Euro Hitch

Uberhare

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
Too many.
There used to be a few places selling Westfalia hitches in North America. Can't seem to remember who or find them. Anyone know?
 

Strider17

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Location
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
Beetle(sold) MK4 Golf TDI(sold) Mk4 Jetta TDI(parted out) MK4 Golf GTI w/ALH swap (built then parted out) 2015 Passat TDI Highline (current)
fabricate your own...even stronger than westfalia :)
 

ianfar

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Location
GTA, Ontario
TDI
05 PD Jetta - retired 2015 Jetta
Got mine from idparts. If you need chain rings welded on, plan a month or so ahead... Should have done it myself!
 

Strider17

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Location
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
Beetle(sold) MK4 Golf TDI(sold) Mk4 Jetta TDI(parted out) MK4 Golf GTI w/ALH swap (built then parted out) 2015 Passat TDI Highline (current)
here is the ones i have on all my cars...ive made them even stronger now.

2 triangles instead of one. ( see in pics)

reinforced with extra plates at the tongue as well (dont have a pic of that)

sprayed it with rocker guard at the end.

here are some pics of previous builds.











 

TonyG

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Location
Queensville, Ontario
TDI
2013 Golf Wagon DSG
What car are you looking to outfit with the hitch? I have a Westfalia Hitch, receiver and wiring for a mk5 Jetta or mk5/6 Golf Wagon I'd sell.
 

TonyG

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Location
Queensville, Ontario
TDI
2013 Golf Wagon DSG
Too bad, looks like a different part number for your car. I loved the fact that the neck was removable and that it didn't hang below the bumper like the North American options. Good luck with your search.
 

Strider17

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Location
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
Beetle(sold) MK4 Golf TDI(sold) Mk4 Jetta TDI(parted out) MK4 Golf GTI w/ALH swap (built then parted out) 2015 Passat TDI Highline (current)
first uhaul hitch i ever put on my mk4 was bolted through floor under the spare tire...ended up bending the floor and the hitch...hitches that are bolted to the subframe are the way to go.
 

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
Slider, nice work. How did the bumper shocks attach to all that and what car was this for?
 

Combine17

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Location
Ontario - Hamilton
TDI
2001 Golf GTD
there is no rebar shocks on mk5s. mk4s have the shocks in the rebar.
this style hitch replaces the rebar.
actually having the hitch installed with the ball receiver hooked up saved my car twice already...2 ppl hit me from behind, one was slight tap, and the other time the guy that hit me needed a new bumper and radiator. my car was left in perfect condition...nothing bent or broken.


this was installed on an mk5 jetta wagon.
ive also installed this style on an mk4 golf, mk5 jetta, and b6 passat wagon
 

sandmansans

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Location
NJ/PA
TDI
2014 Jetta
There used to be a few places selling Westfalia hitches in North America. Can't seem to remember who or find them. Anyone know?
Pfjones. They're based out of the UK, but ship to North America. That's where I got my Bosal towbar from...Bosal is practically identical to the Westfalia and usually a couple of dollars cheaper. They carry both on their site.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 

TDIFred

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 29, 2004
Location
Hamilton, Ontario
TDI
Jetta Sportwagen, 2009, Graphite
Not to add nore "not answering of the question" but I, too, would be willingly to part ways with my Westfalia towbar if someone wants to swap their current set-up. No point VW taking it when they scrap it...
 

Moleman76

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2014
Location
Snohomish, Washington
TDI
2005 (B5.5) Passat Wagon
Waking this topic up – seeking comments from those who have installed either Westfalia or Bosal hitches.
My vehicle: 2005, B5.5, Wagon, FWD.
I’ve been doing some looking – would like to add a hitch, and like the invisibility of the “euro” hitches.

I’ve found a domestic seller of the Bosal hitches: IDParts, $389 plus $20 shipping surcharge + $60 if you buy their “optional safety chain ring” to have welded on to the bottom of the swan neck.
https://www.idparts.com/bosal-swan-neck-trailer-hitch-b55-p-5909.html

And, PF Jones in the UK, mentioned above, sells the same (by part number) Bosal hitch, as well as Westfalia. Note that their $306.44 price includes 20% VAT, which they will take off if you ask (since it’s being shipped out of the EU), but shipping is 100 GBP, or about $133.
https://www.pfjones.co.uk/volkswagen-passat-estate-05-1997-2005-bosal-oris-detachable-towbar.html

PF Jones also has downloadable pdfs of the installation instructions. The Bosal ones are diagrammatic pictures, clearer than Westfalia’s “remove bumper” directions. However, in the Westfalia directions, it says that one needs to install a foam insert, VW part 3B9807251A, into the bumper before re-installing. I found that part on-line here in the USA, about $40 including shipping – but the VW parts place’s listing seems to say it’s for Passat Variants up to 2001 (i.e., B5 vintage) – no mention of the B5.5 years.
IDParts says their Bosal 050-033 hitch is good for up to 1500 kg.
PF Jones says theirs (same part number) is good for up to 2000 kg.
PF Jones says their Westfalia FWD hitch is rated for up to 1800 kg, their Westfalia 4Motion hitch for 2200 kg.

Questions:
Are there really any significant differences between the hitches? Yes, the Westfalia ones look a bit nicer, but it’s all hidden under the vehicle. Even 1500 kg x 2.2 = 3300 pounds is more than my utility trailer is rated for.
There is a piece of rather-thick looking plate steel, with a decent-sized hole in it, on the Bosal unit between the mount for the wiring, and the insert point for the swan-neck hitch. Can any Bosal owners comment on use of that hole for safety chains?
And, what about the “give us $60 and weld this on” concept from IDParts? Bosal’s instructions say to only use approved accessories, Westfalia says “don’t alter our stuff in any way” -
 
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