Bosal euro detachable hitch install... PICS

FL2AK-tdi

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You know what I just realized? This completely hoses me for buying one of htese hitches. My dad's boat trailer has a 1 7/8 tounge. I would have to buy a new boat trailer.

Wait a sec, that means I get to buy a new boat traier!

I hope that they come out with a square tube hitch soon, I was planning to buy this summer.
 

FL2AK-tdi

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Richy_T said:
You could get a new tongue. I think they even sell them at wal-mart.

Rich
If it requres welding, you can leave me out lol. I don't know how my dad's is set up, it's in FL and I'm in AK.
 

mr.mindless

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Most hitches (that would be the piece that is secured to the trailer's tongue and swivels on the drawbar's ball - just to set all terms correctly) are bolted to the trailer tongue.

I use a quick change ball on all my other hitches that allows me to switch between 1 7/8, 2 and 2 5/16 in seconds. I've been thinking how I could turn down the top of the swan neck to accept one of the studs that the system uses for a center pin in the ball but have not thought of a way that I like just yet. The Convert-a-Ball is what I use, there are competing products from Draw-Tite as well, assumedly among others.
 

Richy_T

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Hmm. Since the Bosal balls are undoubtedly CNC'ed, I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard for them to turn out a few at different sized (especially smaller) for people who would need them. I guess nickgiordano might be able to check that out. Personally though, I don't think I'd purchase one myself. I might go for the square receiver if that's available as a separate item (though likely I'll just stick with what I have. I like that it's invisible when put away.

Edit: Just to add to one of the posts I made earlier, this is the plastic grommit that the wiring could go through (I used Kennedy's picture here. I took one of mine but don't have it to hand).

 
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JoeBleed

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Richy_T said:
Edit: Oh, I see what you mean. When JoeBleed was talking about 2", I assumed he meant the ball size since a trailer wouldn't have a receiver on it anyway. Note also that this wasn't a large trailer.

Rich
Yea, i ment the ball reciever/hitch/toung on the end of the trailer. wasn't sure what to call it. :)

Eitehr way, i should be picking up mine this saturday at the asheville gtg.
 

Thorne

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Sounds like we really need to define our terms here! Bosal is confusing as they don't really have a receiver, and the ball is permanently mounted on the "draw mount" or whatever the Brits call it.

Sorry to not know the UK terms, I towed a trailer with my Golf when I lived in senic Droitwich but never learned what all the bits and bobs were called...

Here's what the American trailer parts companies call the various parts we are discussing here:
http://www.championtrailers.com/CONCATPDFDOWNLOADPAGE.htm
http://www.easternmarine.com/em_store/couplers/


Let's work from the car out --


The frame/square tubing/metal part that bolts onto the car's frame =
HITCH


The metal part (female) that holds the part (male) that holds the ball (not used on Bosal) =
RECEIVER


The square metal part (male) that holds the ball, often at different heights = TRAILER HITCH BALL MOUNT or DRAWBAR MOUNTS


The metal part on the car's end of the trailer's tongue (clamps onto the ball) =
COUPLER


The long metal backbone of the trailer, with the coupler on one end and trailer frame on the other, often with jacks mounted near the coupler, winches for the bow of boats, etc =
TONGUE
 
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FL2AK-tdi

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Richy_T said:
Hmm. Since the Bosal balls are undoubtedly CNC'ed, I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard for them to turn out a few at different sized (especially smaller) for people who would need them. I guess nickgiordano might be able to check that out.
I think this is best solved with the installation of a square receiver-either factory or home-engineered.
 

Boatman

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1 7/8" couple fix

I recently installed a Westfalia on my Passat. After measuring the ball and the coupler I realised that they were very close and got to thinking.This is what I came up with to "fix" the problem, very simple. Get a 1 3/4" x 1/2" bolt and nut. Thread the nut onto the bolt and place box wrenches on the head and nut. Slide the whole thing into the couple and and back off the nut to spread the coupler apart just enough to fit over the ball. Works like a charm. And the coupler can still be used on a 1 7/8" ball

 

Boatman

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DPM said:
OK for a pressed-steel lightweight coupler perhaps, no use for a cast one.
Been towing trailers of all kinds; horse vans, utility, snowmobile, motorcycle, cargo, boat, you name it. I've never seen a cast 1 7/8" coupler. 2" and 2 5/16" yes, not saying they are not out there but they are not common.
 

DPM

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Over here, only the smallest little pressed-steel utility trailers tend to be pressed. Most others- whether they be braked or unbraked couplings (our braked couplings have a telescopic device which actuates cabled brakes)- are cast.

I don't see any evidence of grease inside that coupling. Is it not normal to grease the ball?
 

Richy_T

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DPM said:
I don't see any evidence of grease inside that coupling. Is it not normal to grease the ball?
I suspect it is correct but not normal :)

I was quite suprised that there was no grease left behind when the u-haul trailer I rented was uncoupled. Those guys are supposed to be pros. I was intending to put some grease on myself but forgot to take with everything that was going on.
 

vw4life

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looks like you could use a new coupler anyway. I replaced mine due to a bit of rust inside and I didn't want it to wear out the westfailia any faster.

It only cost about $15 for a new bolt on trailer coupler.
 
