Show what you tow!

CGDoig

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Location
Sundre, AB
TDI
05 Jetta GLS MKIV
I had quite a bit of clunking but not from the ball, it was coming from the various connections at the slide in hitch. I shimmed the sides of the sides of the hitch where it goes into the receiver and no more slop or clunking.

CGDoig, it sounds like you might be heading West with the mention of hills!
I will sure check into that now, we'll be doing some flat ground runs with smaller hills here in Berta in the next couple months. We take off for Vancouver Island the end of July, I grew up there, parents still live in black Creek. Just north of the comox Valley. There are the two hills I'm worried about and those are the hill out of Kamloops and the one by Merritt. Both of them are doozies.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
I came down "The Cut" in North Vancouver which is probably the steepest hill I know of over here on the Trans Canada. About 1 km long 8 to 9% grade.

We were able to keep the car at 100 kph going up with lots of power to spare. It's funny that when we came back after camping, we headed down that hill and I didn't touch the brakes at all and we kept 80 kph all the way down. Seemed to be enough engine back pressure to slow the car and trailer.

The island is very nice and camping up there should be awesome. We might try our luck in Jasper or Banff later this year after peak season.

We are heading to Kelowna in a few weeks so we will have a chance to take our trailer up those long hills and see how well it does. The Coquihalla (Hwy 5) has up 10% grade for a small part.

My sister wants us to pull the trailer out to Sask! Not too sure if I am ready for that trip!

One other though would be to take the Fraser Canyon from Kamloops to Hope. It is a bit more windy but not as steep and slower speeds too.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Very nice looking Boler!

My almost new EggCamper has that same hitch, so they do still sell them. I need to dissect mine when I get home to see what can be done about tension.

Jason

PS: Can't tell for sure if the stands are touching the ground, but the Boler looks a little nose up in your current setup. We have been hashing this out over at FiberGlassRV and it tows a lot better with a slight downward angle.
 
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kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Question is, with those of us with Bosal or Westy tow bars, the gooseneck is in a stationary position. How can we achieve a nose down position without a drop hitch? Don't think we want to run wheels much bigger than the 15".

Same issue on my Shasta like we chatted about before.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
Question is, with those of us with Bosal or Westy tow bars, the gooseneck is in a stationary position. How can we achieve a nose down position without a drop hitch? Don't think we want to run wheels much bigger than the 15".

Same issue on my Shasta like we chatted about before.
I was wondering the same thing!

On mine, We mounted the receiver on the car as close to the ideal height for the trailer, then we took an 8" height adjustable hitch (REESE) and found the ideal setting and welded it and cut off the adjustment leg hanging down for more ground clearance. We also welded a secondary ball on the hitch to support the anti sway device. Looks very industrial!

I am dealing with off-the-shelf 2" parts so playing around with this was easy until I found the one I liked.

With the gooseneck design and variable suspension height of our aged or modified cars, it is pretty challenging to get the level you want without some fabrication work.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Larger tires are an easy swap, but another popular mod is raise the trailer with a lift kit. Most people do that so they don't drag when getting to that "out of the way" camp site.

Leaf springs are easy - re-arch or replace with new springs that already have more arch. Cheap trick is longer/shorter shackles, depending on whether you are spring under or over.

Torsen axles (such as Dexter) have spacer brackets available to gain height above axle line (effectively raising the trailer).

Quick check for Torsen axles is to jack up frame and see how much the axle droops. Hard rubber blocks mean not much droop. Also there is a measurement for the correct sitting angle on Dexter's web site. Also leaf springs do sag over time. Either case if the running gear is all original then maybe time to freshen it up and fix the trailer angle/height at the same time.

