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Maltreck
01-05-2008, 01:33 PM
I am pretty much looking forward to seeing the Tiguan. On the face of the specs and viewing photos on the internet it looks like it will be a fantastic vehicle; well suited to touring and occasional towing a camper trailer or small poptop caravan.
I note in a number of reviews that the towing capacity is somewhere around two tonnes depending on model - I would think well within the capability of the diesel option. Volkswagen are reported to claim that this is class leading.

I understand that the towball mass rating (downward load on the towball) is most likely to be set at 100kgs for Australia. Most camper trailers and small poptops will impose a greater load than this, and as such ruling out all but the very lightest of RV trailers. The general rule of thumb is that the tow ball loading is 10% of the trailer weight.
I would like to see the Tiguan being able to tow an RV trailer of about 1300 kgs. I would love to hear of a way around this (apart from buying a tent).

pinzvidz
05-05-2008, 07:53 PM
Doesn't it come down to how the manufacturer of the camper or caravan has set up the weight distribution, axle positioning and so forth? Some might indicate a tow ball weight of only about 65kg or so, others might indicate 100kg, for a similar size camper or van.

vanDub
06-05-2008, 12:11 AM
Doesn't it come down to how the manufacturer of the camper or caravan has set up the weight distribution, axle positioning and so forth? Some might indicate a tow ball weight of only about 65kg or so, others might indicate 100kg, for a similar size camper or van.

The standard setup for caravans in Australia is usually a ball weight of 10% of total weight. I hope you NEVER get to tow anything loaded with extra weight to the rear (or move the axle line) to achieve a light ball loading. Unfortunately I have.

People forget that the towed item swivels about the TOW BALL not around the axle. Weight behind the axle (to lighten the ball weight) has a greater moment arm than weight in front of the axle, and that rear weight makes it sway like crazy if overdone. As the weight of a caravan or trailer increases, a greater proportion (10%) needs to be in front of the axle to contol sway tendencies and hence increases ball weight.

TonyTA
12-01-2009, 10:16 PM
...well suited to touring and occasional towing a camper trailer or small poptop caravan.
I note in a number of reviews that the towing capacity is somewhere around two tonnes depending on model - I would think well within the capability of the diesel option. Volkswagen are reported to claim that this is class leading.

I understand that the towball mass rating (downward load on the towball) is most likely to be set at 100kgs for Australia. Most camper trailers and small poptops will impose a greater load than this, and as such ruling out all but the very lightest of RV trailers. The general rule of thumb is that the tow ball loading is 10% of the trailer weight.
I would like to see the Tiguan being able to tow an RV trailer of about 1300 kgs. I would love to hear of a way around this (apart from buying a tent).
I hear you.
Reading the specs for Tig on the VWA site Max (braked) towing is 2000Kg's. Unbraked is 750 which (just enough for a BASIC box trailer).

Towball rating it 100Kg. So we are really limited to 1000Kg trailers if we want to drive with and comfort for any distance etc.

Do you know how much VWA charge for this 'pleasure' (the tow ball option)?

TonyTA
14-01-2009, 10:32 PM
WOW!
:brutal:
I found this thread over at MyTiguan.com
http://www.mytiguan.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=5667

NZTiguan
21-01-2009, 07:35 AM
Towball rating it 100Kg. So we are really limited to 1000Kg trailers if we want to drive with and comfort for any distance etc.


I don't think this is necessarily correct (that trailers always have 10% of their weight as tongue weight). I tow a 14 foot conventional caravan that I'm sure would be well over 1000kg and I can lift the towbar onto the towball, I'm pretty certain it's less than 100kg. If it was correct a 2000kg caravan would have a 200kg drawbar weight and there's not a chance I could lift that by myself !!

I also saw somewhere that caravan tests in Britain are down with a towball loading of 80kg (they evidently load them specifically to achieve this). I agree that you don't want the towball load too light BUT as long as the main load is on the wheels and not behind them I don't think this is an issue.

Also if you go to a much heavier trailer with tandem wheels the tow bar loading is less from what I've experienced. I have the feeling that a lightweight box trailer or similar may have a 10% tongue load when EMPTY but that when you load it you wouldn't necessarily then add 10% of the load weight to the drawbar end ?

