Towing

[2015Golftdi]

I have recently purchased a new Yamaha jet ski and was wondering if anyone has one how the golf would do towing it up the ramp. My main concern would be spinning on a wet ramp, not towing down the highway. I’m debating putting a hitch on mine so I don’t have to take my truck which gets a quarter of the mpgs. Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks!

 

[whizznbyu]

Very difficult to DIY. 10/10 on the difficult scale according to one of the more prominent e-vendors. I saw my mechanic install it and it looked daunting.
Since it is FWD, pulling a jetski on a trailer with the nose up will likely see slippage as the weight bias is to the rear.

 

[demagxc]

The difficulty in hitch installation may vary depending on what hitch you purchase. I didnt find the Curt hitch that difficult to install in my driveway on jack stands. The one frustrating part of the installation was pulling the mounting bolts through the frame. The only other thing I needed to do was unhook the muffler from the hanger before mounting the hitch.

 

[PB_NB]

The challenge would be getting traction on the front wheel that will spin if the ramp is greasy from algae.

I find that when I have our 2000 lbs trailer and I am starting up on a hill in the rain, it is very hard to take off smoothly.

If I were to continue using my Beetle for towing, I would consider a limited slip differential and then the rig would be much more capable.

 

[740GLE]

ummm I installed a westfailia hitch on our wagon in just about 2hrs, hardest part was pulling the bumper cover with OEM mud flaps.

I'm not sure if the Golf Hatch is that much different.

Check out eco hitch I think there's an install video on etrailer for the hatch specifically.

As for slipping on the ramp are you 6MT or DSG? I tihnk DSG may be easier to slowly creep up without toasting the clutch.

Also some ramps are steeper than others but many worth their while have concrete ribs that provide great tire eating traction so chance are you'd be fine, also tongue weight of jetskis usually aren't too bad, what 75lbs?.

 

[Jedadiah]

Pulling off the bumper cover is the hardest part on the hatchback too. Those clips under the taillights are tight. On the hatch, you also have to order a lower valence if you install a Westy hitch. The hole you'd cut would be really obvious on the stock one.

 

[casioqv]

I don't think you'll have any problem at all. I tow a 15' sailboat that weights about 1k lbs with my Golf TDI (6MT, 02m transmission, FWD), and it goes up the steepest ramps effortlessly with zero slipping.

I have ASR/EDL but it has never activated once on a boat ramp... boat ramps are unlikely to be wet and slippery as high up as the front wheels unless you are launching into heavy surf or something.

Having towed a lot of boats with small 2wd cars, traction only really starts to be a problem when the weight of the boat is about double the weight on the drive axle. For example, my MKIV golf is about 2994lbs*0.6=1796.4 lbs of weight on the front wheels, so not much chance of slipping pulling a 1,000 lb trailer up a ramp. OTOH, I've towed a much bigger 21' sailboat (3000 lbs) with a Volvo 740 (RWD) that has only 1340 lbs on the rear wheels, and it did experience slipping on some of the steepest and smoothest ramps, however it was still pretty manageable and never got stuck.

So I think a Golf would experience some slipping pulling boats up that were over 3600 lbs, however that is well in excess of the towing capacity of the vehicle.

 

[turbobrick240]

I can't envision it being a problem either. It wouldn't hurt to bring along a little coarse sand just in case the ramp is particularly greasy. Airing down the front tires to 20 psi would also help if things get difficult.

 

[2015Golftdi]

Alright sounds like it’d at least be worth a try, thanks for all your guys’ feedback. When I get my car back from the shop I’ll look into getting a hitch. I was looking around and saw a uhaul hitch, but I’ll look into the ones you have suggested.

 

[740GLE]

I can't envision it being a problem either. It wouldn't hurt to bring along a little coarse sand just in case the ramp is particularly greasy. Airing down the front tires to 20 psi would also help if things get difficult.

Is the boat launch icy? I can only see adding sand, equivalently ball bearings on a hard surface, decreasing his traction (assuming it's either paved of concrete ramp).

 

[turbobrick240]

Is the boat launch icy? I can only see adding sand, equivalently ball bearings on a hard surface, decreasing his traction (assuming it's either paved of concrete ramp).

Most folks keep the jet ski at home in freezing weather.
It's all about friction. Same reason many trains drop sand on the rails on steep grades. There's typically no ice on the rails either, but the sand enhances traction nonetheless.

https://www.boatus.com/magazine/trailering/2014/october/on-the-slippery-slope.asp

 

[Lightflyer1]

But a train has steel on steel for wheels and traction surface. We have rubber on pavement. Sand I would think would tend to decrease the traction available in this instance, not enhance it like in trains.

 

[Nuje]

Take it to an extreme - what if the ramp is a sheet of ice? Do you see sand adding some gription in that case?

I don't know all of the physics principles involved, but the goal with sand, I think, is to scuff up the surface and provide more surface area (adding the z-axis in addition to x/y) - just like if you scrape up the surface of ice.

 

[turbobrick240]

Coarse sand obviously isn't going to help on clean, dry pavement/concrete. Which is why you don't see DOT trucks sanding the highways in the middle of summer. It will help considerably if the launch surface is slick with algae etc. You just need to use a little common sense to determine when it may be helpful.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Go throw a bunch of sand onto a deserted road turn. Then get on a motorcycle and take that turn at speed. See how much traction it gives you. Even with algae I don't think it would help. Our boat ramps are grooved across the ramps to provide more traction.

 

[Nuje]

Your example already has a surface with good traction already, though. Put ice on that same corner and take turn on motorbike; then put sand on the ice and do the same.

