Lifted GTDI Build

windhys

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Location
CA
TDI
Golf
I've been looking for a way to get a bit more ground clearance from running 16" wheel with oversize tire 205/60/16 (It's my winter tires set up now) and 17" with 225/50/17 now for summer. While it was enough to ride through back country road to my cabin in the wood comfortably but I have to go very slow and do a lot maneuvering around rocks.

I came across some lifts kit with spacers but they are pricey. So I came up with similar idea but homemade spacer. Initially I was gonna use 3/4" iron coupler as a spacer for the front (Some youtuber done this) but I didn't like the look of it. It has 1.5" length, 0.5" longer than what I needed and I don't want a perfectly level front and back. I will be installing a custom 2" tow hitch receiver next and don't want the back end lower than the front when towing. This is the result with 1" length homemade spacer. For the coils, I used Moog 81134 for front and Moog 81055 for the rear.

BEFORE




AFTER




The Homemade Spacer out of some steel tube. Each of the spacer length is 1"





To keep the spacer centered when installed, I made my own bushing. It is made from some dense foam mat from leftover kids craft. Painted the inside and outside of the spacer and coat the inside with a lot fluid film for rust prevention before installing foam bushings in there.


 
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windhys

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Location
CA
TDI
Golf
GTDI has custom build 2" Hitch receiver now. The Parts I used to put together this custom hitch receiver:

  • This Hitch Receiver drop is perfect for my custom build. Reese Towpower 33073 33 Series Class III/IV 2" Square Tube Receiver $24 (Got it brand new from a friend). So on paper this thing has Class III/IV but off course I will never tow anywhere close to that :D
  • 2" Steel Angle 1/4" thickness $12
  • Some Grade 8 x Bolts, Washer, Lock Washer, Nuts from a friend. I cut couple rectangle steel piece from hitch receiver leftover. 3 bolts on each side of the frame rails using existing holes. There's 4th hole I believe but 3 each is more than sufficient.
  • For wiring, I used powered converter Curt 59496 (Got it from a friend, brand new for $12)
  • I did all the tack welding and got a friend to do the final welding. Welding cost $80 (friendly price :D).
Total Cost About $130

I plan on adding a crash bar to replace the original but that can wait.

All the yellow gooey stuff is cosmoline and fluid film. My gtdi is coated inside out with that stuff to prevent rust.

Test fitting




The frame rail isn't actually lined up with the body, has a bit of angle down so to compensate that I added a spacer on both side of the outside of the long piece of the hitch tube. The receiver aligns with the car body this way.



The long piece of hitch tube is bolted down to the angle piece for an added safety in case weld fails but my buddy's work was solid, I don't think it will ever fail.



I noticed the Hitch Receiver Tube wasn't straight from the factory, to make it straight I had to pull the right side of the long piece out a bit.



Lower valance cut out. The hole for safety pin is in between the plastic piece but I can easily push it in.



For wiring, I used female connectors and tapped into existing light wiring pins. I ran power wire through grommet just above brake booster down to driver's side plastic panels on the bottom edge all the way to the back.





It survived First long trip towing a homemade trailer. Made it up to the top side of the cabin. Before lifting the golf, it wasn't possible without scrapping the bottom.





http://instagr.am/p/CQ-Ku_Cj1F2/
 
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windhys

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Location
CA
TDI
Golf
Custom hitch survived a long trip towing this big boy carrying truckload of 10' long 2x6s PT wood. GTDI was passing everyone on the highway like it was towing nothing.
 
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