Not true ?? perhaps somebody could show us some examples that do have total weights of around 2000kg AND towbar weights over 100kg ??

Cheers

Virgil Tracy
21-01-2009, 07:07 PM
Would the use of a weight distribution hitch work on the tiguan, to lower the ball weight?

ploz58
20-07-2009, 10:01 PM
hey folks,
i might be in the wrong spot here,
when purchasing my tiguan TDI, i had to juggle the finances a bit.
So when asking about the genuine towbar was told , $1250.00 fitted,

Now i thought id get it fitted, during my 3k service i am told, $1250 for the tow bar and $700.00 to fit it!!!!

Has anyone else had this happen and are there alternatives, i understand there is a black box that has to be included.

Little saddened by dealer, sales saying one thing then service saying something else.

Be interested in an alternative just in preference to being done by the dealer

Phil.

Umai Naa!!
20-07-2009, 11:09 PM
$700 does seem a bit steep. It sounds like they're charging you the same as they would for the early Tiguans that weren't pre-wired for the trailer control module wiring.

If it is infact pre-wired, (the saleman will have an invoice from VW with the words "Preparation for towing" on it), then it is little more than a few hours work to have the towbar fitted, and wired up. I would suggest you ask them to re-assess your quote. Better yet, shop around with a few other dealers.

ploz58
21-07-2009, 10:55 AM
Thanks for that,
I was wondering if anyone had found a non genuine bar,
there are ones in the states for $150.00 but im sure there would be all sorts of issues there with that,


Thanks for the help out there
Phil

Arctra
21-07-2009, 11:04 AM
Thanks for that,
I was wondering if anyone had found a non genuine bar,
there are ones in the states for $150.00 but im sure there would be all sorts of issues there with that,


Thanks for the help out there
Phil

Hi Phil

When I tested out roof bars at Roof Rack World in Artarmon (Sydney) they said that they'd fit a Hayman Reece (I'm not sure I got that name right) towbar with all the electrics for $1600 odd I think. It was a while ago now, and I might have those figures etc wrong, but it's probably worth your while giving them a call.

Sanman
21-07-2009, 01:28 PM
I have been following up with Hayman Reece (Cequent) who are developing a towbar for the Tiguan. Here is a cut and paste from the emails:
There was a delay in production. I am being told now that the end of July or early August at the earliest before it goes through the factory. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
The electrics on vehilce’s today are getting more and more difficult for towbar installers to overcome, at this point in time we do have a universal type wiring solution for vehicles that need an extra control module to operate the trailer lights. Once the towbar for the Tiguan is complete we will have a plug in style solution for that specific vehicle. Only information I have at this stage is that the towbar will have a 2000kg tow rating with a 100kg ball weight maximum. As soon as I know the date of release I will drop you a quick email.

ploz58
21-07-2009, 08:24 PM
Well i have to take off my hat to the dealer,
darryl twitt shepparton.

the salesman i dealt with honoured his original price on a tow bar fitted.

He didnt believe the info about the tiguan being pre wired, but his workshop staff said , that had heard something about it, but werent sure.

thanks for your advise
Phil.

Umai Naa!!
21-07-2009, 08:38 PM
Gawsh.

They've been pre-wired for at least the last 8 months or so. These days, all that is required is two CAN-bus wired under the dash to be spliced into another two CAN-bus wires, the installation of the control module, and the rear section of the wiring to the towbar itself.

Sanman
21-07-2009, 08:42 PM
Gawsh.
These days, all that is required is two CAN-bus wired under the dash to be spliced into another two CAN-bus wires, the installation of the control module,

I notice that there are fuses in place for the various towhitch lights under the dash - make me think no module required?

Umai Naa!!
21-07-2009, 09:03 PM
Incorrect.

The module is required, regardless. If the fuses are there (positions 5, 39, 40, 41 from memory), it basically means the car is pre-wired, but still needs the CAN-bus wires spliced, the module installed, and the short section of wiring from the module to the towbar installed.

Sanman
21-07-2009, 09:13 PM
Incorrect.

The module is required, regardless.