(Trust the Canadian: If it's slick, putting some sand down helps with traction. That's why our streets are currently littered with sand - after the 20" snow dump last week, which has since melted. )

 

[turbobrick240]

Yeah, I'm just going to call that motorcycle scenario irrelevant to a slick boat launch situation. I've been to many boat ramps all around the country. The best ones have grooved concrete ramps. Some are paved. Some are gravel. I didn't invent the sand solution, read the link above. It works. For reasons that seem quite apparent to me, but...

 

[740GLE]

Coarse sand obviously isn't going to help on clean, dry pavement/concrete. Which is why you don't see DOT trucks sanding the highways in the middle of summer. It will help considerably if the launch surface is slick with algae etc. You just need to use a little common sense to determine when it may be helpful.

How is algae going to be a factor on a FWD vehicle? RWD is can see. Maybe pulling on super low tide the fronts maybe below the typical water line?

I guess we can all agree it'd depend on the ramp and conditions. The ramps I've experienced are grooved cement, which is basically "glued" sand to begin with.

 

[turbobrick240]

How is algae going to be a factor on a FWD vehicle? RWD is can see. Maybe pulling on super low tide the fronts maybe below the typical water line?
I guess we can all agree it'd depend on the ramp and conditions. The ramps I've experienced are grooved cement, which is basically "glued" sand to begin with.

I've seen some very slick ramps and many that are not. It varies a lot based on the body of water, how much traffic the ramp gets, tidal action, steepness of the ramp, etc. etc.... A thick biofilm of algae can make even grooved concrete slicker than snot. Anybody who has walked on wet rocks along the shoreline of the ocean, in a stream, etc. has probably experienced the slickness. The sand helps, I'll just leave it at that.

 

[iamatt]

I'd just use the truck since you probably won't have the jetski more than a couple of years, if that. People ditch those toys in short order, I have had my flats fishing rig since 94 but jetskis come and go all the time... like wave surfing boats lol.

 

[SilverGhost]

I pulled a 17' center console with a 100hp Johnson with my Golf. It launched the boat better that the previous owner's Silverado. That boat was easily a couple thousand pounds with the trailer.

Reality was most ramps around here the FWD actually stays out of the wet/algae slick and has no traction issue. Where as the RWD pickup puts the tires in the water and on the perpetually wet/slippery part of the ramp.

Jason

 

[turbobrick240]

Yup. My vehicles start up just fine 99.9% of the time, and don't get flat tires. I still like to carry jumper cables and a spare for that .1% of the time when things go awry. A tow strap is also handy sometimes.

 

[laminated]

on the subject of hitch install, Make sure the bumper skin goes on well. If it rubs on the quarter panel because it wasnt on right, it will wear pains/rust/ void rust warranty. I got this from the service manager who saw it alot on Mk6's

 

[Uno’15TDi]

I have recently purchased a new Yamaha jet ski and was wondering if anyone has one how the golf would do towing it up the ramp. My main concern would be spinning on a wet ramp, not towing down the highway. I’m debating putting a hitch on mine so I don’t have to take my truck which gets a quarter of the mpgs. Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks!

One of the things that hasn’t been mentioned is the DSG transmissions quirkiness while starting out on a steep inclines..For my car(2015 Golf) it’s been unpredictable, especially while pulling unto wheel ramps.


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[Nuje]

Oh yeah - I forgot about that issue. Same thing here - trying to get "just a little" oomph to get up a ramp or back up "just a bit"...typically results in big jumps. Ugh.

 

[Z85rado]

I have towed a loaded 5x8 uhaul that i can almost guarantee was over 2K pounds and started in slick roads with no problem.

a jetski is light enough if the waves are heavy at that end of the lake/river/etc you could do it by hand and pull it back to where it's safe. When i had my jetski id launch this was on a little beach that was as wide as a trailer to save the 1.5 hour round trip to the launch.

what are you getting? looking into an EXR myself for the summer. we have a baby due and my time will be scarce id like to be able to do something with our 3.5 year old.

 

[2015Golftdi]

I have towed a loaded 5x8 uhaul that i can almost guarantee was over 2K pounds and started in slick roads with no problem.

a jetski is light enough if the waves are heavy at that end of the lake/river/etc you could do it by hand and pull it back to where it's safe. When i had my jetski id launch this was on a little beach that was as wide as a trailer to save the 1.5 hour round trip to the launch.

what are you getting? looking into an EXR myself for the summer. we have a baby due and my time will be scarce id like to be able to do something with our 3.5 year old.

I already purchased a 2019 leftover it’s a fx with the 1800cc rather than the 1050cc. I bought it late in the year for a better deal. I haven’t ridden it yet which is horrible cuz I look at it in the garage everyday lol. That seems like it would be a good one to take your kid out on. I like going fast so I bought the middle of the road one.

 

[2015Golftdi]

One of the things that hasn’t been mentioned is the DSG transmissions quirkiness while starting out on a steep inclines..For my car(2015 Golf) it’s been unpredictable, especially while pulling unto wheel ramps.


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I have had my car tuned which when it’s on anything above the stock tune it seems to take that out of the equation. I haven’t drove it that much in anything but the stock tune yet. I’m going to fill up a couple times on each to see which one gives the best overall performance.

 

[Uno’15TDi]

I have had my car tuned which when it’s on anything above the stock tune it seems to take that out of the equation. I haven’t drove it that much in anything but the stock tune yet. I’m going to fill up a couple times on each to see which one gives the best overall performance.

I would be interested in your experience now that you have the tune(which I presume included the DSG tune).




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[Uno’15TDi]

Oh yeah - I forgot about that issue. Same thing here - trying to get "just a little" oomph to get up a ramp or back up "just a bit"...typically results in big jumps. Ugh.

Not only annoying but it’s dangerous...


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