truck who had to hook my left wheel using a low line and winched me out, had to use his special traction plate under the rear to anchor the truck down while it winched me. I'll be getting a tow hook asap now.

 

[CerealKiller]

I'm glad you made it.

We are getting rain down here in so cal today, but nothing that severe.

I hope you can stay warm.
CK

 

[Midnightsky228]

I'm glad you made it.

We are getting rain down here in so cal today, but nothing that severe.

I hope you can stay warm.
CK

Its about 5C outside, probably 10C in the sun, clear and sunny, really nice day actually. The snow on top is now starting to melt and making it soft on top and ice on the bottom. There is just a TONNN of snow still and not warm enough to melt it quickly. Probably another 2 weeks before it's all gone. Then another month or so before summer tires can go back on the car.

 

[arathol]

Nice, ya Im looking for one now locally. I ended up calling a tow truck who had to hook my left wheel using a low line and winched me out, had to use his special traction plate under the rear to anchor the truck down while it winched me. I'll be getting a tow hook asap now.

Be careful with that "tow hook". Its not supposed to be used as such really. Its intended use is as a tie down point during shipping, thats why it usually doesn't come with the car.

 

[Midnightsky228]

Be careful with that "tow hook". Its not supposed to be used as such really. Its intended use is as a tie down point during shipping, thats why it usually doesn't come with the car.

Its attached to the frame, should it not be safe to carefully extract a car stuck in snow using that as a mounting point for an extraction strap? Is the wheel a better attachment point?

 

[rtware923]

I think the main reasoning is that the threads aren't built to hold the weight of the car

 

[MeteorGray]

Perhaps using a nut threaded to the end of the hook and screwed hard against the frame would prevent the threads from being pulled out. This might work if the threaded portion of the hook can be accessed from the back and if it is long enough for the nut to fit.

 

[Back2Mazda]

Also, removing the car from a ditch with the tie-down bolt is not necessarily 'towing' the vehicle, especially if a winch is used to extract it.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has an official response from Mazda concerning the problem: How do I extract my car from a ditch?

 

[Midnightsky228]

Also, removing the car from a ditch with the tie-down bolt is not necessarily 'towing' the vehicle, especially if a winch is used to extract it.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has an official response from Mazda concerning the problem: How do I extract my car from a ditch?

Im going for an oil change this week sometime or early next week, I will ask them and see what they say.

 

[Existence_Inc]

I am fairly certain that Mazda doesn't provide them for any vehicles in the US. I managed to snag an OEM one that shipped with a car on accident (fits in the cut-out). I imagine people were using them as load bearing hooks and damaging the cars, which may be why they are no longer providing them. I keep mine in the care for the just-in-case moment you described.

~Ex

 

[MeteorGray]

The factory supplied a hook for my '15, sold in the USA.

 

[2017mazda3]

My 2017 didn't come with one but the manual states they are only used for tie down during shipping...I thought it was interesting but yet confusing they mentioned it in the manual but I guess enough people ask.

 

[Trilliwilli]

My Dutch manual clearly states otherwise: the towhook can be used in emergency's, for instance towing out of the snow.
The car came with two towhooks, a short and a long one.

The big difference here is the sueing culture in the US. The manufacterers don't want to be sued when someone damage his car using the towhook. Not everebody does this in the right way, when this leads to damage, it is easy to say that the manufacterer constructed it wrong.

Imagine someone not using a winch on a towtruck but a large V8 pickup truck with a chain trying to pull someone out.

It is clearly not the right way, but many Youtube videos prove otherwise unfortunately.
When the towtruckcompany uses the mounts for tying down the car it is their responsibility if the car gets damaged.

I think if you can get a hold on a towhook, and pull in a staight direction you can safely get the car out without a problem.

 

[BRashland]

Looks like Amazon has OEM tow hooks available.
And plenty of generic ones as well....