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Considering each of those arms slide into the frame to later be bolted down, those serve no purpose. Like you said, maybe just a place to hook onto for painting.
The only other possibility I could think of is that the tapered extensions help to guide it in place and the end slots are some type of locating feature or stop so that bolt slots are correctly aligned when inserting the receiver. But then I would expect the removable OE frame piece would also have this feature but I don't think that is the case. Just hoping it doesn't do the opposite and make installation more difficult. The only installation aspect that makes me anxious is the potential of damaging the retention slots/tabs when removing the bumper cover... and also getting the final coding correct with my OBDeleven.
The only thing you need to worry about is that the 4 bolt holes line up so you can torque them down. Those end "loops" are so deep into the frame, they're useless.
I spent a long time assembling all the stuff in this great guide but never ended up putting any of it on. Garage cleanout time - I'm selling the whole thing including unopened Stealth Hitch package + all the hard-to-find modules and wiring harnesses:
The only thing you need to worry about is that the 4 bolt holes line up so you can torque them down. Those end "loops" are so deep into the frame, they're useless.
Got an answer. It was bugging me, so I sent an e-mail to Stealth. Here is the reply, verbatim: The old version of our hitch for the 2014 Q5 had tapered ends that had slotted holes for a bolt, but we determined that the bolt was providing no additional support, so it was eventually removed. It is not necessary to do anything with the hole in the tapered end of the part that slides into the frame rail channel.
I then asked if there were an additional 2 bolts (6 in total, instead of just 4) that I need to remove before installing the receiver and was told "NO": The last 2 holes had no bolt in them and they are covered up by some tape.
If it is not too difficult, I may go ahead and utilize these last 2 holes. I agree with Stealth that it probably does nothing to improve the tow rating, but it may slightly improve the rigidity of the frame rails.
There's just 4 bolts holding that down. I don't know how you would even access those 2 holes as the entire thing physically slides into the vehicle frame and you need to line up those 4 bolts which you then wrench down from inside the trunk area.
There used to be a thread about adding a hitch a few years ago before this one popped up: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-.../#post25468142
I was able to source all my parts from various locations from around the world. The hitch itself was actually from a Porsche Macan. Who knew they share the same frame with the Q5?
I've done the hitch install twice on my vehicle. First was with a Draw-Tite which I later swapped out with a factory Macan hitch. I'd say yes, removing the bumper plastic without snapping anything is probably the hardest part. The rest is all nuts and bolts. Pretty easy. An hour max.
If you plan to add a brake controller, that link I posted will also cover that.
There's just 4 bolts holding that down. I don't know how you would even access those 2 holes as the entire thing physically slides into the vehicle frame and you need to line up those 4 bolts which you then wrench down from inside the trunk area.
There used to be a thread about adding a hitch a few years ago before this one popped up: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-.../#post25468142
I was able to source all my parts from various locations from around the world. The hitch itself was actually from a Porsche Macan. Who knew they share the same frame with the Q5?
I've done the hitch install twice on my vehicle. First was with a Draw-Tite which I later swapped out with a factory Macan hitch. I'd say yes, removing the bumper plastic without snapping anything is probably the hardest part. The rest is all nuts and bolts. Pretty easy. An hour max.
If you plan to add a brake controller, that link I posted will also cover that.
Beer helps.
Well, I am going to take my time and will give the trunk area a good look over to see if I can find the taped over holes after removing the parts that need to be removed. If I find anything interesting, I will take some photos and post them here. I do recall coming across some Macan hitch parts when I was searching on eBay. I like the beer idea. Cheers!
The hitch install was easier than anticipated, with the exception of the bumper removal. That too was easy but due to broken tabs. I believe the tabs were already broken and the bumper cover released too easily as a result. My bumper cover was damaged about 10 years ago when my brother backed a trailer into it. It was repaired at the local Audi dealer and I always suspected that they broke a tab on the left side because the leading edge stuck out slightly ever since. I thought they broke just the one forward tab but 4 of 5 are broken on the left side and 2 of 5 on the right side. None are broken clean off, so I am hoping I can repair the tabs and I am hoping someone can offer a tip or two. The plastic slots are quite flimsy but I think it is the same design for the front bumper cover and I had no broken tabs on the front when I did my grill and intercooler swap.
