Show what you tow!

romad · Jan 11, 2019

PB_NB said:
I am pretty sure VW or Westfalia wouldn't have any modules for the MK4 cars. The supporting systems just aren't in the cars to monitor all the bells and whistles.

You mean like this for my wagon? The wiring kit is: Part number: 321457300113

https://www.westfalia-automotive.co...kupplung/vw-golf-iv-variant/305223900113-356/

You can find your particular vehicle via this page:

https://www.westfalia-automotive.com/de/en/produkte/produktfinder-konfigurator/

PB_NB · Jan 11, 2019

Thanks romad, I went there and they don't list the Beetle at all. I picked the Golf Hatch MK4 from their list.

The wiring kit looks like a the basic wiring set to connect the lights and the brake controller. I am sure there are differences with the European trailer wiring kits. My kit used a combination to connect the brake controller and also the lights. I left out the battery charging wire because of the demand loads that the trailer will pull with my 4x6 volt batteries.

sandmansans · Jan 11, 2019

Yes you're both correct. Haha I should've looked at your sig and saw that it was an mk4.

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SilverGhost · Jan 14, 2019

Just for the record @PB_NB the new Beetle did have CAN bus, it just didn't do much in the early years like a '99. By the '03/'04 CAN bus did more and you could actually integrate some control modules more like the newer cars.

Jason

romad · Jan 16, 2019

2" Adapter for Bosal Tow Bar

Rather than duplicate a post, here is a link:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=5474746&postcount=3031

romad · Jan 21, 2019

Bosal Tow Specs: Swan Neck vs 2" Receiver Adapter

I'm curious as to why the Bosal Swan Neck is rated at 1600 kg (3520 lbs) trailer and 75 kg (165 lbs) tongue weight while the 2" Receiver Adapter is rated at 1580 kg (3500 lbs) trailer and 158 kg (350 lbs)?

Calling the trailer specs a wash, it looks like I can have a higher tongue weight if I use the 2" Receiver Adapter with a 2" ball mount and a 2" ball.

Another perplexing spec is that with a bike mount the 2" receiver tongue weight drops to 55kg (158 lbs); why would that happen?

PB_NB · Jan 21, 2019

I had wondered that myself, doesn't seem to make sense. If you had a trailer that weighed 3,500 lbs and it only produced 165 lbs on the tongue. I would think that you would have an extremely fishtailly (not a real word) trailer.

If your limit for the bike rack is 55kgs, that is more like 121 lbs. This could be to extra forces applied by the bouncing load that tend to hang out further. You will have a tighter connection in the 2" receiver all working on the quick release connection.

If you use the swan neck on the trailer, the receiver ball will move in the trailer connector relieving some of those forces.

The part that I don't get is the 2" receiver adapter with 350 lbs. Seems like a similar situation to the bike mount.

romad · Jan 21, 2019

I was given this explanation for the reduced rating for a bike carrier:

Some quick geometry - a right triangle with one side 8" the other side 32" will have a hypotenuse of approximately
33". Any weight or force acting on the top of the bike rack applies this force to the connection point through
the 33" lever arm....
100 lbs at 8" = 800 in/lbs or 66.6 ft/lbs.
100 lbs at 33" = 3300 in/lbs or 275 ft/lbs

Still roughly a 4 times multiple...

That does make sense to me.

Jedadiah · Jan 24, 2019

I'm not sure that using the 2" adapter would result in a higher tow rating. On a Bosal or Westy hitch, I wouldn't excede the tow rating written on the bar no matter what snaps into the receiver. Europe's really particular about some of their towing specs. Even the swan necks between different hitch models have different part numbers, so that they reach a specific height on different vehicles, and I bet the right one has to be tested with each hitch.

I would assume that the tow ratings on the side of the 2" adapter refer to whatever vehicle the adapter was designed for (i.e Tesla) and aren't for the adapter per se, or at most refer to its maximums and not the tow vehicle's. I think the tow bar itself would fail before the swan neck or 2" adapter would.

Stealth TDI · Jan 29, 2019

I had a busy weekend. First, I unloaded 22 bags of Sakrete from my stranded cargo trailer and put it into my baby trailer to be returned to Lowe's. The trailer weighed 1850 lbs like this...

My trip to Lowe's was only four miles on a quiet Saturday morning. After dropping those off, I then proceeded to remove ~3000 lbs of soil/gravel mix that I accidentally allowed to be used as fill after a driveway project. Here is the heaviest of those three loads...

Those loads each traveled 40 miles to two homes. I may even remove another 1000 lbs. Next, I'll be regrading the lawn to see if I can refill the driveway backfill area with excess soil from other areas. If not, then I'll be visiting a nursery to bring home fresh top soil.

