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03-20-2019, 08:09 AM
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#21
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New Member
2019 16' Sport
Bay Area
, California
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KSA63
I use an EAZ-Lift WD hitch with dual sway controls. However, the key to towing a 28 ft unit was to get the hitch reinforced. I’m not certain the Q5 hitch would hold up over the long term without getting it modified.
Kevin
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Good to know you reenforced your hitch, KSA63. I'll have to look into that before my long haul in June. I plan on towing the 16' Sport with my Q5 factory hitch and the warning in the manual has me concerned (as a newbie).
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09-17-2020, 09:11 PM
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#22
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New Member
Currently Looking...
Surrey
, British Columbia
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KSA63
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We are looking at buying a 19-22 foot Bambi or something similar in the Flying Cloud. We currently drive a 2016 Q5 TDI, and live in Western Canada, where avoiding mountain passes is not an option. What has been your experience since you posted in 2018? Thanks
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09-17-2020, 09:24 PM
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#23
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3 Rivet Member
Commercial Member
2016 23' International
Los Angeles
, California
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 190
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The 3.0 diesel in the q5 is nothing short of amazing!
My wife has one and it is the most incredible engine/transmission combination I have ever experienced.
You should be fine with a 19-22 so long as you observe the weight limits.
Only install the oem/factory hitch, the aftermarket hitches do not tie into the unibody rails.
Unfortunately, you cannot reinforce the hitch (which is actually incredibly well built)... The weak area is the thin unibody vehicle frame that the receiver slides into.
You may also have a difficult time trying to figure out how to get the break controller installed. Volkswagen/Audi have never provided a clear installation guide and harness are non existent when we were looking a number of years ago.
I don’t want to ruffle any feathers by saying something.... but read up on using a weight distribution system with this vehicle — many opinions but the most concerning one is what the manufacturer has to say about it in the owners manual.
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09-17-2020, 09:28 PM
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#24
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3 Rivet Member
Commercial Member
2016 23' International
Los Angeles
, California
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 190
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This is the hitch you want:
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09-17-2020, 11:01 PM
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#25
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Rivet Master
Mountain View
, California
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 573
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5 sec google search brings this result for Q5 hitch reinforcement.
https://www.airforums.com/photos/showimage.php?i=38667
Brake controller? Just use wireless Tekonsha. Problem solved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seanlb
The 3.0 diesel in the q5 is nothing short of amazing!
My wife has one and it is the most incredible engine/transmission combination I have ever experienced.
You should be fine with a 19-22 so long as you observe the weight limits.
Only install the oem/factory hitch, the aftermarket hitches do not tie into the unibody rails.
Unfortunately, you cannot reinforce the hitch (which is actually incredibly well built)... The weak area is the thin unibody vehicle frame that the receiver slides into.
You may also have a difficult time trying to figure out how to get the break controller installed. Volkswagen/Audi have never provided a clear installation guide and harness are non existent when we were looking a number of years ago.
I don’t want to ruffle any feathers by saying something.... but read up on using a weight distribution system with this vehicle — many opinions but the most concerning one is what the manufacturer has to say about it in the owners manual.
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09-18-2020, 06:08 AM
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#26
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3 Rivet Member
2020 30’ Globetrotter
Ramara
, Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 220
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EJW
We are looking at buying a 19-22 foot Bambi or something similar in the Flying Cloud. We currently drive a 2016 Q5 TDI, and live in Western Canada, where avoiding mountain passes is not an option. What has been your experience since you posted in 2018? Thanks
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I have been Towing in central and Northern Ontario mostly. The Q5 was replaced by a 2014 Touareg and the 28 is now a 30GT. The Q5 was starting to feel a little light for towing the 28 but it had plenty of power. I would not hesitate to pull a 22 foot trailer with it though.
The Touareg is solid. Even with the extra weight of the 30GT.
Both the Q5 and the Touareg have had hitch modifications to improve towing performance and safety.
Kevin
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09-18-2020, 09:15 AM
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#27
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,085
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We do a cat weigh scan at least once per season. We do with and without WD and sway coonected.
