2 inch receiver hitch MKIV Golf just installed

coalminer16 · July 25th, 2011, 04:25

Pictures will come. Just don't have them downloaded yet. My 2 inch receiver hitch is now installed on my 2004 Golf. I followed a hybrid of a couple hitches on this site and made my own. I traded my brother for the angle iron, welding, bolts, paint, grinding, and cutting a CAT fuel filter kit and bracket for his 80 VW diesel and the design help of building a hitch for his wagon jetta (he is a welder by trade and me an engineer).

I bought a chevy fold down (in my case up) linsence plate holder from ebay (about $20), rear bumper shocks ($60) and an RV class 3 receiver hitch ($70). Prices were shipped to me cost. The reciever hitch was the cheapest I could find online. It is a straight tube but other then that nothing special.

Cut the bumper shock plates off the shocks WARNING-THEY DO HAVE PRESSURE WITH OIL AND GAS. We figured that so we drilled a hole first and let it drain (spray) out. We then used some 2 X 2 X 1/4 angle iron. THis is the largest anlge you can fit. If you used square tubing it will have to be smaller as the right side is not fully square. We then put between 4 and 5 1/2 bolts with nuts welded on the angle. Used a couple of the factory holes in the bumper holes and had to drill a few more. Then cut the plates from the bumper shocks to slide over the angle. We then had to do some cutting to the angle sticking out and the hitch and got the hitch as close to the car as possible and low as possible. Then welded the angle and bumper shock plates and nuts fully up, painted, then welded the hitch on and painted the welds (the angle is not fully straigh in the holes and the hitch would likely have to be cut some to pull out. The bumper was trimmed behind the licence plate for the receiver hole and there was on each side the bumper inside had to be trimmed a little to clear the hitch. I also brought my trailer wiring through th licence plate wire hole so I don't have to run it out my hatch now.

You have to take your lights, rear wheels, rear fender liners and bumper off to do this project. At the moment I now have two hitches on the car but will take the small one off (forsale now). It looks awsome.

coalminer16 · July 30th, 2011, 15:28

coalminer16 · July 30th, 2011, 15:29

coalminer16 · July 30th, 2011, 15:30

ed2kayak · July 30th, 2011, 16:38

Nice job!

LiLredTDI · July 31st, 2011, 07:28

I do not own a Golf or want a hitch but props for a really great idea!! Visible hitches are ugly.

I think of every home brewed mod I have seen this is by far the most ingenious and trick.

Farfromovin · July 31st, 2011, 11:46

Yeah, now pull up to U-Haul and see if they'll rent you a tow dolly lol. Just tell them you need to tow a smart car and see if they'll rent you the dolly. I mean, you have a Class II hitch so you should be fine lol.

glitdi · July 31st, 2011, 11:57

Awesome job...is that your home shop? If so I salute you sir!

coalminer16 · July 31st, 2011, 19:44

Well, brothers home shop. He lives in the heated side of the shop till he builds his house. The other side of the wall he has this newly installed car lift and he is a welder by trade. I do the engineering (by trade). We kind of are a good match. Next is his wagon, which for those none wagon owners the license plate is on the hatch not the bumper. So we are going to put the hitch between the split in the bumpers (upper and lower) and have the hole for the hitch pin outside so you don't have to reach under the bumper nor have a large hole. Brother already is buying his iron and will be using my old bumper shocks for those plates.

Disclaimer, if you copy this design. Don't blame me if it fails-I copied some others ideas and modded it for my own.

I would love to see if Uhaul would actually rent me a car hauler just to see if they would but the web site goes on vehicle not hitch.

milehighassassin · August 1st, 2011, 11:25

Looks good. If I ever find time I'll be doing this.

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fredd7924 · August 2nd, 2011, 18:48

Good to see that you got the hitch made for your car. It looks good

Deebeaux · August 4th, 2011, 07:58

That looks nice, very secure, a local friend did something similar with the receiver behind the plate, but didn't do the spring loaded plate flip mechanism. He should.

coalminer16 · August 4th, 2011, 08:42

I actually undid part of the flipper spring. Was a bit strong. But I can add it back with age as it gets weaker. Another idea for the None golf owners is that they make the ball mounts that have a lock in the mount and sends the two pins out to secure. One person is doing this so they pin hole doesn't need to be reached and they just mount in the lower bumper area. Etrailer has these hitches.

dieselherb1 · August 7th, 2011, 05:24

How much to build another?

coalminer16 · August 7th, 2011, 09:17

Well, unfortunately that is where it gets hard to build another. as measurements weren't really used in the greatest fashion and it was more eyeballing it and making sure it was level. A person really needs there own car there to help with the drilling of the holes. After doing this I see why others don't build more hitches. And there is the liability of it as well since it isn't a DOT rated system anymore. The best I could do was just show pictures to help out others on what to get for supplies and roughly where to weld. I would be glad to help you any other way that I can though.

As a side note I bought a 6 inch drop hitch from Etrailer and a greaseless ball as well. Here are the links. The hitch is a locking no slop hitch.

http://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/...e/SR26041.html
http://www.etrailer.com/Balls/Andersen/AM3662.html

Still in the mail.