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Boatman

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Wow... you guys are a tough crowd... "not with a cast coupler, no grease, rust, could use a new coupler". I posted a quick easy fix to the 1 7/8" dilema that I saw other posters fretting about. With this particular trailer most of the time it only goes between home and work, 8 miles. If I need a long trip I'll throw a dab of grease on the ball. I have a 2" ball at work that probably has 100K miles of towing on it and it only mics a couple thousandths of wear. The coupler in the pic is sound and there is no need to replace it just because of a little rust. It's welded to the 2" square tube, all of the 2" couplers I found are meant for 3" square tube and you need spacers to make them work. The coupler is welded to the tongue and on the day I needed to use the trailer I didn't want to spentd the time to grind the welds off, go get a coupler that didn't really fit the tongue weld the new unit on.
:p
 

Marks04

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RitchyT,
Nice pic of the plastic grommet. But, where is that? I wound up using another route, but will want to run a couple of wires for a boost/EGT gage at that would be real handy.

Mark
 

Richy_T

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It's behind the plastic bumper, just below the rim of the trunk and slightly to the left. You have to pull the trim off to get at it internally. If you look at the pic on the first page of this thread that I took it from, it should be a little clearer.

Uh, actually, not sure why you would want to run the wires for a boost gauge out of the rear of the car. I think you may have got the wrong end of the stick :)

I checked the coupler on my pop-up camper today. It's welded on but it's 2" so I'm good.
 

Marks04

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Richy,
Hah, reread your post and you are correct and I am wrong. I thought this was a way to get up front which is of course where I want to go to hook up to the boost/temp gauge.

I took the car to the RV place Saturday where they are getting the RV prepped and ready for delivery this Wed. I was able to drop the trailer on the new hitch and the new air bags have everything level. And, I jumped up and down on the hitch and it seems rock solid. I hooked up my lights and all the the wiring works as do the brake controller and lamp isolator/converter.

Mark
 

MILESB

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hitch for a sedan or wagon

what is the difference in a OEM hitch for a sedan and that of a wagon? will an OEM hitch for a wagon work on a sedan? if not, will it work with minor adjustments?
 

Occams_Razor

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Richy_T said:
I think they're the same. The car at the front end of this thread is a wagon I think.
Correct. The difference is what bolt holes are used.

The original VW hitch that I have has 4 welded on nutss on each leg. Can't remember which one you use, (and am to lazy to go find the instructions right now :p ).
 
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mr.mindless

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Marks04 said:
OK, here are some pictures of my custom approach.
I need to take more pictures when I take mine apart for paint and rebar fitting, but I just finished my custom hitch.

It took me about 3 nights to build.

The legs that go into the "frame rails" are 1x2x.120 with .75x.120 DOM sleeves for bolts, with nuts welded to the inside.
2x2x.25 cross tube with 4 bends to kick it behind the curve in the body
6" receiver tube from Tractor Supply
a couple 5/16 gussets
I also used the factory 5mph shock mounting plates. I passed the arms through those plates after plasma cutting the shocks out of them. I'd like to up the bolt size on those if there is clearance to do so, but right now it's mounted with the 4 ~6mm bumper bolts and 4 1/2" bolts through the slotted holes in the frame with 2x3" .25" plate washers on the outsides.


I don't have a good camera so any pics I get with the bumper cover off will be just as fuzzy as these. I towed 2020# about 50 miles last night and this morning and have no complaints. With the upgraded rear brakes and stock fronts it stopped better than I expected.

I don't have my electrics mounted yet and I don't have a brake controller yet, nor a braked trailer to tow. I still have to trim the flange off the bottom of the bumper cover and chop up the valence too, for safety chain access, pin access, and electrics mounting. I'm planning to just mount the 7 pin hookup to the valance next to the receiver tube.


Here's a gallery, excuse the poor cameraphone photos.
 
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nickgiordano

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FL2AK-tdi said:
so did they ever decide to make a square tube receiver for this or what?
yes, we have it here now..it is going to debut at sema. it is a class 3 hitch that will fit all bosal/oris euro hitch mountings...comes off with a twist and is a real slick part
 

Occams_Razor

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Sweet! :D

Now all we need is the Euro to US wiring harness. hint...hint... :D

nickgiordano said:
yes, we have it here now..it is going to debut at sema. it is a class 3 hitch that will fit all bosal/oris euro hitch mountings...comes off with a twist and is a real slick part
 

nickgiordano

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AS I understand, they do have that harness and it is virtually the same as the std Euro harness. the trailer plug is able to be wired to any pin configuration as the way it is made, you locate the wires according to your trailer needs. Also these are overlay harness'..plug in, no splices. very slick
 

wfg97079

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for the first time in 17 years, none
ooooo

So when is the square tube receiver and harness available? and where? :)
nickgiordano said:
AS I understand, they do have that harness and it is virtually the same as the std Euro harness. the trailer plug is able to be wired to any pin configuration as the way it is made, you locate the wires according to your trailer needs. Also these are overlay harness'..plug in, no splices. very slick
 

FL2AK-tdi

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wfg97079 said:
So when is the square tube receiver and harness available? and where? :)
And how much? And class THREE??? What was the motivation behind that as opposed to a class two. A VW can't even to the weight that requires a class 3 hitch.

But I still want one.
 

nickgiordano

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FL2AK-tdi said:
And how much? And class THREE??? What was the motivation behind that as opposed to a class two. A VW can't even to the weight that requires a class 3 hitch.

But I still want one.
the swan neck is interchangeable on all these designs it would seem. The part will be at AAPEX (sema) , they should hopefully be avilable afterwards shortly. they likely used a design that we did for ford or gm as the basis so it might go to a class 2 before final production. The harness will be and has been available in the EU, but we have not brought them in yet, The demand will dictate availability. They are not cheap, but they are well worth the $ in my opinion as they are very well made
 
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