I'm a newbie learning the ropes.

[kVox42]

Life has changed (a LOT) over the past 2 years and I've decided that the next thing I'm going to do is take an extended road trip (6 months+) to see places I want to see and visit people I want to visit. I am looking at some of the options currently on the market and thinking about design features, use, etc. I'm considering building my own - although I'm not 100% confident I have the skill level to get it right. But one way or the other, having some general info - from an unbiased source - will be a great help. Thanks to all!

I'm already running into some conflicting information on some basics, including what my car will tow. I have a 2010 VW Golf TDI (which is a fuel injected turbo diesel). It has plenty of power and lots of torque. VW-USA says it's rated at 1,00 pounds. The exact same car in Europe is rated at 1,600 pounds. Sorting though that is already proving to be challenge #1. And challenge #2 is getting clear, accurate and reliable information about putting a proper hitch on my car that's installed PROPERLY. let me just say that In doing a little research I'm discovering that - according to some people who should know - it's not a simple issue of a-hitch-is-a-hitch-is-a-hitch. And for my safety, and the safety of others, it's not something I want to "approximate" or cut corners on.

I'm really glad I've discovered this forum!

Kevin
Raleigh, NC

[Bluebunny]

Hello kVox42! Welcome to the site!
Let me say right off the bat that I am also a noob to this site. The closest thing I had ever owned to a tiny travel trailer was a '57 Shasta 15 footer, and it wasn't tiny by this sites standards...(wish I still had it!).

I have a little inside information about your tow vehicle (or TV on this site). If you have a VW Golf automatic transmission, "it ain't rated to tow" according to the Volks. If you have a diesel, THREE pedals and a joy-stick in it, then it is rated for 1,000 lbs.

Having towed a 900 lb sailboat rig with my 2012 diesel golf, I can vouch first-hand that it will PULL much more, But it will not STOP much more. Use care to load up the golf to a proper maximum weight and reduce the weight in the trailer as much as possible. In other words, given the total weight of the rig car+trailer, carry a safe but substantial portion of the weight in the tow vehicle. Most rules of thumb tell you that if the trailer exceed 75% to 80% of the vehicle tow capacity rating, you may have trouble stopping/controlling in emergency situations at highway speeds. And trailers do not get lighter over time; a dry weight when freshly built is not the same as when they're loaded with fun.

Having said that, I am in the plans to pull a tiny trailer weighing in the 900-1000 lb range. I purposely bought the smallest most efficient vehicle that would pull my toys. We just have to keep the stopping limitations in mind...

As to hitches, any good hitch store can install a hitch receiver for your golf. If you have a 100lb torque wrench, you can do this yourself. Hidden Hitch and Curt both have hitch receivers. I have the CURT setup on my 2012 GOlf :
http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-110 ... r-mr-title
You will need a high-rise ball mount for it:
http://www.amazon.com/Curt-MFG-Euro-Mou ... r-mr-title

[Bluebunny]

Kevin!
I forgot to include the trailer light relay kit. It is a special one often not carried by the installers. Pulse-width-modulated European mumbo-jumbo, but curt makes one that works well. recommend a professional installation of this wiring rig, unless you are very astute at wiring...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049C ... UTF8&psc=1

Enjoy your research! enjoy the dreaming/designing/building/utilizing!
Kind Regards,
Butch
Northern Illinois

[Bluebunny]

Kevin,
One more thing...check out the TDI club forum for your VW diesel. These guys have done it all, and have tested the limits of your VW MKVI Golf. They can tell you the risks of towing with an automatic. VW is unclear on their auto towing capacity; they say "info not available". The dealers will tell you "no". The forum guys will tell you what they have experienced...http://forums.tdiclub.com/
Good Luck

[kVox42]

Kevin,
One more thing...check out the TDI club forum for your VW diesel. These guys have done it all, and have tested the limits of your VW MKVI Golf. They can tell you the risks of towing with an automatic. VW is unclear on their auto towing capacity; they say "info not available". The dealers will tell you "no". The forum guys will tell you what they have experienced...http://forums.tdiclub.com/
Good Luck

Thanks. Yes, as I've been researching the issue I've discovered the TDI site. (For anyone here who owns a VW TDI, it's a terrific resource for ALL things TDI).
Without listing too many specifics about the weight differential (that few people here may be interested in), I have discovered the following:
1) There are no significant mechanical differences between the US and European versions of my car (which is a 2010 Gold TDI).
2) The primary explanation for the difference between the towing capacity between the two continents has more to do with basic highway (and DOT) rules that are - or are not - in place depending on the location. Rules about trailer weights, hitch specifics, brake requirements, and several other factors. In effect, the rules in the US are generally more stringent.

So from a practical and mechanical standpoint, if you exceed the US capacity (1,000 lbs) by a bit, you're probably OK (this is assuming of course that you have an intelligently and properly set up rig). But from a litigation standpoint, if you go over the US limits and have an unfortunate "event", your insurance company has a legal out to say "sorry, you exceeded the published limit for the vehicle so you're not covered). The fact that it's CAPABLE of safely towing more is beyond the point.