OK - is the module only available from VW, and then only as a dealer kit? No chance for DIY if I get a Hayman Reece tow bar?

Umai Naa!!
21-07-2009, 10:34 PM
You can buy the wiring kit and DIY it, but you'll need to have someone program the whole shooting match when you've finished.

As there is no pre-wired kit, you have to buy the whole thing, including the un-needed wiring harness. On top of that, the instructions are for a non pre-wired car, so they're next to useless.

So in essence, you can have whatever towbar you like, but you're better off with a VW dealer handling the electrics.

ploz58
04-08-2009, 05:38 PM
:frown:
On the weekend, i hooked up my motorcycle trailer to the tiguan,
its virgin tow and when i checked the lights, all it got was a flickering in the leds both turn and Brake/Tail. Trailer has all new LED lights on it.

I popped trailer on old tow car and it all worked fine.

I did tow the trailer with no lights and tiguan towed it fine, but i am concerned that is there some module thing etc not working that is usual or maybe the fit up wasnt tested properly when fitted.
Its under warranty and was fitted by VW

Anyone else had a similar experience, i have a number of small trailer that the tig will have to tow to earn its keep,

regards
phil

gregozedobe
05-08-2009, 12:50 AM
:..... all it got was a flickering in the leds both turn and Brake/Tail. Trailer has all new LED lights on it.

I popped trailer on old tow car and it all worked fine.

The controller for the trailer lights may have been expecting a bigger load (from incandescent globes). LEDs use very little current and this has been known to confuse modern "smart" controllers.

In the UK It is now quite common to set up trailer wiring for Canbus cars using a signal wire from each circuit to operate a relay for the different trailer globes (the std Canbus controllers apparently don't notice the very slight extra load of the signal to the relay).

This method avoids the need for different controllers for each specific model of car (and is often much, much cheaper).

NZTiguan
05-08-2009, 07:00 AM
LED lights do not create enough resistance in the circuit and so throw up faults. You need to install resistors in the lines so that the all-up resistance is the same as normal bulbs.

ploz58
05-08-2009, 06:14 PM
Well tonight i put my boat trailer on the tig, it has incandescent globes.
the worked fine except the taillights which i knew about,
The MFD promptly told me, trailer left tail light not working and then tralier right lail light not working!!!!

So it appears i have to do something with my motorcycle trailer with the LED lights.

any suggestions?
thanks in advance

Phil.

clip
05-08-2009, 06:39 PM
any suggestions?
thanks in advance Phil.
this might explain how they work:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=522781

then this might help with your calculations:http://metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/ledcalc/index_eng

NZTiguan
06-08-2009, 06:55 AM
Well tonight i put my boat trailer on the tig, it has incandescent globes.
the worked fine except the taillights which i knew about,
The MFD promptly told me, trailer left tail light not working and then tralier right lail light not working!!!!

So it appears i have to do something with my motorcycle trailer with the LED lights.

any suggestions?
thanks in advance

Phil.

When I got mine in NZ it threw up faults left and right as well. I found that the Tig is wired for "separate" left and right taillights while the trailer was wired in common. I had to run an extra wire to separate the taillights and then ensure that the connector plugs matched. The dealer had put the two taillights into the one connector as is standard on NZ connectors so I just separated them and used one of the spares to run the second circuit. Not nearly as difficult as it sounds, only took me about 20 minutes all up and I'm no auto-electrician.

Cheers

clip
06-08-2009, 06:58 PM
Well tonight i put my boat trailer on the tig, it has incandescent globes.
the worked fine... So it appears i have to do something with my motorcycle trailer with the LED lights.
any suggestions?
well, you could just ditch the LEDs and put a set of incandescent tail lights on - pretty simple rather than going to all that other trouble.

ploz58
10-08-2009, 09:30 PM
Hey clip
I liked your simplistic answer,
but i would still have this issue of left and right tail light globes.

Can this be disabled as i cant imagine any trailers in aus are wired that way.

The connector that goes into the car into has a large number of pins in it, Are they all meant for something, yet the other end only has a 7 pin plug.

In someways a modern car you would think we be more set up for LED type lights and not the old technology

i have some resistors i purchased for the led lnidicators on one of our dirt bikes
ill put them in the lines and see what happens.

