Finally installed my allroad tow hitch

[G0to60]

Since I had a couple of days off for the New Year I decided to install the tow hitch that I got for Christmas. Overall, it went pretty well with only one small hiccup and one oops on my part. The hiccup was that two of the mounting holes on the hitch were slightly out of alignment. By about a quarter of the hole but enough to not allow the bolts to go through. Five minutes with the drill to enlarge them slightly and all was well. Overall it's a well made piece and I'm very happy with it. The oops was when I was putting everything back together I got most of the nuts back on for the bumper cover and then realized (once I tripped over it) that I forgot to hook up the parking sensors. [headbang] Off goes the bumper cover again. Oh well. Here's some pictures of the install and hopefully this summer my wife and I will find a nice tear drop trailer to tow around camping.

Sorry for the crappy pics. It was really bright outside and not as bright in the garage so the glare is terrible.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1040441_zpsf7e029b2.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1040441_zpsf7e029b2.jpg.html)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1235461_zpsf6f55e85.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1235461_zpsf6f55e85.jpg.html)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1236302_zps87697a2f.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1236302_zps87697a2f.jpg.html)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1359511_zps2b9b5777.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1359511_zps2b9b5777.jpg.html)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1610331_zpsd12bee38.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20131231_1610331_zpsd12bee38.jpg.html)

[A4_n00b]

Nice work... looking forward to seeing it in use

[JTown77]

Where did you purchase it from?

[G0to60]

JustMtnB44 on here and other Audi forums builds them.

[yellorado]

i have the regular low hanging curt hitch because i did not want to invest 8-900 bucks, but this looks soooooo much better!!!

good job!

[Nogaro Nitwit]

Very nice! Justin does really nice hitches. I still have yet to install my OEM one

[G0to60]

i have the regular low hanging curt hitch because i did not want to invest 8-900 bucks, but this looks soooooo much better!!!

good job!

This one is $600 so, while not cheap, not as expensive as the OEM one. Also, I didn't really want to drill any holes into the frame for the other aftermarket hitches.

[Racin2redline]

What size receiver is on there? 2in? I really want a hitch bad! This looks like a really nice piece

I'm not even opposed to the lower hanging hitches but none come in a full 2 in receiver

[canadianA4B7]

I got one recently aswell. Wondering how did you integrate the wiring? I know you could just attach to the rear signals and buy a universal 4 pin setup. Were the wires actually there from the fuse panel? My ar had a fuse in the hitch location in the fuse box. But im not sure whats at the back end. What did you do?

[yellorado]

regarding the electrical part: i did my own research and bought the male part connector (kinda hard to find, got it from ebay.uk iirc) to the factory euro standard connector under the rear belly plate. then i brought it to my hitch install shop and had them make me an adapter to the classic NA 4 wire connector instead of hacking the car.

no actual car wiring was hurt during filming[:D]

[G0to60]

What size receiver is on there? 2in? I really want a hitch bad! This looks like a really nice piece

I'm not even opposed to the lower hanging hitches but none come in a full 2 in receiver

It is a 2" vertical reciever and I'll get one of these vertical adapters

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JIssnSc-L._SY300_.jpg

http://www.carid.com/images/curt/trailer-hitches/45003-ball-and-pin.jpg

For the wiring I'll either buy the adapter from eurohitches.com or make my own.

http://www.eurohitches.com/images/DSCN4130.JPG

[canadianA4B7]

regarding the electrical part: i did my own research and bought the male part connector (kinda hard to find, got it from ebay.uk iirc) to the factory euro standard connector under the rear belly plate. then i brought it to my hitch install shop and had them make me an adapter to the classic NA 4 wire connector instead of hacking the car.

no actual car wiring was hurt during filming[:D]

So u are confirming that the 9 pin connector was at the rear of the car? Where was it actually? Interior or exterior? Just trying to get things ready b4 i install mine. Thanx I was thinking my harness would need to be molested!

[G0to60]

So u are confirming that the 9 pin connector was at the rear of the car? Where was it actually? Interior or exterior? Just trying to get things ready b4 i install mine. Thanx I was thinking my harness would need to be molested!

Is your's not pre-wired for a trailer? I thought most allroads had the Euro 13 pin connector already installed. It should be on a plate behind the rear bumper.


This is what it looks like before the hitch install. In the picture you are looking up behind the rear bumper like you are on the ground looking up.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20130210_171356_zps9368584b.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20130210_171356_zps9368584b.jpg.html)

[Racin2redline]

It is a 2" vertical reciever and I'll get one of these vertical adapters

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JIssnSc-L._SY300_.jpg

http://www.carid.com/images/curt/trailer-hitches/45003-ball-and-pin.jpg

For the wiring I'll either buy the adapter from eurohitches.com or make my own.

http://www.eurohitches.com/images/DSCN4130.JPG

<3 NEED

[rollerton]

I bought a pretty slick adapter from roverparts.com I think. I sold our trailer and I'm going to pull the hitch off my wifes S6 and I'm not sure I'll put it on my car. If not I'll have a complete OEM N/A Allroad hitch setup for sale right down to the OEM Audi tow harness, 90* hitch mount and everything.
Not to Bash eurohitches, but it took about two and half months for them to get me the harness that they had "in stock" , nice guys, and they supply proper (hard to get) parts...but plan waaaay ahead if you order from them.

