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Thread: R36 Tow Bar

  1. #1

    R36 Tow Bar

    Hi Guys,

    I ordered my new R36 with a dealer fitted tow bar. When I collected it a few weeks back I flagged with the sales rep that the tow bar did not seem to have been fitted correctly. My main concern was how the lower bumper had been cut and a cheap looking edging strip had been installed.

    It has a removal able tongue but the car looks pretty silly if you remove it as there is a gaping hole...

    Can anyone comment if this is correct?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails R36 Tow Bar-dsc01122-jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Townsville QLD
    Posts
    173

    Previous Towbar posts

    It looks standard to me. When originally fitted by dealer mine looked the same but I didn't get the edging. See an earlier post:

    http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...t=13307&page=3

    After a rear ender where the bumper was replaced and a new genuine towbar fitted (fitting outsourced by panel shop to an independent towbar specialist) it looked exactly as before but now with edging ie same as yours.

    I suspect that there are VW supplied fitting instructions including where to cut the bumper as they wouldn't all be the same otherwise.

    As I got rear ended while the tongue was not fitted I now have two of them. One is now more permanently fitted to discourage people touch parking. I replaced the quick release pin with a high tensile M17 bolt and locknut.
    Granite Passat sedan TDI (125kw), DSG, beige leather
    Candy White Polo 6R, 66TDI, DSG, no options

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Townsville QLD
    Posts
    173

    Towing limits for R36

    What are the towing limits for R36?

    I (foolishly) believed that my Passat would be able to tow a 1500kg caravan. According to the manual it can tow 1500kg but the towball download is limited to 85 kg which effectively limits anyone to an 850kg braked van/trailer under our common Aussie 10% rule. The manual actually warns against loading a caravan/trailer with weight to the rear to reduce towball download as it is dangerous (and I know from experience that it is). The Europeans do this with their caravans but they seem happy with neccessary lower speeds as they aren't going far.

    Although I believe the Passat should have a much higher towball download limit, having seen how far the rear end drops with 250kg of pool salt in the boot with no rear seat passengers, I can see why the limit is so low. I would hate to think what a large(ish) Aussie caravan and two rear pax plus luggage in the boot would do to the poor thing.

    Strangely, although I have the 125KW TDI, I have a manual supplement that states that the 103KW TDI can tow 1800kg on 12% slope or 2000kg on 8% slope with a masssive 90kg towball download. The supplement does not cover the 125KW TDI.
    Granite Passat sedan TDI (125kw), DSG, beige leather
    Candy White Polo 6R, 66TDI, DSG, no options

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Melbournes Inner North
    Posts
    343
    Quote Originally Posted by vanDub View Post
    What are the towing limits for R36?
    from VW australia website...

    You’ll soon appreciate why the Passat wagon won the prestigious 2007 Towcar Awards. An unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and a braked capacity of 1,500kg offers plenty of haulage to cater for all of your towing needs.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    408
    Quote Originally Posted by gead View Post
    from VW australia website...

    You’ll soon appreciate why the Passat wagon won the prestigious 2007 Towcar Awards. An unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and a braked capacity of 1,500kg offers plenty of haulage to cater for all of your towing needs.
    its all about the europeans- they probably reckon a 6x 4 trailer is a big load .
    had a passat tdi. now mb c class.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Please Enter Location
    Posts
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by gead View Post
    from VW australia website...

    You’ll soon appreciate why the Passat wagon won the prestigious 2007 Towcar Awards. An unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and a braked capacity of 1,500kg offers plenty of haulage to cater for all of your towing needs.
    Yes, but this was a UK 2 litre TDI 4 Motion varient. N/A here in Oz

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    212
    I remember when VW Australia first published the specs for the R36 back in July 2007, the said it had a 2500kg towing capacity...
    How things change..

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, VIC
    Posts
    1,433
    Users Country Flag
    that looks like a non VW genuine tow bar to me! Bad form from that dealer!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Townsville QLD
    Posts
    173
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket36 View Post
    that looks like a non VW genuine tow bar to me! Bad form from that dealer!
    Sorry Rocket but that is the genuine VW towbar. It's not a factory fit but is an after market job made by Best Bars in NZ and fitted by dealer. It is however the "official" tow bar provided by VW for the Australian market (and presumably others like NZ as well).
    Granite Passat sedan TDI (125kw), DSG, beige leather
    Candy White Polo 6R, 66TDI, DSG, no options

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, VIC
    Posts
    1,433
    Users Country Flag

    Sorry but you're contradicting yourself. If can't be the "genuine VW tow bar" when it's not factory fit. The VW tow bar is designed to curve under the rear spoiler. Look at one on a German VW. Fits a LOT nicer than the cheap after market cut out Australian job. Not that it bothers me. If I need to tow something, I'll tow it with my V8!

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