acmercg
Veteran Member
No installed pics? Any differences in clearance between manufacturers? I prefer them to tuck as close to the bumper as possible.
Trailer Package for 2012 Passat TDI SEL?
- Thread starter breind01
- Start date
Vmwalker
Well-known member
I've had it drag a few times driving out of the church parking lot. The brick street has a very significant slope to facilitate drainage. I've started angling onto the street rather than a perpendicular departure angle.
Best to use a floor jack to assist with the weight of the hitch along with assistance from the neighbor. tin snips cleanly cut the bumper facia.
Best to use a floor jack to assist with the weight of the hitch along with assistance from the neighbor. tin snips cleanly cut the bumper facia.
motorhead426
Well-known member
That looks like a dynomometer. Chrysler has these at their proving grounds and they use them to simulate load, or to measure other things.Did VW test towing with the Passat?
ratkc135
Veteran Member
I put the CURT hitch (11234) on mine. $148 from Amazon.
Read all the talk of cars towing things and had to post this picture of my old 97 grand marquis hauling my race truck. Pulled really nice and stayed in overdrive at 65mph. Had to back the truck on the trailer though for the tongue weight. That car was a tank!
ssorange
Active member
fishtoprecords
Member
four months, about 6000 miles towing with my 13 TDI
I got the curtis hitch through U-Haul. It took them about two hours to install. They completely screwed up the wiring install. It worked in the lot, but they placed the wiring too close to the turbo exhaust, so it melted first drive.
I'm pulling a small, aluminum utility trailer (5x8) with one or two dirt bikes. Even with two bikes, the total is well under the 1000 lb "limit" that they publish.
I've put about 6,000 miles pulling the trailer/bikes. It works perfectly. Tracks great. No noticeable difference in braking. I've done mountains in West Virginia with no problems. Probably will never get out to the Rockies.
I don't want a truck, I don't want to drive one when not towing. I have no where to keep one. I bought the TDI long before I bought the motorcycle.
One big item: my trailer has a huge tailgate that sticks up 4 feet above the bed. Its a lattice of aluminum. Without the trailer, I get 45 to 50 MPG at 70 or so on the Interstates. With the trailer, I get 25 MPG.
I got the curtis hitch through U-Haul. It took them about two hours to install. They completely screwed up the wiring install. It worked in the lot, but they placed the wiring too close to the turbo exhaust, so it melted first drive.
I'm pulling a small, aluminum utility trailer (5x8) with one or two dirt bikes. Even with two bikes, the total is well under the 1000 lb "limit" that they publish.
I've put about 6,000 miles pulling the trailer/bikes. It works perfectly. Tracks great. No noticeable difference in braking. I've done mountains in West Virginia with no problems. Probably will never get out to the Rockies.
I don't want a truck, I don't want to drive one when not towing. I have no where to keep one. I bought the TDI long before I bought the motorcycle.
One big item: my trailer has a huge tailgate that sticks up 4 feet above the bed. Its a lattice of aluminum. Without the trailer, I get 45 to 50 MPG at 70 or so on the Interstates. With the trailer, I get 25 MPG.
bubbagumpshrimp
Veteran Member
Lol. Those are some interesting priorities.... like my buddy who tows a $55K, 28' Baja boat with a POS S10 Blazer.Disaster waiting to happen.
Yup. It was a brilliant bit of marketing directed at the suburban crowd. Think about it...in the span of just a couple decades...people were convinced that if they wanted to tow a 300lb utility trailer with a few bags of mulch, they need to go buy a 1/2 ton truck.
50pascals
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Location
- Rochester, NY
- TDI
- 2014 A6 3.0 TDI Prestige, prior was a 2013 TDI Passat SEL Plus
After having just spent two and a half weeks in Europe (Netherlands, Spain, Germany, London) I would like to point out a big difference between a European trailer and an American trailer - tongue weight!
Pretty much every European trailer has tandem axles. Unless one for a scooter or a wheelchair. And the axles are set a bit further apart - essentially carrying the full weight of the trailer and payload.
Pretty much every European trailer has tandem axles. Unless one for a scooter or a wheelchair. And the axles are set a bit further apart - essentially carrying the full weight of the trailer and payload.