Over time our AS has been getting heavier. Now we rationalize what we carry
Last week the scale showed 52% TV and 48% on the AS
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09-18-2020, 09:24 AM
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#28
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,085
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We do a cat weigh scan at least once per season. We do with and without WD and sway coonected.
Over time our AS has been getting heavier. Now we rationalize what we carry
Last week the scale showed 52% TV and 48% on the AS
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09-19-2020, 06:40 AM
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#29
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Rivet Master
2019 22' Sport
High River
, Alberta
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,181
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EJW
We are looking at buying a 19-22 foot Bambi or something similar in the Flying Cloud. We currently drive a 2016 Q5 TDI, and live in Western Canada, where avoiding mountain passes is not an option. What has been your experience since you posted in 2018? Thanks
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The Q5 TDI will be more than sufficient for hauling a 4500 lb trailer over mountain passes. If you're slower than loaded logging trucks, you're too slow. But the Q5 will easily leave them and a lot of other traffic in the dust.
The transmission will downshift, and the engine revs will climb. Your speed will drop on the steepest grades. There is nothing wrong with that, and when you come down the other side, keep the speed down and the transmission in the same gear until the grade flattens, and you will be comfortable and safe.
The two key items, as others have said, are receiver reinforcement and a careful setup of a weight distributing hitch.
Another point - towing in the mountains is generally not that hard. Aside from a few grades that only take a few minutes to conquer, many roads follow the rivers and are remarkably flat overall. I find towing Highway 101 along the Oregon coast to be harder towing than crossing the Rockies.
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09-20-2020, 03:06 AM
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#30
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2 Rivet Member
Santa Cruz
, California
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 79
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Any issues or concerns with the TDI after it was modified due to the diesel scandal etc...
If my 2014 Q5 TDI didn’t com e with a tow hitch can one get installed? Do I go to Audi or another shop? I live in California and am looking at the 22’ AS. Originally didn’t think the Audi Q5 TDI would work with the stated 4,400 towing capacity...
I do have a toddler and am new to towing. Seems like the Q5 TDI should be ok with the overall strong torque as well. Is the biggest concern with tow weights the braking?
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09-20-2020, 03:10 AM
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#31
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2 Rivet Member
Santa Cruz
, California
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 79
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Thanks! I love our 2014 Q5 TDI and was I Tolar disappointed to think maybe with the 4,400 lb capacity that we may need a new vehicle. I want to get a 22ft AS and hope it will work. I don’t have a tow hitch installed yet so would you recommend going to Audi or a another place to get a tow hitch bought and installed?
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09-20-2020, 09:17 AM
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#32
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2 Rivet Member
Santa Cruz
, California
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 79
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Can you share more about your towing experience with a Q5 TDI? Is is setup with Audi tow hitch?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverHouseDreams
For what it is worth, I tow a 22FB with a Q5 2.0T and so far it hasn't ever been the TV that has limited the speed we drive on grades. This weekend we were driving 15-25 under the speed limit on moderate grades following a F150 EcoBoost towing a single axle utility trailer...my wife speculated they must have been hauling lead. We passed them in a passing lane on one of the steeper grades, the 2.0T hasn't had to struggle yet as it is mated perfectly with the 8-speed transmission. You will find others on here that tow 23', 25' and perhaps a 27/28' with a Q5 TDI.
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09-20-2020, 09:46 AM
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#33
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Rivet Master
2018 25' International
Slidell
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
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Most campers will have difficulty keeping a 22 ft Airsteam under 4,400 lbs. Most people on this site report loaded trailer weights 200-300 under GCWR so typically you can expect your loaded trailer to be aound 4700-4800 lbs. That puts you over the Audi towing guidance for US trailers and US roadways. The limits depend greatly on trailer configuration , road curvature and camber designs and speed limits. Audi engineers are aware of all this and guide the owners to push inertial moments back to the trailer axle to reduce oversteer instability in unusual emergency cornering. Truly the engineers are okay with an owner hauling a 4400 lb boat (low inertial moments) but don't want the Q5 to haul a 4400 lb American made travel trailer. With a travel trailer if you manage to get it down to 10% tongue, you now have a trailer that is inherently unstable in sway above about 50 mph, so you'll have to install a hitch with strong sway support. Unfortunately, it can't work miracles and it can let you down in some situations.