Given i have 4 different trailers the tig will need to tow this could be a pain, and they are a mix of led and incandescent globes

i passed a tourag towing a caravan , it had LED lights on it, i felt like asking him if had any dramas or had made conversions

thanks for the advise out there
Phil

clip
12-08-2009, 08:53 PM
Phil, just whack in the resistors, pretty sure that will fix it for you - just a pain to do that's all.

Sanman
01-09-2009, 05:34 PM
Latest from Hayman Reece re: aftermarket Towbar:

Apologies for the further delay in this towbar, where we are at is that the Tiguan has a complicated wiring system, for the trailer lights to operate correctly we need to add a special Trailer Control Module (TCM).

In the past motor vehicle manufacturers have sold this TCM as a separate item, but in typical Motor Vehicle company fashion, most of them are now not selling this item separately, they only sell them as part of a Towbar kit. From the research our sales team have done, the Tiguan is one of the vehicles that this is happening to. To ensure we can sell our Tiguan towbars, and other complicated electrical system vehicles, we have had to engage the services of an electrical engineer to develop an aftermarket TCM that we can sell with our towbar.

For this reason we have decided to hold off the sale of these towbars until the wiring solution is complete. I know in your case you don’t need the wiring, but our sales and management have decided that this is the way they are going to deal with this vehicle in particular.

I do have your details, along with about 20 others, in my file and as soon as I have an exact date for release I will advise all concerned.

Again I apologize for any inconvenience this is causing, but as the market leaders in towing accessories we want to make sure we get it right the first time.

newtigger
09-11-2009, 11:19 AM
One of the big reasons for looking at Tigs for me was that I have an Avan Aliner ( a small camper van Tow mass 780 + contents , ball weight 70kg). Currently towing it with a Honda Accord 4cyl. Accord is acceptible but the increased height, road weight and economy are the reasons Tiguan came into my line of sight.
Since then everything else about the Tiguan, be it the safety, the look, the price and the reliability are the things that have wowed me. I have not towed with a Tiguan yet, but compared to what I am already using I know this car matches my needs.There are some really good small vans out there to meet the requirements of tow ball weight and towing mass. But if you want a bigger van, buy a bigger tow vehicle.

wongai
17-04-2010, 01:41 PM
Hi All,
I bought a new "wild cherry red" tiguan three days ago..with a dealer fitted towbar, with intentions of purchasing a small pop top camper for family camping holidays. Upon investigating towing i became aware of towball download limits and it seems i cant tow a pop top camper as the down load limit will be about 130KG with the camper loaded? I discussed this with a camper dealer who seemed to think the 100KG limit is wrong or misleading as the GVM including passengers and lugage is a factor also? Camperguy's take on it was the GVM + 100KG was the load limit on the rear of the tig?? So in theory... if weight in car or GVM is less than stated then extra load can be applied to towbar?? Can somebody please enlighten me.. I feel like im being sold a camper i wont be able to tow.. even though the explanation makes sense??!

Shiny new red tig with RCD 510,MDI,fiscon kufatec, comfort & a useless towball

Glennb
17-04-2010, 08:24 PM
Latest from Hayman Reece re: aftermarket Towbar:


On a similar note, did Hayman Reese ever come through with an aftermarket Towbar for the Tig and if so, how much are they? Got quoted $1,500 from dealer today to install the VW towbar on our Tig which arrives in a week or two.

Arctra
17-04-2010, 08:27 PM
On a similar note, did Hayman Reese ever come through with an aftermarket Towbar for the Tig and if so, how much are they? Got quoted $1,500 from dealer today to install the VW towbar on our Tig which arrives in a week or two.

No, not yet. I actually followed up with them this week and this was their response:


There has been some hold up with the wiring solution that will be supplied with this towbar, this is being worked on at the moment but no firm time frame has been given to me at this stage but they are hoping to have the bar released before the end of May.

Glennb
18-04-2010, 08:31 AM
No, not yet. I actually followed up with them this week and this was their response:

Thanks Arctra. Any indication of pricing? Do you think it would be significantly cheaper than VW OEM or only $100 or so cheaper?