Trailer brakes aren't that expensive. Even with my current generation Toyota Tundra with TOW PACKAGE, the 6x12 U-haul trailer will push it down the mountain. U-hauls don't have trailer brakes thanks to their 2K max weight rating.Niner is not off-base regarding towing. Brake fade is a serious towing issue when coupled with steep hills. Smaller trailers, like those sized for mid/compact vehicles typically have no braking systems -- and the ones that do use self actuators on the tongue (known as 'better late than never' brakes, and not of much help in long braking events). Our TDIs are not engineered with towing in mind. Brake fade can easily occur when forced to maintain slow descents on steep grades, for many miles (e.g., slow traffic, inclement weather, sharp 'cut-back' routes). The physics of braking are much about converting motion into energy (heat) WITHOUT exceeding limits. Wikipedia: Brake Fade
If you ever lost 95% of braking down a curvy mountain descent, you won't take this lightly. Been there, done that, lesson learned, electric brake controller purchased.
Why do you see U-hauls upside down in the median or side of the road, think mini-van with no trailer brakes and soft suspension with a driver that has never pulled a heavy trailer before ... not me thankfully but most us of have seen them if we drive much. Heavy tongue weights are the other killer for most novices.
Even with a Toyota Tundra, too much weight in the nose or tail of the trailer will mess up the suspension of the pickup. Too much sway at speed, put more weight in the nose of the trailer or SLOW DOWN. Too much squat with the tow vehicle, unload the nose and put more weight on the trailer axles.
50pascals
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Location
- Rochester, NY
- TDI
- 2014 A6 3.0 TDI Prestige, prior was a 2013 TDI Passat SEL Plus
My point was that a European trailer will have almost no tongue weight transferred to the rear of the car compared to an American single axle trailer. Even if it is balanced correctly.
So a 60/40 front to rear ration will put a lot of weight on the hitch in America. In Europe it will put slightly more weight on the hitch, with most of the weight being carried by the forward trailer axle.
I just want to triple check that the 56201 is the correct wiring kit for the 2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium, as in you used this kit in your car or know someone who did without any issues. For some reason, Curt lists the fitment for this kit as "2013 Passat Sedan, Except Diesel Models", so I don't want to pull the trigger to buy it and install it only to be disappointed. I thought that all the North American Passats have the same PWM lighting and same wiring, but I could be wrong.
omegis
Member
It's 56201
dubStrom
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Location
- Kansas City Missouri
- TDI
- 2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
disappointing hitch design
Well, I did get the Curt and installed it. I thought it would be hard to thread the bolts into those plates just resting by gravity on the top of the bumper mounting "tubes", but it was not that bad.
Unfortunately, the square tube (reciever) is tilter to the right, and NOT straight. Especially dumb. It was obvious before I even installed it. I'll update with a photo soon. Not good Curt.
AND, this design is NOT going to support nearly as much of a load as the MUCH beefier design made for the JSW. Pinching the bumper mounting tubes is not nearly as good as the longitudinal angled mounting plate on the right which runs along the tube. Even the two left bolts on the JSW hitch design are more substantial than pinching the bumper mounts.
Very disappointing. Anyone that has mounted a hitch on a JSW and the NMS Passat knows what I'm talking about. This hitch on the Passat is definitely ONLY a class 1 hitch. And make sure you have more room in case you have to hit the breaks!
Oh, they are all the same...Curt, Hidden, etc. They seem to copy each other.
Well, I did get the Curt and installed it. I thought it would be hard to thread the bolts into those plates just resting by gravity on the top of the bumper mounting "tubes", but it was not that bad.
Unfortunately, the square tube (reciever) is tilter to the right, and NOT straight. Especially dumb. It was obvious before I even installed it. I'll update with a photo soon. Not good Curt.
AND, this design is NOT going to support nearly as much of a load as the MUCH beefier design made for the JSW. Pinching the bumper mounting tubes is not nearly as good as the longitudinal angled mounting plate on the right which runs along the tube. Even the two left bolts on the JSW hitch design are more substantial than pinching the bumper mounts.
Very disappointing. Anyone that has mounted a hitch on a JSW and the NMS Passat knows what I'm talking about. This hitch on the Passat is definitely ONLY a class 1 hitch. And make sure you have more room in case you have to hit the breaks!
Oh, they are all the same...Curt, Hidden, etc. They seem to copy each other.
MarkMInNC
New member
I had a 2003 TDI wagon and sold it 4 years ago. I wanted
A hitch for a baby travel trailer. I wound up fabricating one
Based on the Westfaia offered in EU. There were no US kits
Available then. Receiver pointed down in front of the bumper.
Ball adapter came down and around the bumper. Added air
Bags inside the coils to stiffen the rear. And has a tow stabilizer
And electric trade brakes. Estimate the wet weight of the rig was
2200#. Over the course of five years made five round trips to
The keys from Wilm NC, maybe 12 trips to the mountains, and
Many shorter local trips. I sold the car after putting 193k miles
On it.
Just brought home a new JSW and ordered a Curt hitch. New
Motorhome used for camping now. I have a 14' sailing dingy which
Needs a tow vehicle. Boat, motor, and trailer weigh about 675#
So I expect no issues.
