allroadCole

Just kidding, kinda. it took me two days, but I encountered problems that most will not. I post this just for your entertainment...

It went pretty smooth at first. Got the bumper and the rear side interior side panels off. The harness was indeed larger PITA than the hitch, but nothing undoable. The hardest part for me was removing the pin from the 12V power source, which required some super thin tweezers.

For those that did not read <a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/allroad/msgs/190767.phtml">this post</a>, the EU hitch has some nuts welded on the holes where the bumper support bolts slide through. I used 3/8" bit to drill out the threads in the nuts, so the bolts would slide through, took about 2 seconds each, no problem. There are also two bolts protruding from the EU hitch that are not present on the NA hitch, but they did not get in the way so I just left them.

The trouble came when putting everything back together... The bumper support would not fit over the new hitch, not even close. I could slide a bolt trough on one side, but then the support piece would hit the hitch in the middle and the other end was about 4 inches away from where it needed to be...

After closer inspection it became apparent that my allroad had been in a mild ~5mph accident, with the impact coming directly from the rear. The plastic bumper cover looks perfect, but the inner, hidden bumper support has symmetrical rips and bends on each side.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/03.jpg">

The bumper support attaches on the ends, so when it was hit in the center, the impact pushed the center of the bumper support inwards; into the area that the hitch now occupies.

I know; I should just order a new one, remove the hitch, put my car back together, pay a couple hundred dollars and wait a couple weeks... But, I really wanted to get this project complete.

I mean it's just aluminum, I'll just bend it back, easy... In fact, I'll just set it up like so (see pic below) and jump on it as hard as I can!













<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/4.jpg">




LOL!!!~ ha, yes, you can now laugh at me just as that piece of aluminum did. Needless to say, it did not budge...

Hmm... I just need something to hold it down so I can grab it with some huge pliers and bend it back... what could I use to hold it down???






<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/5.jpg">


ha, yeah right, I locked on some huge pliers and pulled up as hard as I could, it did not budge...

I was starting to get frustrated.

I needed to somehow support the bumper support on it's ends and then lower something very heavy on to the center of it... Like say something about 4300lbs, that I can lower... any one see where I'm going with this????


















Pic in L4....

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/6.jpg">

^Although I did set this up^, I decided not to try it. I like my air suspension and new hitch too much...

So, what next???

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/7.jpg">


YES!!! I finally got the rips in the aluminum to look like hair line cracks! Luckily! I was at the 2000lbs come-a-long's maximum. And the U-bolt I hooked to was dying :

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/9.jpg">

I was happy... Until I tried to install the bumper support... It was much closer, but still did not fit. I was out of ideas. I could see it was hitting on the bottom edge of the bumper support, right in the middle. After looking at my pictures comparing the NA and EU hitch, I could see the NA hitch was set back a bit where it was hitting. If you look at the part `X'ed in the pic:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/dsc01743.jpg">

the part that extends down from the cross bar is back a ~ ¼" on the NA hitch, but flush on the EU hitch. The EU hitch is supposed to have a different bumper support... Maybe the EU bumper support is different here, maybe mine was still not correctly shaped. I'm not sure, but at this point I think my bumper support would have fit over the NA hitch.

I was tired of bending, so I tried cutting:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/10.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/11.jpg">

BOOM! In there like swim wear

I don't know if the above cutting would be required for a mild-accident-free NA allroad... I'm interested to see how other AWer's installs go.

I rushed to get a pic before it got dark and before I got her all put back together, but here you go:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/108298/12.jpg">

^it looks better now with the rear skid plate

Also, my plans for the safety chain hooks did not work out, I plan to weld on some u-bolts soon. In the mean time I will just wrap the safety chains around the `j' hook.

The ball part is really a pleasure to attach.. you just push it up. thats it. it locks in place... amazing -

and... now I can tow more than you! :P

Audiot

I liked the pic of what looked like you hooked the come a long to your dogs and had them pull

blackIIIroad

Entertaining Story! Great write-up, Funny scenario-type pictures, &amp; Outstanding Perseverance!

RTallroad

Please for future endeavors, go buy yourself some grade 8 hardware for use w the comealong. If that snapped, and it looks like it was close, that cable and what not comeing back at you could have resulted in some major damage to you or your pooch.

Go search some off-road forums on recoveries using sub-standard hardware. The accounts of injury and DEATH will ensure you get to the hardware store promptly.

I've seen a snowmobile recovery with a comealong result in a snapped cable on the come-along. Thankfully no one was hurt but new fiberglass hood and windshield was required. Flesh is less durable than fiberglass.

Steve_Ag Arrow

oh and nice work!

glidar

Nice looking hitch -- I would like to have seen the "allroad as a press" scheme work ;-)

audialex

"5mph" bumper law, which the euros don't have to adhere to. Nice work, McGyver ;-)

kkrzeminski

That was great - i was waiting for your dog to pull the come-along.

So where does one get the hitch? i know you mentioned it in one of you past posts.

allroadCole

europeans just use 50mm which is basically 2", 3/100" difference (visually the same). 2" will be fine for me.

Steve_Ag Arrow

ah ok, the receiver is a sweet design