Arctra
18-04-2010, 09:24 AM
Thanks Arctra. Any indication of pricing? Do you think it would be significantly cheaper than VW OEM or only $100 or so cheaper?

No idea mate. I did confirm the first time I enquired that the wiring would NOT include Trailer Stability Control that the OEM one does. I preume it'll just use relays to make the trailer lights work and that's it. No idea on price.

sammo09
18-04-2010, 10:20 PM
Hi wongai
I believe you should stick with manufactures limits..agree that 100kg drawbar limit is low for 2000kg towing capacity but that is what you should be complying with. The van compliance plate information is comparable to these limits so that is the equation.
I have recently returned from a 1600km trip with TDI auto towing a 14ft Jayco expanda. Van compliance plate..drawbar wt 76kg, tare wt 1277kg. We travel fairly light about 170+kg. TDI did the trip with ease including some long steep grades. daily economy did not exceed 11L/100..best was 9.8L/100 0n one day. Mostly used 5th gear sometimes down to 4th on long steeper grades..good pulling power if in the right gear..used manual change in hilly going. I looked at many van specis before settling on this one. there are not many that fit the envelope. I have towed vans before and am very happy with this combination. For the 75% of time when not towing I have a good performing, good handling, comfortable, fuel efficient vehicle...if only they had " wild cherry red " when I ordered mine.

jimbomort
21-04-2010, 03:06 PM
Hi wongai
Mostly used 5th gear sometimes down to 4th on long steeper grades..good pulling power if in the right gear..used manual change in hilly going.

good to see, not sure if applies to auto's, but I know that towing in top gear in many modern manuals can cause problems because gearbox cannot handle the load - somethign to do with gearbox design/set-up that I am not across. Our previous car a Sube outback, gearbox packed it in at 180k, with 5th gear gone. We didn't do much towing but previous owner probably did (we only had it from 140k), mechanic advised this is a common problem in 5 and 6 speed boxes. Somethign to be aware of if you are doing much towing, not sure if its covered in the manual.

so far I have only seen ref to the TDI's in this towing section. Either vehicle is more than fine for towing, but if torque/power while towing is important, a TSI with the APR remap has an edge as a towing vehicle. With the remap, the TSI has more torque at every point of the rev range and substantially more outside the relatively narrow range in the TDI (ie outside 1700-2500rpm), as the TDIs torque falls off quickly below 1500-1700 rpm and the remapped TSI just has bucket loads above 2000 rpm.

on trailers, if anyone is looking for a light weight good trailer check out
Box Trailers Gold Coast-Aluminium box trailers Tradesmen love them (http://rustytrailersonline.com/index.html)

Sanman
05-05-2010, 04:59 PM
Latest from Hayman Reece:
($799 is RRP without fitting - please post if you get a better price, or an installed price)
(the documentation with Smartclick does not make it clear if it enables the altered trailer ABS and stability control settings as the OEM does)
Hi,
Thank you for your patience in waiting for the VW Tiguan towbar and wiring solution to be completed, I have just been given notice from our engineering and marketing teams that the towbar and Smartclick wiring solution has been released to the market.

The towbar part number is R2570W and the wiring is part number 4827, combined these two parts have a RRP of $799 plus installation, they can now both be ordered through your local Hayman Reese distributor, a list of which can be found on our website www.haymanreese.com.au

Once again thank you for your patience while we ensured the best possible solution for towbar and wiring system and if I can assist you any further please feel free to contact me



Regards,

Gary Gardiner
Technical Support Representative - Hayman Reese Towing

CEQUENT, a division of TriMas Corporation Pty Ltd
E-Mail: ggardiner@cequent.com.au CEQUENT
Phone: 0412 145 795 PO Box 4050
Dandenong South VIC 3164
Australia

team_v
05-05-2010, 05:14 PM
Awesome news.
And quite a bit cheaper than the OEM version too from memory?