Scott

Lightflyer1 · Jan 31, 2019

I love your trailer and the things you do with it! My new 2015 Beetle won't even take a hitch though so no towing there can be done. Looking to buy an old pickup truck for this kind of duty though.

Fix_Until_Broke · Jan 31, 2019

Lightflyer1 said:
I love your trailer and the things you do with it! My new 2015 Beetle won't even take a hitch though so no towing there can be done. Looking to buy an old pickup truck for this kind of duty though.

I'm pretty sure there's hitches for beetles?

Lightflyer1 · Jan 31, 2019

Not mine. Checked already. The def tank is in the way. At least not in the US. Too limited a run for them to make one now I am told. Maybe Europe or custom but not willing to go that route.

Fix_Until_Broke · Jan 31, 2019

Ahh - I forgot about the DEF, sorry for the confusion.

Fix_Until_Broke · Feb 2, 2019

Forgot to post this a few weeks ago when I did it...

I relieved the adapter so it could slide in closer to the car. Ended up removing about 1/2" of material and gained (lost?) ~1.5" of length.

The corner is radiused with a 1/2" tool and blended in so no stress concentrations worse than it came with.

Lightflyer1 · Feb 2, 2019

Man is that one heavy looking part!

jason_ · Feb 2, 2019

Awesome if it's stainless.

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[486] · Feb 2, 2019

looks loominum
still massively overbuilt for the mountings

familiar with that, what with my 1/4" thick plate hitch bolted to sheetmetal

Fix_Until_Broke · Feb 2, 2019

It's aluminum, very light - rated for 8,000/800. The ball weighs as much as the adapter it feels like.

This and the stainless ball and cross pin make for less rust/corrosion to deal with.

Geordi · Feb 4, 2019

Nice looking ball adapter, where'd you get that?

Fix_Until_Broke · Feb 4, 2019

The internet

Aluminum Ball Adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GGJQQM/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2" Stainless Ball
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009TAOG2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Stainless Pin
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COX0MY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2" x 1-1/4" Adapter for the bike rack
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077D25HQL/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Recovery Clevis
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077D25HQL/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

WarmStart · Feb 7, 2019

My pride and glory!
I made it myself, it took me exactly one year to make it

Sorry I do not have better picture where them both are.

Here are summer evening in Estonia.

It is mobile bathing tub

D-Cup · Feb 8, 2019

Nice!
Do you haul it loaded with water and fuel? How much of each and what’s the gross weight of the trailer?

Lightflyer1 · Feb 8, 2019

I would think it must be towed empty as the tanks are too far to the rear to balance full of water. Kind of looks like a Louisiana crab/crawfish boil party pot though. Or in a pinch you could make soup for thousands!

Very nice build and I like the custom cover as well!

kjclow · Feb 8, 2019

Or you can cook the local villagers!

WarmStart · Feb 8, 2019

Yeah first all villagers take bath and after we make soup.
To show off more with my tub I have made a little web page.http://www.tubtoheaven.com/Tub-To-Heaven-mobile-bathing-tub.pdf My neighbor is working as a sales manager and my sister's husband is photographer, we made this web page together, why not to show off with it.
It was gold winter night in Estonia. We were in sauna and we got brilliant idea to make our own bathing tub. Thankfully my neighbor had stainless steal tank from milk factory and next day we dragged it next to sauna and we made fire under it

And so this build was started.

romad · Feb 8, 2019

WarmStart said:
Yeah first all villagers take bath and after we make soup.
To show off more with my tub I have made a little web page.http://www.tubtoheaven.com/Tub-To-Heaven-mobile-bathing-tub.pdf My neighbor is working as a sales manager and my sister's husband is photographer, we made this web page together, why not to show off with it.
It was gold winter night in Estonia. We were in sauna and we got brilliant idea to make our own bathing tub. Thankfully my neighbor had stainless steal tank from milk factory and next day we dragged it next to sauna and we made fire under it
And so this build was started.

Where on the trailer are the chimney sections stowed for transport?

Lightflyer1 · Feb 8, 2019

528 gallons = 4,488 lbs of water. Add in the tub itself and there is no way you are towing that full. Most of that weight is behind the axle. Has to be filled on location.

D-Cup · Feb 8, 2019

Maybe flip it around so tub is in front of axel. Then can tow with just about any 1/2ton truck. I realize I’m leaping continents.
It’s still cool as ballz.

WarmStart · Feb 8, 2019

Two piece chimney are placed between boiler and tub for transport, there are two pracets where chimney is placed and strap are holding them in place.
I made it on purpose that tub is behind the axle, you cant tow it when water is in (I'm lending it to my friends and their friends). Empty trailer/tub is palenged so that you have 20kg pressure on towing hitch.

Show what you tow!

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