Jason
 

Stealth TDI

Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 1998
Location
Newport News, VA
TDI
2017 GTI APR Stage 3 (395 hp/376 lb-ft)
Larger tires are an easy swap if your trailer has room for them. On mine, I had to cut the fenders off when I upgraded from 12" wheels to 13s. I could have simply moved the fenders up and rewelded them higher, but I opted to just get a larger set of ABS plastic fenders. No more rusty rock chips in the paint. :)
 

otty

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Location
Revelstoke, BC
TDI
2003 Passat W8=>TDI swap, 4Motion Wagon, PD130(AVF) 6Speed Manual, 2006 Jetta MKIV PD(BEW) Wagon 5Speed Manual
I tow...

Last summer I got a nice euro hitch from Poland made by Auto-Hak. It is not quick removable like the Bosal hitches but is easily removed with two bolts and is just as strong. Not bad for about 140 GBP shipped:


Now I use it to tow this mostly:

That is a 16 foot Lund from the 1970s. Not as light as it looks and I can barely tell I am towing anything driving around! I have a feeling the 4motion helps on those steep boat ramps and muddy roads around here too!
 
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CGDoig

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Location
Sundre, AB
TDI
05 Jetta GLS MKIV
I had a separate thread but I figure maybe I'll get a better response here. The jetta has far less clearance under the cover than the wagons and golf's, and I need to fab up something for safety chains. I see idpart welds a hook to the swan neck but I have a funny feeling a snoopy DOT would not like that. I'm considring 1/4" plate with low hanging chain links welded to it welded to the back of the area the swan neck attaches. But I don't think there is enough clearance there. Any other ideas?
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
I had a separate thread but I figure maybe I'll get a better response here. The jetta has far less clearance under the cover than the wagons and golf's, and I need to fab up something for safety chains. I see idpart welds a hook to the swan neck but I have a funny feeling a snoopy DOT would not like that. I'm considring 1/4" plate with low hanging chain links welded to it welded to the back of the area the swan neck attaches. But I don't think there is enough clearance there. Any other ideas?
What I do since I didn't install the mount for the European style electrical connector (see below), I use the mount hole on the left of the tow bar for the right chain, and the right side vehicle tie-down loop for the left chain.

 

dandywriter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Location
Ottawa (Kanata), Canada, eh?
TDI
2014 Golf Wagon 6M
I use the left attach point with a shackle, and had a longer bolt for the bosal installed. That left room for a piece of plate with holes for the new bolt, and another shackle, which allows for cross-over chains.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
I use the left attach point with a shackle, and had a longer bolt for the bosal installed. That left room for a piece of plate with holes for the new bolt, and another shackle, which allows for cross-over chains.
What bolt are you talking about? The only bolts for my Bosal are the four mounting bolts on the mounting rails. The only other bolt that came with the Bosal was for attaching the electrical connector mount at the place I have circled above. Can you post a picture?
 

CGDoig

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Location
Sundre, AB
TDI
05 Jetta GLS MKIV
Fabbed something up last night, getting the welders a work to zip it up for me today. I'll post a picture of the results later tonight for those interested.

Edit: heres the general idea.

 
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romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Fabbed something up last night, getting the welders a work to zip it up for me today. I'll post a picture of the results later tonight for those interested.
Make sure there is enough room for your hand when unlocking and unlatching the swan neck.
 

CGDoig

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Location
Sundre, AB
TDI
05 Jetta GLS MKIV
Make sure there is enough room for your hand when unlocking and unlatching the swan neck.
For sure, the only part that will be visible under the valance will be about half the chain link. Just enough to fit a quick link on for attachment.

EDIT: Finished product ready for paint
 
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Stealth TDI

Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 1998
Location
Newport News, VA
TDI
2017 GTI APR Stage 3 (395 hp/376 lb-ft)
No longer towing with a TDI, but this discussion appears to be the only place I can share with other VW drivers
who tow with their small cars. I used my "baby trailer" to support a bicycling event yesterday. I transported 95 gallons
of water and 400 lbs of ice:





My Mk6 Jetta had more floor space behind the front seats for holding water. I could get two five-gallon bottles behind
each seat; only one behind in my Mk7. But the Golf swallowed up the coolers, a feat not possible with my Jetta. I had
24 psi in the trailer's tires and it rode great... very smooth! I got 26 mpg with this load and lots of stop-and-go. Not as
good as my TDI, but still good for gas. ;)

Scott
 

Millennium Falcon

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Location
Central pa
TDI
2003 jetta wagon, 1949 willys cj3 ALH TDI swap
Very cool. what kind of trailer is that?

