As tempting as it is, the sway bar is NOT a recovery point. But with custom-designed brackets that attach without modification, newer Ford or aftermarket tow eyes can be added to older trucks.

'97-up Front Tow Hooks
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.

Ford used the same shape & mounting pattern for most 1/2-ton & lighter 4WD vehicles for about 2 decades, but the material & construction varied slightly. Some of these were also offered in chrome from the factory, and even more colors aftermarket. But these all fit & work with my mounting brackets. The short eyes don't extend much beyond the factory-style '92-96/7 air dam, so attaching things to them wouldn't be as easy and they wouldn't be good steps. Aftermarket shackle hooks that fit the same way are also available, but fasteners are not included.

F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

See also:
. . . .

All these shapes & materials of recovery points fit '92-96 Broncos with this bracket design, although depending on body mount condition, lift, and bumper alignment, some adjustments may be necessary. Especially for the imported shackle mounts, it may be necessary to cut a small section off the back of each bracket to lower the system so the mounts clear the bottom of the bumper. This bracket system won't fit on a leaf-spring front suspension truck. These brackets are not suited to F150s with sway bar tabs welded under the frame, or to coil-sprung F250s/350s without bolted sway bar plates inboard of the frame rails, but they WILL bolt up to all coil '92-96 F-series, and '97 >8500GVWR.



F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

Brackets shipping dimensions: 33x9x4" @19 lbs (plus tow eyes weight, if included)

Bumper, body, grill, & header removed for clarity.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.

These brackets allow many adjustments so they can fit variations in frame width, bumper height, and recovery point design. But virtually any towing eye that fits '97-20 F150s will fit '92-96 Broncos (& some '92-97 F-series) with these brackets.
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The side brackets are designed to sit on the Bronco sway bar tabs at "normal" height, which should also work for most body lifts. If the body mounts are collapsed (they should be replaced), or if the recovery points are too close to the bottom of the (properly-adjusted) bumper, then the entire system can be lowered by cutting off the distance needed (maximum of ~3/4" drop) at the area indicated in yellow from each side bracket. The crossbar can be mounted in any of 4 positions, but there may be interference with the ATF cooler tubes requiring slight bending of the tubes, or a small notch to be cut in the crossbar so the tubes don't rub it. For the best fit, the body & bumper should be centered on the frame, and the body mounts must be tight enough to keep it there (black Energy poly is recommended).



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Installation:
1) mark the bumper relative to the body for alignment later, using an alcohol-erase marker &/or low-adhesion painter's tape (e.g. 3M Blue)
2) pull the rubber air dam inside the bumper down & fold it back behind the core support, on top of the sway bar if present; the grill (five #2 Phillips screws) may also be removed for access from above
3) remove the 4 bumper arm nuts (21mm); straighten the bumper & its arms if necessary; (if present) cut 4 slits into the air dam (F2TZ-17626-A) where indicated in this photo album, score and fold the tabs rearward & down to allow the towing eyes to protrude
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4) sight across the frame rails along the bumper tabs and bend them into line with each other using a large adjustable wrench

5) place each side bracket behind the bumper tab with the back of the bracket resting on the sway bar tab and the flat side of the bracket against the frame rail (LHF & RHF markings visible); if necessary, mark then cut the plastic filler (F2TZ-17A861-A Right; F2TZ-17A861-B Left) below each headlight to clear the brackets

6) loosely install the bumper with its arms' 4 bolts back through the frame tabs & the side brackets; adjust the bumper UP as far as possible without touching the body
7) position the nut plates in the side brackets above the bottom holes; loosely start the rear towing eye bolts (15mm) up through the crossbar (in your selected orientation) & brackets up into the nut plates
8 ) push the eyes (or shackle mounts) through the air dam, & hook them onto the rear bolts; install the front towing eye bolts, & check for clearance below the bumper (which must be at its proper height to the body)
9) if there is interference, note the vertical distance needed to clear the bumper, then remove the bumper, bolts, & side brackets; cut the necessary clearance height (~3/4" max.) from the bottom rear of each side bracket, indicated in yellow in this image, then repeat steps 5-8
10) ensuring proper alignment to the body, tighten the bumper nuts (21mm) to 44-59 lb-ft

