Touareg+25FB without WDH ?

[Westfalia]

I'll wait to see what to OP says before I make any further comment.

[Mikethefixit]

Well Tim I tell ya what. YOU GO RITE AHEAD. Its your wreck your about to have. SO HAVE AT IT. I just wish I had that kind of money to take a chance like that. But to answer your question directly NO NO NO NEVER!

[Timofeevich]

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Some clarity needed: when in Europe, use their spec TV & TT's. Over here I'd just go to (or pay a consult with plans from) CAN AM RV.

Thanks !
I think need to get an opinion from CAN AM RV of how to legally tow the A/S 25FT in Europe with Touareg using the European type hitch with max tongue weight of 309lb (140kg).
P.S. The European Touareg is equipped by manufacturer with original European type hitch.

[r carl]

I found this on another forum.

Early speculation suggested that while the Touareg may technically be able to tow 7700 pounds, its relatively short wheelbase would make for an unstable rig. Furthermore with the Volkswagen-supplied hitch, the Touareg's maximum tongue weight is 616 pounds . Some felt that a 7700 pound trailer with only 616 pounds on the tongue of the tow vehicle will make the trailer become less stable.
Others have pointed out that Volkswagen's literature contradicts itself regarding the Touareg's towing capacity. Volkswagen claims in numerous pieces of literature that the Touareg can tow 7700 pounds, but the owner's manual indicates that the Touareg sho uld only tow Class I or Class II trailers which are a maximum of 2000 and 3500 pounds respectively. [need to confirm owner's manual quote] It's conceivable that the Class II limit is a function of the hitch, not the vehicle itself. If this is the case, it 's possible that Volkswagen may eventually introduce a different hitch that allows the Touareg to realize its full towing potential.
In an article in RVlife magazine, the author tows a 30 foot, 6,700 pound Air Stream travel trailer with a V8 Touareg. The hitch weight was 760 pounds, which seems to be significantly more than the Touareg's published maximum tongue weight. The author repo rts "This is one fantastic tow vehicle that can tow a substantial trailer like the Airstream without any effort and in complete comfort".

[mojo]

Originally Posted by r carl

I found this on another forum.

Early speculation suggested that while the Touareg may technically be able to tow 7700 pounds, its relatively short wheelbase would make for an unstable rig. Furthermore with the Volkswagen-supplied hitch, the Touareg's maximum tongue weight is 616 pounds .

Outdated speculation which is now just misinformation.

[blkmagikca]

Before embarking on this venture, take the time to go to Jackson Center and take the factory tour. They are manufacturing Airstreams for the European market there, and you can see them on the production line. When I took the tour in this past October there were a number of such units and they are vastly different from the ones made for the North American market.

They are narrower. They have the European mechanical surge brake mechanism. They have different bumpers and marker lights, as well as large triangular reflectors. The surge brake mechanism includes a handbrake. They have a dolly wheel attached to the jack. They have handlebars that allow you to push or roll the trailer by hand into a parking spot. Yes, they are Airstream!

[JFScheck]

Towed 25 footer Classic all over with TDI T-Rex and never, ever, even for a second, think of towing it without a PP or HaHa....

To answer the question...
No
No

Do a search on this forum and I think you will soon read many discussions on towing with a Cayeene & Touareg. Lot's of good info out there...

Best Luck

[starcraft]

Think a jeep could take it maybe with solid rear axle and you could add stiff shocks even then though I would pass. 2000 lbs would be no problem, 3500 would be my max. If you are just pulling short distance slowly then maybe you would be ok. I would swap it for new ford f150 that's alot of weight. I towed 5000 loaded up trailer with cabinet material, weight was all in back and fishtailed swagged pretty good. VW motor will take it and does better than any v8 american motor, but suspension is holding you back.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by mojo

What the ....? We're obviously no longer in Odessa, TX. Don't know nuttin' about European trailer hookups or even European version of the Touareg, except that the stock hitch weight is 770lbs.

You're on your own here. Roger, out.

Originally Posted by Westfalia

This thread is a joke, right? Tim, you are WAY over thinking this and your thinking is WRONG. The tongue weight, as MOJO said, is 770 lbs. No other european rules apply. The European hitch is COMPLETELY different than the one installed on a North American Touareg. As such, European trailers are built completely differently there to account for the lesser tongue weight. Reducing tongue weight in the manner you are thinking will be DEADLY to you and possibly others around.

Originally Posted by newroswell

We had a 2007 25FB CCD. With water in the tank, beer in the fridge, propane tanks full, that muther was over 1000lbs on the hitch without weight distribution bars.

