In US there are no threads for towing hooks behind those plastic covers so this is not an option

 

There's bare metal under there - you could tap and thread that metal and install hooks, but you'll probably want something behind the metal (like a grade 8 nut) to help secure them.

 

That's right. Just tapping and threading that bar is probably not an option. I wonder why it is not there for US from factory

@__serge @CC_HH
That's a surprise!
How come the car has no front tow hooks at all? How to pull it if it's stuck in snow somewhere?

Please check yours. Maybe only ours are defective

 

@__serge @CC_HH
That's a surprise!
How come the car has no front tow hooks at all? How to pull it if it's stuck in snow somewhere?

 

How to pull it if it's stuck in snow somewhere?

Don’t get it stuck.

 

I will check mine..
Here is an inspirational video that could give ideas

 

Here are my thoughts from this video:

 

For me rope from tow hook cover looks better

 

For me too - but that means I will have to make a small hole in the cap to run the rope.
I tried to find second pair of tow caps, to have them with holes - but they are crazy expensive, just a small plastic - about 80$

 

I think you'll need to attach the line to something substantial under the cover. Just leave the covers off when you do that, although I don't know how you'd attach the line as there's nothing under the cover except the blank front of the bumper structural member.

 

I'm surprised that the front end of your CRV didn't crumple or deform from those straps! If you're gonna go through the tow hook covers, just leave them off like Sporan said. But the issue is that if you try strapping all over the plastic like that, it will break it. That bull bar looks like the best option, so you can tie to that and hope the hood doesn't crumple.

 

Canoe front/rear tying doesn't require substantial pressure.. it's more for securing the canoe in case the knots on the roof racks will become weak.
Also I used noodle foam to protect bumper paint - see crv image.

 

I never use front or rear tie-downs. I use Yakima racks - old school, and tie down to the rack bars. That's for a 14' canoe, on a 2004 Camry. I most frequently carry the canoe for work, as my company does goose harassment. Sometimes we have to go to the water. I don't like kayaks, and I can't fit 2 dogs in a kayak, so, a canoe. I've driven that way up to 40 miles or so on the freeway. It works.

 

I figure tying the prow mainly keeps it into the wind and prevents it from trying to turn sideways. A canoe has a lot of windage. An enclosed kayak, not so much.

 

@ihtus ,
As requested, here is the picture of what I used to tie the canoe on my avatar picture:

Those are about 1.5 inch wide. Sadly I do not have a picture of the anchor attached to the vehicule and since it got stolen in 2009, I can't take a new picture. On my new canoe-carrying vehicle, I have to tow hook so I use that instead.

The closest I can find is at Princess Auto, but those require 2 holes, which mean drilling a hole somewhere under the Highlander. The one shown above has the metal structure with the hole folded on itself, so I could only remove an existing bolt and add it (or use and existing hole and add a plastic retainer to screw the anchor).

Good luck!
jf

 

@jflarin Merci!!! Sad to hear that it was stolen

 

That was in 2009, so it is a painful but long ago event. Then we got a new one got all the way across Canada (end down to Florida) for almost 300,000km... and then got rear-ended for a total loss (about 10k$ of damage). It had a good life.

jf

 

Managed to find a mounting point in the front. If anybody is interested I will post some photos

 

Please do share the photos. Thanks

 

I found 3 bolts that you can use for attachment in the front:

Option 1) center hole (I will try to use this option)
Option 2) driver side hole + pass side hole


Tie Down Anchor

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07YNMGCBF

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YNMGCBF

Quick link

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/eve...ess-steel-quick-link-connector-with-220-lb-safe-working-load-2-pack-/1001538593

I bent Tie Down Anchor a bit, so it would stick out a bit more.

 

had a trip with this setup -> and the collision sensor notification came on... the foam and rope are blocking the sensor..
I might try using the other 2 bolts - Option 2) driver side hole + pass side hole

 

Interesting that your collision sensor was affected. It's a radar behind the badge and though I haven't tried it yet, I assumed non-conductive materials wouldn't bother it. What foam and rope did you use? Maybe black foam pipe insulation might have enough carbon black in it to cause a problem

 

I believe the collision detection system uses a combination of the millimeter radar sensor behind the Toyota badge and the forward looking camera in front of the interior rear view mirror. Perhaps it was the camera that detected an impending collision with an oncoming canoe???

 

Didn't take a photo of the notification .. but it said sensor is blocked.. same happened to me in the winter when there was some ice on the hood area..
So I assume the cause is the foam + pvc tube with rope inside - on the yota badge

 

Yeah. I think it uses the radar for distance and closing speed and the camera for azimuth and lateral motion. My previous Subaru used two cameras spaced on either side of the rear view mirror for both, essentailly binocular vision. It did a much better job of adaptive cruise, collision warning, and lane centering than the Toyo. That may be down to the implementation rather than the methodology.

 

I tightened too much the center bolt and messed the bolt threads. Will have to replace the bolt.

Anyway, I will switch to - Option 2) driver side hole + pass side hole
Will post the photos

 

 

For anyone interested: I used vinyl tubing inside the foam, the rope goes inside the tubing.. and it won't cut into the foam.