[G0to60]

I bought a pretty slick adapter from roverparts.com I think. I sold our trailer and I'm going to pull the hitch off my wifes S6 and I'm not sure I'll put it on my car. If not I'll have a complete OEM N/A Allroad hitch setup for sale right down to the OEM Audi tow harness, 90* hitch mount and everything.
Not to Bash eurohitches, but it took about two and half months for them to get me the harness that they had "in stock" , nice guys, and they supply proper (hard to get) parts...but plan waaaay ahead if you order from them.

Good to know. I'll keep that in mind.

[Racin2redline]

I bought a pretty slick adapter from roverparts.com I think. I sold our trailer and I'm going to pull the hitch off my wifes S6 and I'm not sure I'll put it on my car. If not I'll have a complete OEM N/A Allroad hitch setup for sale right down to the OEM Audi tow harness, 90* hitch mount and everything.
Not to Bash eurohitches, but it took about two and half months for them to get me the harness that they had "in stock" , nice guys, and they supply proper (hard to get) parts...but plan waaaay ahead if you order from them.
PM me if you want to sell it super interested

[canadianA4B7]

Is your's not pre-wired for a trailer? I thought most allroads had the Euro 13 pin connector already installed. It should be on a plate behind the rear bumper.


This is what it looks like before the hitch install. In the picture you are looking up behind the rear bumper like you are on the ground looking up.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20130210_171356_zps9368584b.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20130210_171356_zps9368584b.jpg.html)

I actually have no idea if my car is actually equipped with the harness for a trailer. I havent had a chance to crawl under it to see. I have my fingers crossed that the 13pin is there and will only require some modifications to get it to work right. Now on a plus side my car is actually an american model, with the snow package and from my research it should be hitch ready.

[Three Blades]

Hi.
I am a newbe here but have owned a 2004 allroad for a few years now and wonder if anybody can give me some advice with regard to a wierd error with my towing lights.

I have a standard Audi fitting with a removable bar and a 7-pin UK socket that swings down from under the bumper. I have never used it until now but have found that the following fault occurs:
- Brake, fog and tail lights work OK
- When the indicators are turned on the main car indicators flash very rapidly, no indicators appear on the trailer but the brake lights flash weakly.
- I have had the symptoms confirmed by an auto electrician so it is not a problem with my trailer and the wiring at the back of the socket is good and clean.

I am not too bothered about taking a dig into the bowls of the car (I just replaced the air compressor and have lived with Land Rover Defenders for years) but the wiring loom seems to enter the car in cupboard with the jack that is full of the air accumulator, the sound system and a miriad of wires so I am not sure where to start without ending up with a monster job.

Has anybody had this problem before ?
Can you guide me to where the trailer lighing loom leads to ?
Is there somewhere obvious to check ?

Many thanks for your help.

[G0to60]

Do you have the trailer light indicator turn on in the dash when the turn signal is on? Similar to this:

http://i.imgur.com/WvFc1OK.jpg

[rollerton]

Could be a couple things. But if I understand the wiring right (from installing an OEM wiring kit on our S6) ; the drop down 7-pin connector has a micorswitch in it. The microswitch tells the car that the trailer wiring is connected and runs the trailer lights through the tow module (relay) and also turns off the backup sensors if you have them.
If the microswitch isn't working then you'll get the symptoms you describe...could be bad ground or mixed up wire too.

[Three Blades]

G0to60 : No, the trailer indicator light does not come on. Sometimes I get the broken light warning.
Rollerton : That does indeed sound like a plausible explanation.

I know that the car was used for towing before I bought it so it must have worked at some point. A faulty microswitch sounds like a good starting point as I assume that it would mean that the dash light would not come on and would also mean that the tow relay is not energised so leading to excess power drain through the usual circuits causing the rapid flashing and the broken light warning.

Now, do you have any idea where, amoungst the snakes wedding that is the boot cupboard, I may find the microswitch ?

Your help is very much appreciated. Thanks

[chrisroser]

The micro switch is in the plug.

[A84Harris]

I have never seen hitches hidden like that. My wife and I have 4 kayaks and putting all of them on a roof rack wouldn't be fun. So getting a little trailer to tow behind us would be perfect. Would something like this work a sedan?

[G0to60]

I have never seen hitches hidden like that. My wife and I have 4 kayaks and putting all of them on a roof rack wouldn't be fun. So getting a little trailer to tow behind us would be perfect. Would something like this work a sedan?

I'm not sure if the hitch will work on a sedan but loading kayaks onto a trailer is much, much easier than on the roof. This was the first thing I did when I got my little utility trailer.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/G0to60/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20140413_1245201_zps33d627e6.jpg (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/G0to60/media/Audi%20Allroad/IMG_20140413_1245201_zps33d627e6.jpg.html)

[A84Harris]

That's exactly what I will be doing. Now, seeing how you are from Oregon, let me know when you are in the Bend area. I don't have to tell you how nice it is out here. Lol

[G0to60]

I'll be heading through that area in a couple weeks to meet up with my parents at Paulina Lake for the weekend. I love central Oregon and always look forward to getting out there.

[Three Blades]

Thanks for your help with my towing lights problem. I finally solved it. It was not the microswitch or even that wierd fishtail plug and socket that floats around the cupboard in the boot (what does that do?). It was the floating fuse just behind where the jack slots. It had simply come disconnected. Simple in the end.
Many thanks for your help and for pointing me in the right direction.
TB