Below are photos of the broken tabs (actually slots) including one photo with a possible solution using fiberglass tape. I think I need a finer mesh tape but the thought is to apply a light coat of epoxy where the tape covers the plastic. The fiberglass tape I show is the type used for drywall repair. I'm open to any suggestions but I really don't want to try any plastic welding for fear of ruining the bumper cover.
When I installed the OEM hitch on our 2014 Q5, I also broke the small plastic ligaments on the bumper cover. To ensure it would remain secure to the fender, I installed a small screw on the bumper cover lower edge into the fender on both sides. So far, my fix is still in-place and working.
When I installed the OEM hitch on our 2014 Q5, I also broke the small plastic ligaments on the bumper cover. To ensure it would remain secure to the fender, I installed a small screw on the bumper cover lower edge into the fender on both sides. So far, my fix is still in-place and working.
Glad that worked for you but not sure I want to screw into the fender even with a tiny screw, given my Q5 resides in Wisconsin. Anyway, I came up with a fix using the fiberglass tape and aluminum foil. I wrapped an H-shaped piece of fiberglass tape around the top and bottom of the slot and then glued it down with super glue (epoxy may be better but the super glue was easier to work with and faster setting). I immediately placed a piece of aluminum foil over the glued area and clamped it. After about an hour, it set up well and seems to be quite rigid. It may only be a one-use solution but hopefully I don't need to take the bumper cover off again. I also greased the 5 tabs on each side with a little silicone to help ensure the bumper snaps into place without too much effort given the slots are a little thicker now. I should know how well it works tomorrow.
As for the extra forward slots in the older version of the Stealth receiver, I made the decision to utilize this attachment point even though Stealth said it will not make a difference in towing capability. I agree that it is redundant, but I did not like how the 4 original bolts held up to torque when I re-installed them. Both the bolts and the captured nuts in the frame were rusty. I cleaned up the bolts with a wire wheel but I wish I had ordered new bolts. I may check to see if these bolts were originally "torque to yield" which might explain why I felt the torque begin to drop off as I approached 40 ft-lb. The spec was 45 ft-lb but I only went to 40, in part because I applied Loctite beforehand. It could be the bolts are fine but it is the rusty captured frame nuts that are not holding up well to the torque. Here is a photo showing the extra hole which is covered up by the small gray square of tape. The bolt installs here and goes clean thru the frame and will be secured with a locknut on the underside of the frame, near the exhaust pipes. It will just give me a little peace of mind.
Got it all done and the bumper cover back on. Did not realize the 4 tiny threaded studs on the bumper cover are all "loosey goosey" until I tried to put the cover back on. Not a great design and not fun trying to get the cover in place while aligning the wiggly studs to the holes in the body. A second set of hands would have been "handy". Anyway, my slot repair on the bumper cover seems to have worked out. It snapped back in place and is nicely aligned to the fenders. I guess time will tell how well it holds up. If someone is good with fiberglass, I think a properly done glass/resin repair with just a single fabric layer would have been ideal.
Here are the Before and After photos, although Before is also After:
(Note: It is the same vehicle in Lava Gray as more properly shown in the second photo. I had to edit the first photo with a backfill light due to lack of contrast.)
I broke down the OE aluminum bumper beam for recycling and just realized I lost the tow hook feature. It would not be a big deal with the OE hitch or DrawTite hitch but I should probably keep the 2" Stealth tow receptacle in the vehicle at all times in case I ever need to get pulled out of a ditch. I guess that is one minor drawback of the Stealth hitch.
Lastly, I plan to tackle the coding tomorrow with my OBDeleven. While doing the coding, is it necessary to have a trailer wiring load connected to the 7-pin ? I don't have a trailer yet but I did pick up a 7-pin tester that I could install when doing the coding.
05-14-2024, 03:03 PM