Okay so what to do?
Well if you understand the risk and you are okay with the possibility of loss of control in an emergency, then go ahead and ignore the Audi engineers.
If you want to mitigate the risk as much as possible, keep your trailer as close to the limit as possible, load it for 10% tongue weight and then get a propride or hensley hitch.
If you prefer the very low risk approach, follow OEM guidance and give yourself 20-25% room for risk mitigation.
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09-21-2020, 01:01 PM
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#34
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3 Rivet Member
Commercial Member
2016 23' International
Los Angeles
, California
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 190
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bono
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I would really listen to some of these folks about not exceeding the vehicle weight ratings — even if you weld some extra metal onto the receiver the rating is still the same.
What happens if a tragedy occurs and someone is injured or killed? Do you tell the investigators and family ‘hey, I welded some reinforcements onto the bumper in my garage...’
We own a TDI and the engine really is better suited for pulling than my truck. However, there’s no way I’d risk an incident and hook my 23d up to it because the trailer exceeds the vehicle weight rating and Volkswagen has documented not to use a weight distribution hitch in the owners manual.
Just doesn’t seem like a risk worth taking to me.
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09-24-2020, 01:48 AM
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#35
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4 Rivet Member
Church Point
, NSW
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 261
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TDH
I have read on-line that others have towed an Airstream 19' Flying Cloud with an Audi Q5 3.0L TDI. The Audi diesel has the torque to pull the trailer, and it is rated to tow 4400 lbs. The Flying Cloud is 3850 lbs. dry. Now, I realize that the tongue weight on my Flying Cloud is around 550lbs. I figure that I can lighten the tongue by removing the 2-6 gallon propane tanks and replacing them w/ lighter/smaller tanks. My thoughts are that perhaps the Audi A5 wheelbase is too short? With a factory hitch, what do people think?
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This type of query arises constantly. It is clouded by vehicle makers not making clear that what they mean by 'towing capacity' is essentially what it can pull on the end of a rope: it tends to measured by the ability to stop and restart on a 14% gradient. It does not in any way imply that you can do that via an overhung hitch. It may or may not be structurally capable of that.
This not an 'opinion'. I am an ex-GM (UK) research engineer and this was one of my specialised areas.
I suggest that before going any futher to obtain an opinion from Audi's Technical Dept (NOT an Audi dealer).
Collyn
__________________
The problem is not so much what people do not know, it's what they think they know that simply is not true.
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10-18-2020, 12:40 PM
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#36
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,085
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I heard back from ANDY at CANAm.
He has MANY customer that successfully tow a 25' As behind a Q5.
if properly reinforced, good use of Sway and WD and balancing the F-B and L-R trailer, then all should be fine.
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10-18-2020, 03:55 PM
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#37
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Rivet Master
2018 25' International
Slidell
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
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I am sure there are many, many Q5's successfully towing 25' Airstreams under certain conditions. I have seen a modified golf cart successfully tow a 25' Airstream. Will your source confirm that the Q5 and 25' Airstream won't/can't experience oversteer and sway for the full range of expected US road conditions at legal speeds?
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10-18-2020, 04:17 PM
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#38
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,085
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most modern vehicles can pull far more than there rated numbers state.
should you just because you can, i dont think so.
however most mid size or larger SUV are more than cable of pulling an AS in the 16'-27 ' range
However they need to be suitability reinforced so that the forces execrated on their frame from the towed trailer can be properly handled and distributed.
The driver also need to be trained to under stand how the system (TV and trailer (works, how to determine if there is an issue and how to recover successfully
This along with proper step of Sway and WD are the key factors
IMHO, many people don't understand this. They simply hop in and drive away
This reminds of the movie LONG LONG TRAILER with Lucy Ball from the 50's
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10-18-2020, 07:03 PM
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#39
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Rivet Master
2022 25' Flying Cloud
NCR
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,085
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10-18-2020, 07:26 PM
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#40
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Rivet Master
2018 25' International
Slidell
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
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I would say most important is the degree of inherent dynamic and static stability the finish set-up exhibits for the range of road and weather conditions possibly experienced. Vehicles that are loaded near and especially over manufacturers guidance have serious issues with stability in many plausible situations.
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