[Vwdiesel] Think I can tow my boat with my golf?

Mon Apr 23 13:01:39 PDT 2012

It will be going on an '02 Golf.  So it should be very similar to yours.

So the actual part going into the frame is just the L? That makes the project seem much simpler!  Thanks.  I think I will look at the shock plates and assess whether they are needed and how difficult cutting them would be or making a replacement.

Dave Cook

________________________________
 From: Travis Gottschalk <tgott at hotmail.com>
To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com 
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 2:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Think I can tow my boat with my golf?

On the golf we just had some extra length of the angle from cutting it off sticking out of the car. Since the hitch was so low compared to the angle coming out we figured it wouldn't hurt to add the "boxed in" part of the added chunk of angle. Likely wasn't needed. Looks like the Jetta's were more "boxed in" on the part no in the car. I wasn't there and it is my brothers pictures. Again-wouldn't need to be boxed in if you get the needed strength. Look at what hitches are sold for the car and you can figure how much of an improvement this is. 

As far as the bumper shock plate. Does it help with strength-likely not after seeing the bolts in there that just thread into the sheet metal. Maybe helps with some up and down movement and could help with a rear crash but doesn't do anything if pulled on. Also seals the hols up better so salt won't get in as good. Brother choose to do it to all 3 cars but the Jettas he just made a plate up out of flate iron rather then cutting the shocks and cut a V into them to slide the angle through and welded up. The OEM bumper plates aren't fully flate but close enough. 

My question to you is what is this going on (model, year) that you are thinking of. Also there is one person in Eastern WI that has made the whole hitch out of stainless. 

Travis G
> 
> Ok, couple questions:
> 
> I see in the threads that the bumper shock mounts don't bolt to a whole lot-do you think it really matters if the plates are attached to the hitch?? Do you think it adds enough to make it worth the work?
> 
> On the extra pics on the Sportwagon thread, it doesn't look like the hitch "legs" were ever boxed in.? Is this true, or was this just not pictured?? If so, did that end up being strong enough?? I had assumed from the Golf thread that they were boxed in.? Or is is just the part sticking out of the frame that is boxed?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ?
> Dave Cook
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Travis Gottschalk <tgott at hotmail.com>
> To: Dave Cook <davevw at yahoo.com> 
> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 12:49 PM
> Subject: RE: Think I can tow my boat with my golf?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't honestly remember. A 4 foot piece of angle iron would be a safe guess of total supplies needed. I think it was around 18 inches of material going into the car though. You need to notch the angle iron on one of the sides as there is some obstruction in the hole if you look into it with a light. The tube I used was the cheapest one from ebay as someone else had done that online as well. Basically you just need a straight across 2 inch receiver. Brother bought his own iron for the Jettas though as he needed to play with the height better to get right where he wanted. You can buy just a receiver tube and then get a square or rect tube and then weld to the angle going into the car and then use existing holes. There is some patches that cover some of the holes that can be used. You need to patch it all together piece by piece unless you get really good at it as it would be hard to prefab this without a jig. Drill the holes or at least mark them with
> the angle in the car. Then weld nuts and run a tap through them (shrinking and splatter). Weld them good so they won't break loose down the road. Once we had the angle and the bumper attachments from the old shocks welded on we then lined up the receiver to where we wanted it and welded on the car. We painted the angle before install of that part and then painted the bare metal after welding. We likely would have to cut it into two pieces to pull back off as it wasn't perfectly straight going into the holes with the time we had (I had a 4 hour drive yet to do that day). Brother spent about 9 hours building per car but the lookes got better each time. I should have rounded the corners on mine as I had to cut a little on my bumper that you can now see from the outside if looking hard. It is solid and here is no movement. We all have the ball mounts that tighten up so there is no movement there and we have greaseless balls on them (plastic cap on top). The
> hitch lock was also tightened down more so it just barely goes over the ball. Smooth ride unless the trailer tires are out of balance (ask me how I found that out).
> Here are the two builds as a refresher. 
> 
> http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=324910
> http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=329047
> Travis G
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:33:14 -0700
> From: davevw at yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Think I can tow my boat with my golf?
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com; tgott at hotmail.com
> 
> 
> Travis, do you remember the length of the part of the hitch that goes back into the frame? And did I understand that the cross part that has the receiver was purchased as a unit?
> Thanks!

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