11) tighten all 4 tow eye bolts (15mm) to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
12) reset the rubber air dam from the core support into the bumper & remove/erase any alignment marks

Actual shipping dimensions: 33x9x4" @19 lbs (brackets only)
Cast iron eyes: 13 lbs/pr
Aluminum eyes: 6 lbs/pr
Fabricated steel: 12 lbs/pr
Fabricated short: 7.5 lbs/pr
Imported shackle mounts: 10 lbs/pr

These '92-96 bumper mounting tabs are bent, like most. They should align perfectly with each other, which is easy to correct with a large (20-30") adjustable wrench.

Check from both sides, above AND below, so that the bumper & the towing eye brackets fit correctly.

The white lines & text mark the perfect spot for a hole in the air dam for towing eyes or lights below the bumper.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.

With a straight cut along each vertical dotted line & a light score along the horizontal line, a tab can be folded back, allowing the towing eye to protrude through. It can be folded back up if the eyes are ever removed. This is the only modification required to the truck.

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By cutting 2 slits in the air dam, a flap can be folded down to allow a towing eye or light to protrude. And the flap can be folded back up into place if it's not needed later. This is the only modification required to the truck.

No modifications to the frame or bumper. If this bumper had a factory-style air dam, it would require only minor mods. And it doesn't interfere with the crumple zones or air bag response.

They're very subtle, but very functional; both as front recovery points, and also as steps. These brackets do NOT have light tabs above the bumper, but those would be easy to add. Other than folding down 2 flaps of the plastic air dam, the truck is not modified in any way, and no additional fasteners are needed. The only new fasteners are those for the recovery eyes.

F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

See also:
. . .

Details of factory '97-14 F150 front towing eyes on Yield Designs brackets for '92-96 Broncos (and Fs with inboard sway bar tabs) with factory-style air dam.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.

See also:
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They're very subtle, but very functional; both as front recovery points, and also as steps. Other than folding down 2 flaps of the plastic air dam, the truck is not modified in any way, and no additional fasteners are needed. The only new fasteners are those for the recovery eyes.

F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

See also:
. . .

They're very subtle, but very functional; both as front recovery points, and also as steps. These brackets do NOT have light tabs above the bumper, but those would be easy to add. Other than folding down 2 flaps of the plastic air dam, the truck is not modified in any way, and no additional fasteners are needed. The only new fasteners are those for the recovery eyes.

F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

See also:
. . .

'93 F250 2WD (front coil springs) with cast Iron tow eyes. This truck doesn't have the factory-style air dam, but it could still be added with the eyes.

SOLD Ford Aluminum Towing Eyes (casting#: F85A17A554BA) painted Valspar Implement gloss black

I sometimes find these junkyarding, restore & sell them in addition to the brackets I make. They can be found in lightweight Aluminum, heavy cast steel, or fabricated steel; but the strength is the same because the fasteners are the same.

F65A17A954BA - Cast Aluminum (6 lbs/pr) '97-99
F85Z17A954CA/F85A17A954CA - Cast steel (13 lbs/pr) '97-04
6L3Z17A954AA - Fabricated steel (12 lbs/pr) '04-14
FL3Z17A954C/7L1Z17A954AA/FL3Z17A954E/FL3Z17N808A - short steel (7.5 lbs/pr) '07-20
FL3Z17A954D - short chromed steel
FL3Z17N808A - short red steel
M-18954-F15B - short blue steel
Imported hooked 3/4" shackle mounts (10 lbs/pr)

Torque eye bolts to 59 lb-ft (78 Nm)
Torque bumper nuts to 44-59 lb-ft (60-80 Nm)

See also:

The welded frame tab on an F-series frame (this is a '95 F150 2WD) faces the wrong direction for my towing eye brackets to be properly supported. A small F-series may be light enough for the brackets to still work, but 4WDs & diesels without factory front sway bar are probably too heavy for this design.

Curiously, my brackets DO fit a '93 2WD F250XLT (without crumple-zone convolutes) with factory front sway bar (with tabs bolted inboard), but a small notch is needed on the Left side bracket.