Since the axles are at least 65% back from the front, you'll need a lot of weight on and under that dinette in the back. Better get a ProPride hitch. No way you're keeping that in one lane with 4% on the tongue.

Originally Posted by starcraft

Think a jeep could take it maybe with solid rear axle and you could add stiff shocks even then though I would pass. 2000 lbs would be no problem, 3500 would be my max. If you are just pulling short distance slowly then maybe you would be ok. I would swap it for new ford f150 that's alot of weight. I towed 5000 loaded up trailer with cabinet material, weight was all in back and fishtailed swagged pretty good. VW motor will take it and does better than any v8 american motor, but suspension is holding you back.

QUOTE...snip...... "weight of the trailer 7300lb (3311kg)......Intention is to always keep the Hitch Weight at 308lb (140kg)."

IMHO.....keeping the tongue weight at 308lbs is a pipe dream on a 7300lb 25' Airstream.

Towing with a short WB TV with no sway is not such a good idea.

But I don't know nothing...I'm new here.

Bob

[Timofeevich]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

QUOTE...snip...... "weight of the trailer 7300lb (3311kg)......Intention is to always keep the Hitch Weight at 308lb (140kg)."

IMHO.....keeping the tongue weight at 308lbs is a pipe dream on a 7300lb 25' Airstream.

Towing with a short WB TV with no sway is not such a good idea.

But I don't know nothing...I'm new here.

Bob

I did a towing of a 7300lb 29' Airstream Excella (1991) with Touareg V10 (2008) for 1200 miles (St.Petersburg-Odessa) WITHOUT any WDH and the car behaved brilliantly.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ml#post1329905

[ROBERT CROSS]

Like I said...... "I know nothing....I'm new here."

Bob

[jdalrymple]

From what I can tell in the photos of Airstreams built to be sold in Europe, and seeing those trailers in person at the factory, the most obvious difference is the length of the tongue.

It is noticeably longer than the US trailer. This seems to be common theme in all the photos I can find of RV trailers for Europe.

Longer tongue means less tongue weight on the hitch, and more on the trailer's axles.

So, not unloading the front axle of the tow vehicle.







Regards,

JD

[andreasduess]

True on all counts, but Timofeevich's trailer isn't a Euro model.

Not using a WD hitch might have worked out because the Touareg's leveling air suspension was masking the fact that the back axle was most probably overloaded by quite a margin.

[mojo]

Yes it is a US model but I believe the tongue and head was modified to Euro standards. This took a while to come out when we all thought he was in Odessa, TX! Somehow he was able to lower the tongue weight.

[jdalrymple]

Hitches, Tongue Weight and Tow Vehicles.

The discussion thread trifecta.

Perhaps when one finds himself in a similar predicament, he should simply go full-on American and import a truly proper tow vehicle.





Regards,

JD

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by jdalrymple

Hitches, Tongue Weight and Tow Vehicles.

The discussion thread trifecta.

Perhaps when one finds himself in a similar predicament, he should simply go full-on American and import a truly proper tow vehicle.





Regards,

JD

'nadda......you import it from C-eh-N-eh-D-eh.

Bob eh

[rostam]

A loaded 25 FT modern Airstream has a tongue weight of ~1000# without WDH used, and ~1200# with WDH used. You would be over the 770# tongue weight limit of Touareg.

Moreover, Touareg has a payload of ~1100#. Unless the driver weighs less than a 100#, you would be over the Touareg's payload (and probably rear axle rating).

25 FT Airstreams seem to have the heaviest tongue weights.

[jdalrymple]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

'nadda......you import it from C-eh-N-eh-D-eh.

Bob eh

Try Flint, MI.


JD

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Timofeevich

I did a towing of a 7300lb 29' Airstream Excella (1991) with Touareg V10 (2008) for 1200 miles (St.Petersburg-Odessa) WITHOUT any WDH and the car behaved brilliantly.

No doubt Tim the T-Regs and Airstreams are top of the line when it comes to cat like prowess at highway speeds.

But when you review how the well known towing specialists have set up the T-Regs and big Airstreams you can see that they are are all set up with quality WDH's. Food for thought.

[andreasduess]

Originally Posted by jdalrymple

Perhaps when one finds himself in a similar predicament, he should simply go full-on American and import a truly proper tow vehicle.

At European gas prices, you'd be spending a fortune just to go away for the weekend.

There's a reason pickup trucks aren't selling outside of North America - nobody can afford to drive them.