DickSilver
Veteran Member
I completed my installation of my own design 1.25 inch hitch receiver on our Passat TDI Wagon today. Total cost about $30.00, and the receiver does not hang down below the bumper cover. It is good for Class 1 towing or bike racks. Anyone who copies it does so at their own risk.
1. Buy a 1.25 inch receiver (southwestwheel.com) and weld to a 3 x 6 inch piece of 3/8 inch steel plate. Drill two 3/8 inch mounting holes aprox. centered in each side of the plate. Paint with rust preventer and black enamel.
2. Mark several alignment points and along the lower edge of the bumper with permanent pen inside the bumper cover and on the aluminum bumper - this facilitates cutting the receiver clearance hole later. Remove rear bumper cover (See Bentley manual).
3. Clamp the receiver to the center of the underside of the aluminum bumper. Drill two 3/8 inch holes up clear thru the bumper, it is hollow. Use two 3/8 x 4 inch carriage bolts: file the holes in the top of the bumper square to fit the bolt heads. This allows later tightening from below without removing the bumper cover. Use Nylock nuts and tighten until the bolt heads are flush.
4. Measure from one of the alignment marks to the receiver, then mark inside the bumper cover from the matching mark, a 2 inch square hole to clear the receiver. Remount the bumper cover.
5. Buy a 48 inch long electrical trailer pigtail of the type you want to use (I use 4-pin flat), four 2.5 amp silicon diodes and plenty of barrel-splice crimp connectors. Splice into the taillight wiring at the left side to get ground, left turn signal, and running lights. Splice into the right side to get right turn signal and run an extra wire under the edge of the trim to the left side. Use the diodes to run the brake lights and a turn signal light into each trailer brake light wire, so the brakes and turn signals in the Passat will remain separate.
6. Use a short, straight hitch bar. For most trailers, the receiver is at the correct height. I cut mine from a longer hitch bar and use bushings and 1/2 inch bolts to mount the hitch balls.
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1. Buy a 1.25 inch receiver (southwestwheel.com) and weld to a 3 x 6 inch piece of 3/8 inch steel plate. Drill two 3/8 inch mounting holes aprox. centered in each side of the plate. Paint with rust preventer and black enamel.
2. Mark several alignment points and along the lower edge of the bumper with permanent pen inside the bumper cover and on the aluminum bumper - this facilitates cutting the receiver clearance hole later. Remove rear bumper cover (See Bentley manual).
3. Clamp the receiver to the center of the underside of the aluminum bumper. Drill two 3/8 inch holes up clear thru the bumper, it is hollow. Use two 3/8 x 4 inch carriage bolts: file the holes in the top of the bumper square to fit the bolt heads. This allows later tightening from below without removing the bumper cover. Use Nylock nuts and tighten until the bolt heads are flush.
4. Measure from one of the alignment marks to the receiver, then mark inside the bumper cover from the matching mark, a 2 inch square hole to clear the receiver. Remount the bumper cover.
5. Buy a 48 inch long electrical trailer pigtail of the type you want to use (I use 4-pin flat), four 2.5 amp silicon diodes and plenty of barrel-splice crimp connectors. Splice into the taillight wiring at the left side to get ground, left turn signal, and running lights. Splice into the right side to get right turn signal and run an extra wire under the edge of the trim to the left side. Use the diodes to run the brake lights and a turn signal light into each trailer brake light wire, so the brakes and turn signals in the Passat will remain separate.
6. Use a short, straight hitch bar. For most trailers, the receiver is at the correct height. I cut mine from a longer hitch bar and use bushings and 1/2 inch bolts to mount the hitch balls.
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