kleinbus

I got the hitch Monday and sure enough I couldn't wait till weekend


First of all, I AM SICK AND TIRED of these imcompetent service writers that behave like they know everything and still I get more information via these forums.

First time when I took up the topic of software update required by hitch installation, one moron said there is no such update and end of conversation, I'm sorry I'm busy, bye bye.

Another day another guy, me with my humble "almost on my knees" approach the way "I bought this from you guys and I heard around the corner that somekind software update is required, could you check if this is true" and as usual, the service writer first said there is no such update but he will double check it. Guy came back in few minutes and said there is indeed update required and it will cost me 100 bucks (one hour labour fee)....

With all taxes etc the whole show have costed me 1100 bucks (including hitch and update)

Then on top of all, one dealer says current bumper skin is used, other day and other dealer says they have to order new skin and it would cost arms and legs.

Well hellllooooo AUDI, be consistent and stick with same story and don't play that two face game

All it needed is peel the skin off, cut the darn hole and throw it back..

End of the rant or otherwise I will need few beers to cool down

So, bunch of screws off from rear inner fenders, bottom screws off, trunk striker/lock cover off and released 4 bumper nuts and little fiddle here and there and the bumber skin came off...



Unscrewed and removed the alu bar and installed the trailer wiring and also the control box bracket that went behind the right side trunk panel.

Then it was time of the steel hitch...



Then back tracked all screws and bolts back to own location and threw bumper skin back on.

It was midnight so I have no photo from finished installation but maybe tomorrow I will take a shot and add it here. It looks same as photo on IAMAUDI's post (just silver car)

Then I connected the cables to control box and VAG-COMed it to activate the trailer. Works but I also got ESP warning so I unplugged control box and will wait till Friday to get the darn update.

At the end, was this sweat and hours spend worth of all work? I saved about 400 bucks and still have to go to dealer to get the update.

If hitch was available when I got the car then sure I had ordered it with the hitch to avoid whole mess.
Today if I had been in rush then sure I had paid dealer to do it but on the other hand, this was good excersice to see how it is build at the first place.

Loophole

Looks like you did a very good job of installing your hitch in accordance with Audi specifications- your hitch looks exactly like others I have seen.

My problem with the Audi hitch design is the look of the large bumper cut, even though several people have said it doesn't show enough from above to bother them. Now that you have installed the hitch, can you can offer an opinion on a modification? It looks possible prior to installation to easily modify the plug bracket to allow the plug to be mounted closer to the hitch center. This would permit a smaller bumper cutout than spec installation. From your experience is there anything that would prevent this modification, or could it interfer with bumper reassembly, safety chains, or hitch operation?

Attached are before and "photoshopped" after pictures to illustrate such a modification. Please let me know if you think this would work.

kleinbus

I will go and see and write back later today.....

kleinbus

There is no instructions for cut out and actually I fitted the bumper skin 4 times to find out proper size. My hole is a bit smaller than on photos from iamaudi.

First I checked iamaudis photos to see where it is approx and then bluntly took angle grinder with cutting disc and chopped off block, fitted it back to its place first time to see what direction I need to go, took it off again and slowly made it bigger and bigger with few fittings till I got what I wanted.


Anyways,

If you have tools, angle grinder, drill and black paint then sure you can bring socket closer to the tube.

Photos with locking pin and 7 to 4 plug adapter.





and..






Now with my quick glance I looks like it would work if socket is closer to receiver but it needs specific order for setup, first the locking pin have to be with short solid head that is on socket side and lock would be on passenger side.

Then adapter because if you have adapter first then pin does not go in.


Here is what I would do. This does not mean that if you follow my instructions and it gets fu#¤ up that you could point at me and say I fu#¤ and I need to reimburse you, as this modification is one of the kind and pretty much in category "play by the ear"...

I would cut bracket off about 1" from wall.

Then I would reshape the rest of braket that holds the socket, the way, that it is symmetric from both sides, meaning the distance from socket screws to edge would be pretty much same on both sides.

This socket holding "left over" plate haves socket mounting threads on it for the screws. I would grind off these threads from the one side where I just cutted it off.

Then looking behind the car and how hitch would located there, I would look the little 1" stub I felt to receiver and drill holes matching to the socket holder plate and the side where I grinded off the threads.

Paint both..

Then I would go and find 2 metric nuts, the size of mounting screws, place the socket to plate and then plate unit against the stub and use 2 screws and 2 nuts to tighten it to post and rest 2 screws to other end of socket.

Loophole

[quote=kleinbus"..There is no instructions for cut out and actually I fitted the bumper skin 4 times to find out proper size. My hole is a bit smaller than on photos from iamaudi..."

Thanks! Your illustrated reply goes way beyond a simple "I'll go and see" and I really appreciate it. I haven't made a final decision to install the factory hitch, but if I go for it, I'll definitely shorten bracket length as discussed to reduce the bumper cutout as much as possible.

Your info makes me question why Audi supplies such a lengthy bracket in the first place. Also, it is a little odd that no template for the cutout comes with a hitch purchase. One must be available to port and dealer, otherwise there won't be much bumper hole conformity among installations across the country. I wouldn't have wanted to be responsible for "Installation No. 1" without some kind of template.

Thanks again for this and all the info you're providing. You're really helping this forum become a valuable resource as we all struggle to learn more about our Q5's.

FASTandSLOW

DITTO - you're the man, Kleinbus.

VERY helpful (and funny) !!

kleinbus

Welcome, we are in the same boat with this one as this is new model and one trick is here, another there blah blah....

Someday I can make sketch from cut out if needed.

x330i

Thanks for the informative post.
I'm leaning towards the aftermarket Curt hitch (cheaper, potentially simplier installation, mounts below the bumper cover no cutting required). The missing info is the connection to the "trailer prep" wiring - in fact, Audi will not even sell the harness that comes with their hitch separately (yet?).
Can you share any info on the wiring harness that you installed with the hitch? (TIA)

msj

Hi Kleinbus,
did the ball attachment come with your hitch?
If not where did you purchase it?

Thanks. Nice post....

DrV

I'm having the Curt hitch installed today. The problem is getting my hands on the proper wiring harness now. Anyone else that can comment on this?