Glennb
05-05-2010, 05:57 PM
Yep, depending on how much fitting costs.
RRP for the VW OEM version is $1,500 fitted, although presumably you might be able to get $100 or so off with some bargaining.

jimbomort
06-05-2010, 09:51 PM
Yep, depending on how much fitting costs.
RRP for the VW OEM version is $1,500 fitted, although presumably you might be able to get $100 or so off with some bargaining.

yes $1500 is right, though at purchase our towbar was fitted for $1300, and dealer advised that 10% of extras was normal for them (and they did a bit more for us), so you might get more than $100 off as we did.

mike64
20-07-2015, 07:54 PM
Gawsh.

They've been pre-wired for at least the last 8 months or so. These days, all that is required is two CAN-bus wired under the dash to be spliced into another two CAN-bus wires, the installation of the control module, and the rear section of the wiring to the towbar itself.


I have previously fitted and had coded an OEM Trailer Module to a Skoda Yeti with 100% success and now a 2014 Tiguan. When I had the coding done at the VW dealership that sold me the kit they couldn't get signals on all pins at the trailer end after the module. Seems I still have to splice connections above the accelerator pedal.

How do I identify these wires and the ones to splice into?
What is the recommended splicing method please?
Any assistance appreciated.

Hillbilly
20-07-2015, 09:31 PM
Hi All,
I bought a new "wild cherry red" tiguan three days ago..with a dealer fitted towbar, with intentions of purchasing a small pop top camper for family camping holidays. Upon investigating towing i became aware of towball download limits and it seems i cant tow a pop top camper as the down load limit will be about 130KG with the camper loaded? I discussed this with a camper dealer who seemed to think the 100KG limit is wrong or misleading as the GVM including passengers and lugage is a factor also? Camperguy's take on it was the GVM + 100KG was the load limit on the rear of the tig?? So in theory... if weight in car or GVM is less than stated then extra load can be applied to towbar?? Can somebody please enlighten me.. I feel like im being sold a camper i wont be able to tow.. even though the explanation makes sense??!
Shiny new red tig with RCD 510,MDI,fiscon kufatec, comfort & a useless towball

A few facts about towing from a caravaner.

A The weight on the towball is part of the payload of the tug and is included in the GVM of it. There is no statue about towball weight and you must adhere to the manufacturers specifications

B Fitting a WDH does NOT lighten the ballweight as the ballweight is measured disconnected from the car and is ALWAYS that weight
It does distribute a small portion of that weight onto the cars front axle and the van axle by the fact of it straightening the joint between car and van.

C you must also consider the GCVM or the combined weight of both vehicles and it should not be exceeded.

D A trailer(van) of over 750KG loaded weight must have brakes which may be either over ride or electric. If electric you must have a controller in the car accessible to the driver. Heavier vans have different requirements but as a Tig cant tow them we wont discuss them.

Also the rules say you can tow either the allowable weight set by the manufacturer or the amount set by the towbar maker, WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER. So if you have a 1500kg limit by VW and a 1250KG towbar you can only tow 1250kg Like wise if car is 1500kg and you have a 2000kg towbar its only 1500kg limit

mike64
21-07-2015, 06:21 AM
Consider a euro van (eg Swift or Geist) designed to be towed by euro cars instead of the nose heavy local/american designs designed to be towed by monster trucks. My 6.4m Geist built Hobby weighs 1640kg, has a ball weight limit of 100kg. You must be pedantic about loading over the axles to avoid speed sway. I cruise between 80-90km/h as well.

Sent from my SM-N915G using Tapatalk

vwpolo
25-07-2015, 04:27 PM
I tow a 16 ft vintage caravan weight unloaded is 990 and loaded as we travel is around 1640 towed on all types of roads including offroad with out an hassles or trouble and tiguan does it so well I've stopped looking at upgrading to an amarok

Iced Friction
20-09-2015, 06:21 PM
My 2011 TDI with her trip earlier this year from Melbourne to Brisbane cruised comfortably between 85-100km/h, the boat weighed exactly 2,000kg and i had the ball weigh set to 90kgs. I have a aftermarket tow bar with a rating of 2,200kg while my Tig is only maxed for 2,000kgs a little over the limit but apon inspecting the car after the trip their was no signs of stress. i did get some looks and laughs along the way that's for sure but i wouldn't underestimate your TIG's Towing. http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/attachments/f97/19007-towing-tiguan-tow-capability-img_20150630_135745-jpg