A hitch for a baby travel trailer. I wound up fabricating one
Based on the Westfaia offered in EU. There were no US kits
Available then. Receiver pointed down in front of the bumper.
Ball adapter came down and around the bumper. Added air
Bags inside the coils to stiffen the rear. And has a tow stabilizer
And electric trade brakes. Estimate the wet weight of the rig was
2200#. Over the course of five years made five round trips to
The keys from Wilm NC, maybe 12 trips to the mountains, and
Many shorter local trips. I sold the car after putting 193k miles
On it.
Just brought home a new JSW and ordered a Curt hitch. New
Motorhome used for camping now. I have a 14' sailing dingy which
Needs a tow vehicle. Boat, motor, and trailer weigh about 675#
So I expect no issues.
sumtingwong1381
Well-known member
I installed the same hitch on my '13 TDI, this past Thursday, and had the same issue. I'm not sure why it wasn't straight. My fix is going to be lowering the high side down, using washers between the mount and the frame it bolts to. I had a 60x24 cargo carrier on mine, holding 4 sets of golf clubs (probably 140# total) and the right side (passenger) dragged the road a few times because of the angle it was at (and how low the hitch is. I have a 6" rise adapter coming to get it off the ground.
dubStrom
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Location
- Kansas City Missouri
- TDI
- 2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
Bad fabrication. The square tube was pinned crooked, not flat on the hitch before welding. It seems like you would have to try to do this. The square tube has a gap on the right side at its union with the hitch. It is remarkably BAD fabrication. The combination of pinching the bumper mounts and bad welding make this CURT hitch a bad investment. Unfortunately, you can't find any more substantial design for a domestic hitch mounting configuration. Pinching unibody tubes is NOT smart.
I wonder if the hidden hitch is just as bad??
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dubStrom
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Location
- Kansas City Missouri
- TDI
- 2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
If your receiver is as badly welded in as mine, you may not be able to shim the left mount out enough to level the hitch. AND, you'll be dropping the entire thing down. Maybe we should ask for a new hitch. It is clearly defective, and whoever was working the line making them was making a sytematic fabrication error/mistake. I don't use a cargo tray, so my tilted receiver just looks stupid. If I used a cargo tray on my hitch, I'd be real disappointed.
I should contact Curt. If they'd send a good one and install it I'd happily let them take this one off the road.
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Bobmws
Veteran Member
I don't see why this wasn't your first action.
The merchandise is faulty and should be replaced.
I bought a Draw Tite for the Passat instead of the Curt because they had a sale promotion at the time. I have had a few Curt hitches that works as they should. I need to stop trading vehicles...
I've purchased multiple hitches and associated items through E-Trailer and never had a problem getting a bad part replaced.
sumtingwong1381
Well-known member
After looking at it a little more, I noticed the same thing you did. I decided to remove it and re-weld it. However, my cargo carrier uses a 2" receiver instead of the 1-1/4" one that is on our Curt hitches. I removed the 1-1/4 and installed a 2" receiver tube on mine. It is flat, and perfect. I did have an adapter (1-1/4 to 2") but it extended the cargo carrier out away from the car a little farther, thus decreasing the amount of weight I could put on it. It is only rated at 200# (including the cargo carrier) and you lose around 15% for every 12" you go out farther from the car.
The other thing I noticed was that the angle of the receiver aims down. This issue (my issue) is amplified when I put the 2" tube on. My fix is going to be getting slightly longer bolts that mount in the trunk area, lower it down, and use washers on the top side of the mount (where it meets the spare tire deck) to lower it down, until it is even with the back.
I will post pictures once completed.
dubStrom
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Location
- Kansas City Missouri
- TDI
- 2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
2017?
Got a 2017 Passat 1.8T and wondering if this hitch will fit:
http://torkliftcentral.com/2012-2015-volkswagen-passat-ecohitch
I know this is a TDI forum, but some here have had to take the buyback and might have the gasser Passat. I'll bet it is exactly the same back there as far as Ecohitch mounting is concerned.
But I wish there were square tubes going into the square rails into the back of the Passat to increase the stability and strength of the hitch. It is an expensive hitch.
Got a 2017 Passat 1.8T and wondering if this hitch will fit:
http://torkliftcentral.com/2012-2015-volkswagen-passat-ecohitch
I know this is a TDI forum, but some here have had to take the buyback and might have the gasser Passat. I'll bet it is exactly the same back there as far as Ecohitch mounting is concerned.
But I wish there were square tubes going into the square rails into the back of the Passat to increase the stability and strength of the hitch. It is an expensive hitch.