No longer towing with a TDI, but this discussion appears to be the only place I can share with other VW drivers
who tow with their small cars. I used my "baby trailer" to support a bicycling event yesterday. I transported 95 gallons
of water and 400 lbs of ice:


My Mk6 Jetta had more floor space behind the front seats for holding water. I could get two five-gallon bottles behind
each seat; only one behind in my Mk7. But the Golf swallowed up the coolers, a feat not possible with my Jetta. I had
24 psi in the trailer's tires and it rode great... very smooth! I got 26 mpg with this load and lots of stop-and-go. Not as
good as my TDI, but still good for gas. ;)

Scott
 

TDIDaveNH

Left Lane Coal Roller at Large
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Location
North Conway, NH
TDI
1997 Passat TDI x2 1984 Buick Century 4.3 diesel
Dragged another B4 home today for parts, about 84 miles away. Picture was taken in Bethel, Maine close to 'Fests past.
 

benIV

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Location
Southeast NC
TDI
2003 PG 5m Jetta GL Sedan, 2003 RS 5m Jetta GLS Wagon (Golf Variant)
is the bumper guard welded on to the bar or is it held in place with the ball?
 

nayr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Location
Colorado
TDI
2014 Audi Q7
awesome setup, loving it.. all terrain wagon w/all terrain adventure trailer is an awesome combo.

I got an offroad camper reserved for August Eclipse, cant wait to take it out with the 3.0L TDI w/AWD and see what kind of trouble I can get in
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Jeremy,

I had a similar platform on my old TowLite trailer. Used it to hold bulky, light weight stuff like in your picture. worked fine.

BUT, one day I got the bright idea of mounting a Honda generator on the rear platform (saw it done on a fifth wheel). You know where 163 freeway merges with I-15? Nice big, flat, gentle bend right? Well my trailer started fishtailing at 55 mph on a Sunday morning. Spun me around 180 degrees - tipped the trailer on its side. Did $10K in damages to SUV and trailer. Nobody hurt because it was Sunday morning light traffic on the freeway. That was 1999.

Big lesson for me. You must keep your trailer balanced and keep your tongue weight up. It is SO EASY to overload that back platform. I put the generator on a new, longer front A frame and all was fine ever after.
A good combination of frame angle and tongue weight will make it tow stable. 200lbs is a reasonable target, but also important is keep the front of the trailer slightly lower than rear (frame angle pointing down towards tow vehicle), though I do try to setup the rig up close to level. If the trail ends up nose high that can contribute to tail wagging.

Resist the urge to put weight in the back to lighten the tongue weight as this will add a pendulum effect and make sway problems worse. Better to keep heavier items lower to ground and closer to axle (middle of trailer looking front to back). Best to move heavier items off the tongue and forward storage bins of trailer, towards middle of trailer over the axle.

Mine has battery on the tongue and a mount for a generator. Gas models like mine also have propane tanks up there. I plan on moving the battery in a vented compartment further back inside the trailer. We put the generator in the car or inside the camper while driving then just lock it out side the trailer when parked. When we add propane I plan on that being the only thing on the tongue. Also the grey and black water tanks are forward of the axle so they get drained before I leave camp. Fresh water is actually over the axle (slightly behind) so I leave it full when possible.

Jason


WELP I got my first experience of the Tail Wagging the Dog. Not fun guys, not fun at all. Thought I was gonna kill the family. :(

-So the JSW puts the ball height at about 19" off the ground, and for the trailer to be level it should actually be at about 16". This was pretty nose up when I evaluated it.. Strike 1

-This time returning home the front fresh water tank was empty. Meaning I had 120# less in the front. Lighter weight at the tongue Strike 2

-The cooler was lacking any beers Even lighter weight at the tongue Strike 3.

