Emergency hood release - cable towing hook

[jaykay]

Darn it!

I was taking my took hook out and lost my emerg. release cable....exactly what I didn't want. It had spring to it and slipped away under the bumper cover in the dark and cold....no place to remove the cover right now..

Any ideas on how to get it back to the toe hole? It hard to get light on anything behind there. If I remove the trim piece above the cover would I be able work it? Can't remember it's been so long

[Burg Boxster]

Correct, just pull the trim piece out above. From there, you'll have access to the whole lock mechanism and find the cable connected to it. Using a small stiff metal wire (like straightened dry cleaning shirt hanger), put a small hook in the end and feed it in from the bumper cover tow plug hole thru the bumper support. Use a flashlight looking down from above and hook the emergency release cable w/ the hanger and pull it back thru.

[jaykay]

Originally Posted by Burg Boxster

Correct, just pull the trim piece out above. From there, you'll have access to the whole lock mechanism and find the cable connected to it. Using a small stiff metal wire (like straightened dry cleaning shirt hanger), put a small hook in the end and feed it in from the bumper cover tow plug hole thru the bumper support. Use a flashlight looking down from above and hook the emergency release cable w/ the hanger and pull it back thru.

Awesome thanks Burg! I will give it a try....

Oh yes I owe you some amplifier info!

[thom4782]

I have a question before I relocate the emergency hood release cable so I can access it through the tow hook cap in the bumper cover.

As I interpret the threads on this topic, one pulls the cable through the threaded two hook hole in the bumper. If I am reading the instructions correctly, how does one attach the tow hook itself if the cable is through the threaded hole? I would think one couldn't attach the two hook to the car unless one pushed the release cable out the back side of the threaded hole.

Alternatively, I could pass the cable over the bumper through the two hook hole in the bumper cover and attach it to the tow hook plug. That way the cable won't pass through the threaded hole in the bumper itself.

I'd welcome any suggestions.

Thanks

[thom4782]

Let me ask my question in a different way to those who have relocated their emergency hood release cable through the threaded tow hole.

If you tow the car, do you simply push the cable out the back of the hole to make room to screw the tow hook into the bumper and then reroute the cable back through the hole after the tow?

My concern is this. The cable gets pushed out the back of the hole for towing. For some reason the electric release won't work afterward. Then I can't find the cable because its now flopping around somewhere behind the bumper.

Any ideas / suggestions?

[sb01box]

If THE reason for relocating the emergency hood release is for a quick access when the battery is drained, then carrying a small backup 12V battery that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter so that the electrical hood release can be use seems to be cleaner solution.

[rick3000]

I relocated mine a bit farther to the side, underneath the side turn lamp and secured it so it cannot slide down. This removes the issues of when you need to use the tow hook. And is just as accessible, the lamp pops off easily.

If you remove the headlight and have tiny hands, you may be able to reach down and grab it to place back by the tow hook opening.

[thom4782]

Wow, great idea. I'll give it a look and see if I can do that too. Thanks

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by sb01box

If THE reason for relocating the emergency hood release is for a quick access when the battery is drained, then carrying a small backup 12V battery that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter so that the electrical hood release can be use seems to be cleaner solution.

where would you keep the battery? passenger seat?

[kjc2050]

Originally Posted by tonycarreon

where would you keep the battery? passenger seat?

You could put a Jump 'N Carry behind the passenger seat.

[thom4782]

Originally Posted by thom4782

Let me ask my question in a different way to those who have relocated their emergency hood release cable through the threaded tow hole.

If you tow the car, do you simply push the cable out the back of the hole to make room to screw the tow hook into the bumper and then reroute the cable back through the hole after the tow?

My concern is this. The cable gets pushed out the back of the hole for towing. For some reason the electric release won't work afterward. Then I can't find the cable because its now flopping around somewhere behind the bumper.

As mentioned at the beginning, time will tell if this is a clever idea or not. What do you think?

Any ideas / suggestions?

Hi all:

Resurrecting this old thread to put forth an idea that might work.

Recall, I relocated my emergency cable to the tow hook hole. At the time I was concerned on how to re-thread the cable back through the hole once it get pushed back behind it when screwing in the tow hook. So here is my idea and time will tell if it works.

First I drilled 1/8" hole about 1/2" deep in the end of the hook. Next, I mixed up some JB Weld and filled in the hole with the mixture. Then, I inserted a medium eye screw into the hole and let it set for 15 hours. See pictures

The general idea is this. The release cable is stored in the tow hook hole. When I need to use the tow hook, I pull the cable forward and tie s short string between the eye screw and the cable loop. Then I push the cable back into the hole and screw in the tow hook. The string twists so I avoid the problem of a twisted cable. When done, I just reverse the process and pull the cable back through the tow hook hole, untie the string and restore the cable. The string stays with the tp\ow hook so it doesn't rot by getting wet behind the bumper cover.

[mikesz]

I have a 99 and swapped the front bumper with one from a 996 when I added center S radiator. I just zip tied the cable underneath so all I have to do is cut the zip tie and pull the cable. Putting it through the tow hook is a good idea.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by thom4782

Hi all:

Resurrecting this old thread to put forth an idea that might work.

Recall, I relocated my emergency cable to the tow hook hole. At the time I was concerned on how to re-thread the cable back through the hole once it get pushed back behind it when screwing in the tow hook. So here is my idea and time will tell if it works.

First I drilled 1/8" hole about 1/2" deep in the end of the hook. Next, I mixed up some JB Weld and filled in the hole with the mixture. Then, I inserted a medium eye screw into the hole and let it set for 15 hours. See pictures

The general idea is this. The release cable is stored in the tow hook hole. When I need to use the tow hook, I pull the cable forward and tie s short string between the eye screw and the cable loop. Then I push the cable back into the hole and screw in the tow hook. The string twists so I avoid the problem of a twisted cable. When done, I just reverse the process and pull the cable back through the tow hook hole, untie the string and restore the cable. The string stays with the tp\ow hook so it doesn't rot by getting wet behind the bumper cover.

Good idea.

[thom4782]

Hi all:

Here is the final design. It works like this.

• Pull loop end of the rope through the release cable loop until the cable loop is near the bottom of the tow hook.
• Pull the large tow hook eye through the rope loop and keep pulling until the cable loop and the rope loop come together.
• Now you're ready to push the release cable back though the tow hook hole and screw in the tow hook