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Audi is out to punish US towers...

dcsat

It looks like fabrication is the direction that I will go. I'll try to document the process... maybe it will help one of you guys... or should I make more than one?

Anyone else planning to tow?

JustMtnB44

I am, and I'm thinking of making my own hitch as well.

Does anyone that has intalled an OEM (US or Euro) hitch know if the bumper bars bolt in the exact same place as the hitch? So if I were to pull the metal bumper off, I could use the dimensions of those hole locations as a template for the hitch?

jjcools

I have been on the search for a shop to do a custom job...not looking good.

fjasper

I'm looking at doing this as well - I was kind of waiting for Bosal to come out with the new version, but I'm going to need to start towing soon, and it would probably save some money. If you guys want, I can send you the drawings I've come across, or you can search the archives and probably find them. My brother bought a bandsaw and between that and the welder and drill press, I think we should be able to make one work. I think the standard hidden hitch receiver is the way to go - that appears to be what the US spec ones have.

It would be really nice if someone could put together some detailed plans or maybe fab up a few of them. I sent the stuff to a friend of mine, but he closed down his design/weld/powdercoat shop about a week later (unrelated cause, he assures me). Dammit!.

I suppose building and selling a few of them would be a better way to get back the investment, rather than making plans available, but there might be liability concerns. I honestly don't know about that part of it.

There's a list of people over on quattroworld who are interested, it kind of seems like a good opportunity for a welding shop that does nice work. If they sold for even $500 shipped, they would be significantly cheaper than getting them from the UK, and it seems like a shop could do a run of 10-15 of them without too much difficulty.

Honestly, I'm a little surprised Curt doesn't offer them. Maybe the precision required to match up the bolt holes and fit inside the bumper makes it too expensive to be worth it.

dcsat

Any plans and specs you have to share would be great...

fjasper

Here are some hitch-related links as well. I stole all these from various posters (if I could remember, I'd be glad to attribute them), and I can take no credit for them. The hitch in the picture is different from the one in the plans, but they get to the same basic place.

http://forums.quattroworld.com/allro...23.phtml#21427
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...php?p=17983138
http://www.quattroforum.com/forum/pa...oad-hitch.html
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2058587
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2057752
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...t=hitch&page=2
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...highlight=grav

JustMtnB44

Yep same here. I need a hitch by the end of the month. The Westfalia is still an option, but quite pricey with shipping.

Screw it, time to stop being lazy and do this. I am working on my design right now. I will design it in SolidWorks (3D CAD) and build a prototype for myself. I'm going to try and make it so that is manufacturerable with more basic tools and not the fancy tube and sheetmetal forming that the OEM hitch is made with. I am a mechanical engineer so I don't half-*** anything, especially not for my allroad.

Neither do I. I would certainly offer plans to those interested, and could maybe build some extra depending on how time consuming it is. We'll see.

Thanks for putting all of those links and drawings in one place. I have come across all of them in my searches, but now I don't have to search again. Thumbs up!

JustMtnB44

Ok here is what I have so far in CAD. Needs some refinement, but it's coming along nicely for 2 hours of work.

slick50

if anyone ends up custom making these, I would love to get my hands on one. please pm me if you would be willing to make more than one!