I was wondering why I was swaying above 50mph, but didn't notice it till we got on the 15. When we finally got to the point where it curves and splits to the 215. It happened at 55mph. The thing started violently swaying. Tires skipping on the trailer, Wagon moving all over the place. I got down to 40mph by slowly letting off and easing the brakes. I'm SURE the tow module was helping me control that beast. MAN OH MAN. that is NOT fun. Thank god traffic was going slow with me at the time, and I had a lot of space to not hit anyone. Pulled off and no one was hurt. I tried to adjust the load but there just wasn't enough weight to move forward on the trailer. Drove home at 50-55mph in a very cautious nervous hour and half.

On the way to camp I must have had 150# of water and 150# of food and beer in the two coolers in front of the axle. All that tongue weight was keeping me safe even though it was way beyond the #150 limit of the Westy towbar.

Would towing with the "Touareg" in this situation change anything? Or would all that have happened to anyone towing with the nose up light tongue weight? The Touareg has a drop hitch so the nose was down, but the turbo problems made us drop the trailer 1/4 of the way and go back for the Jetta. That was a long 6 hours.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
We had a similar experience on our way out last weekend. It seems that my issue was centred around the new tires I put on the trailer. We went with Carlisle radials which matched all the load ratings but seemed to sit a bit squished. The trailer can be rocked back and forth quite a bit with these new tires. We were cruising along and were passed by a large truck and had a strong crosswind as well. The trailer started swaying back and forth. The car is so stiff that I really didn't feel it and just slowed down and it stopped.

Tires seem to play into this as well. We are going to get stiffer tires and that should take care of it.

We have a sway control on the hitch as well but that didn't seem to stop the fish tailing.

You can touch your trailer brakes manually with your brake controller to help reduce the swaying if it starts.

I found that when I saw a tractor trailer flying up to pass us, I just moved over a bit to minimize the wake created at the front of the semi.

Pumping up your trailer tires helps too.

Try to keep a min of 150# on the hitch as well.
 

Fix_Until_Broke

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Location
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA
TDI
03 Jetta, 03 TT TDI
kooyajerms - that sounds like a nerve wracking experience! Glad you and the family made it through OK.

If you had a heavier tow vehicle (Toureg for example), the effect of this would have been much less as the hitch won't move around as easily which will amplify the wag. The trailer would have been just as "unstable" but it would not have felt as bad because it wasn't moving the vehicle around as much.

Unless the additional 300# of weight was directly on the ball, it isn't all adding to the tongue weight since the axle will take some of the load as well.

I've had a few of those experiences myself - I ended up extending the tongue on one of my trailers by ~24" which dramatically improved the stability. This solution has a double benefit of making the trailer more stable as well as allowing you to bias more weight forward on the trailer without putting as much weight on the car itself. If you can do this to your trailer, I'd highly recommend it.
 

nayr

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Location
Colorado
TDI
2014 Audi Q7
PB_NB, I stepped up my trailer tires from 4 ply to 8 ply radials after getting a bunch of sidewall damage from potholes; that made it ride alot more smoothly and stable.. had to search around for such overbuilt tires (tire shops didnt have em) but it was a nice cheap upgrade.. wished I had done it sooner; also got em balanced, the tire guy thought I was crazy w/a trailer tire but I was sick of seeing it wobble in my rear view mirror and I thought he was crazy for resisting my money.

Didnt buy em off amazon but these match my email receipt: https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Tires-80R13-Load-Range/dp/B00MXO0F60
 
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SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Adding length to the trailer tongue will work, but also gives you the option of putting a small drop to make it level on the Jetta. Also you get to update the hitch on the trailer, if you want.

I think it will be a good, long term solution. Also you just learned a RV trailer lesson - be mindful of your tanks when traveling. I always travel with the tanks at about the same level. Pick which works for you and try to stay that way. IE: grey and black near empty and fresh water near full for me. Makes it easy plan and pack for a safe drive.

Jason
 
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