Old Library

  I asked Rob Heckel, who has/had a 96 or 97 GTI VR6 that had a hitch
  that he used to tow his tire trailer to auto-x events.
  Following is his answer.  I can forward to him any further q's all y'all
  may have.

Rob Heckel &lt;&#88;XXX&#64;gsinternet<img src=/i/dn.gif border=0 width=35 height=15>&gt; wrote:
> Andy-
>
> I have a Reese hitch.  I got it from hitch-web.com.  There is also a Da'L an
> hitch made for our car, but I think it attaches behind the bumper cover.  I
> didn't like that method of attachment so I went with the Reese.  And Reese is
> cheaper.
>
> The hitch does not allow for the rear-most exhaust hanger to be used.  It
> interferes with the stock exhaust tailpipes.  I had a used radiator hose lying
> around and cut that length-wise and cable-tied it to the hitch so I wouldn't
> hear the metal-to-metal banging of the tailpipe on the hitch bar.
>
> I also had to eventually get a longer bar (to which the ball is bolted).  That
> may be why it hits the exhaust....perhaps I didn't mount the hitch far-enough
> rearward?  Not likely tho.
>
> [...]
> Let me know if you need anymore info on the hitch.  I can look up part numbers
> and such when I get home (ie the longer bar).
>
> BOR


--
Andy Nguyen

"Thomas Fennel" &lt;&#102;iction&#64;wsu<img src=/i/de.gif border=0 width=35 height=15>&gt; wrote:
> Ok guys, I need some serious help.  I'm graduating in May and I took a
>  job in Michigan,

  Congrats on the new job!

>  and they have given me $1500 to move.

  Well, OK, congrats anyway, even if it's a job with a company that only
  gives you $1500 for moving expenses.

> FROM WASHINGTON!
>  ARGH.who can move on $1500???

  How about loading as much as you can into the GTI, then crate up the
  rest nice and sturdy.  After you find a semi-permanent abode in Troy,
  MI, ship the crated stuff via a freight carrier, like Yellow Freight or
  FedEx Freight.  I haven't checked out the freight costs;  it may be
  cheaper than renting a truck or moving company.

  In any case, here's your chance to fold down the back seat and make use
  of the Golf's hatch space!  Rent a car-top box if you have to, so you
  can move all the essential/valuable/fragile stuff yourself.

  I drove my then-nine-years-old 1983 Rabbit GTI from NYC 1700 miles down
  here to Tay-siz back in 1992 when I moved.  The thing had no radio (long
  since stolen)!  I wore earplugs at some points over the 2.5 days of
  driving!  You should have a much better time in a cushy GT car like the
  GTI VR6!  |-)

>   Anyways, the only way I'm going to be
>  able to accomplish this is with a hitch on my car pulling a uhaul
>  trailer, so I need hitch advice.  I read the info in the archives, but I
>  was hoping some of you had more suggestions.  Hitch brands/prices/etc.

  Well, I went to the gti-vr6 library, typed in "hitch", read the first thing
  returned ("Trailer hitch for GTI VR6"), and the last email sez:
  "blah blah blah hitch-web.com".  I went there, wnet through the motion,
  and found:

  http://www.hitch-web.com/vhitch.asp?CLID=1&SM=Sport+Hatchback+2+Door&DR=&MD=Golf+III&C=Passenger+Car+or+Station+Wagon&MK=Volkswagen&Y=1995&SMBBID=853-71&YID=77&CID=3&MKID=60&DRID=5&MDID=662&OID=8&SMID=&BPID=6&VID=11662

  It's a Dalan Class 1 "receiver" hitch, gross weight capacity 2000 lbs.,
  tongue weight cap. 200 lbs., for $149.44.  It has a footnote of
  "1. Temporary Bumper removal required for installation."

  As for towing capacity of the VR6 Golf, here's a data point:  my brother
  & I used to tow his 420 lbs. race bike on a "Featherlite" (or something
  like that) trailer behind his 1983 Rabbit GTI, from the South Jersey
  coast up to Loudon, New Hampshire and back, about a dozen times a year,
  for several years.  As well, the hatch of the Rabbit would be crammed
  full of camping gear, tool box, etc.  No problem mon!

--
Andy Nguyen