Since the Xterra only has a tow hook in the front with little choice of a tow point in the rear without a somewhat expensive modification, is there any issue with reverse yanking/towing? For example, a few months ago when it had snowed a small Chevy pick-up was not able to climb his drivway. Is there any problem with pulling in front of him, using a tow strap and reverse pulling him up the hill? Some people have told me that the reverse gears are significantly weaker than the forward gears, which is why you should never do anything like this. Is that true?

I've done some serious yanking from both directions, it's not an issue. Yeah, using the coast side of the gears isn't as optimal as the drive side, but they can take it.

As for a cheap and easy rear tow point, this has worked very well for me and is under $20:



Brent

Yeah when I get a chance to go wheeling I plan to use your method if I need to. Any reason why the reverse gears would be weaker than the forward gears? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. Are any trucks like that?

I dont think its the fact that the gears are "weaker", but I beleive that the ratio of reverse is higher than first drive gear. By this I mean that revers may be more comparable to second gear.

Quick comment, I assume this question is for those without a hitch? I just latch on to that, that thign aint goin nowhere

Yes. I don't have a hitch and don't want to spend that much money for what will be used primarily as a tow point.

I guess my question is, when I go wheeling, if I have to yank someone out or do any sort of yanking/towing, I won't have any trouble nor do any damage to the truck by using the front tow hook and having to reverse yank/tow?

it is not really a gear ratio isue, when you are driving forward, all the wear is on one side of the gears, from the tranny, xfer case, and diff.. coasting and reversing the wear is on the back side of the gears, (There is a little slop in all the gears where they mesh..) Coasting isn't an isue, there is almost no power involved, jsut engine breaking, driving in reverse with a heavy load is another story.. Will it hurt anything, proably not, it will just wear the back of the gears.. The way they are cut, one side is stronger then the other, so backing you are on the "weak" side of the gears.. That is why those that do a sas need to spec "reverse cut" diff gears.. so the strong side is used for exceleration..

And to clarify, reverse gear is typically even lower than first gear on most vehicles. On the X, reverse is 3.636:1, first is 3.580:1

Brent

boy, this subject heading...

I thought it would get attention.

So to clarify, when I go wheeling and need to yank someone out using the front tow hook and the reverse gears, my X will be okay? Or I will just the method OffroadX uses.

I put a rear tow-hook in, though I have never used it and I'm kind of afraid of using it since there is a risk to bending my frame.

I removed the tow hitch, since I got tired of banging it on everything, and used the same mounting holes to put in a Steel Horse hook.

[img]http://www.njax.org/image/id-1706/fpThumb-large[/img]
[img]http://www.njax.org/image/id-1708/fpThumb-large[/img]

It's only possible because I have a 3" body-lift.

And yes, I'm lame, I paint everything red. Goes with the black/red motif.