Trailer hitch adapter and cargo carriers?

Drclaw

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Location
ME
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen
Hi everyone. I have a 2014 jsw with a class 1 Curt trailer hitch on it. I just purchased the vehicle, this is the setup that came on the car. I'm planning on taking a road trip tomorrow for Massachusetts down to North Carolina. I ask some questions prior about a roof rack or trailer Etc and decide it for this trip the best solution would be a cargo Carrier that i can install on my high. all of the cargo carriers that I've looked at at harbor freight or tractor supply are for a 2-inch hitch. I was planning on using a one and a quarter inch to 2 inch adapter to use with this cargo Carrier. I did some searching but couldn't find any previous instances of this being used. Does anyone know what the impact of the tongue weight is? How has this been done before? what are the limitations of using this one and a quarter inch to 2 inch adapter for this application? Any other suggestions? I was hoping to be able to go to tractor supply or harbor freight today and get the necessary hardware.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
You may want to look at building a custom reciever hitch like I did but on an 04. Mine can handle it but i wouldn't put a carrier on a class 1.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

Drclaw

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Location
ME
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen
So i ended up getting a 1.25" to 2" adapter and the ATV cargo carrier from HF. Worked really well, just put the stroller and pack and play on it, so less than 50# overall. I bottomed out 3 times on my trip from MA to NC. Twice pulling out of a parking lot with a normal size drop and once in a parking lot while turning around and went over a low spot with a storm drain. All 3 times I rubbed the aft most underside portion of the extender. I think if i didnt have adapter i would have been fine.

Do people run class 2/3 hitches on their JSWs or use 1.25" accessories only?
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Accessories are generally limited to 2". Adapters are usually used. Scraping the hitch mount isn't unusual either, at least on the earlier cars as they sit lower. Some have made their own 2" setups as suggested earlier to provide more versatility in stuff like this. Bike carriers is where I have seen this come up before several times. Glad you made it okay. Did you check out their small trailers while you were there?
 

Drclaw

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Location
ME
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen
Accessories are generally limited to 2". Adapters are usually used. Scraping the hitch mount isn't unusual either, at least on the earlier cars as they sit lower. Some have made their own 2" setups as suggested earlier to provide more versatility in stuff like this. Bike carriers is where I have seen this come up before several times. Glad you made it okay. Did you check out their small trailers while you were there?
Harbor frights trailers? I looked briefly but was in and out pretty quick. Im still figuring out the hardware required for the towing setup (adapter, gooseneck ball, lights etc.). I also think if in gonling to tow I'd want to get the back end up a couple inches with different springs if possible.
 
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