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Perfect for light-duty towing, this custom, vehicle trailer hitch receiver features fully welded, gloss powder coated steel construction. Drawbar sold separately.
Features:
Specs:
At etrailer.com we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Tech Tip
No drilling required for installation , Underbody panel(s) and/or fascia must be temporarily loosened or removed. Trimming may be needed to reattach panel or fascia. , Requires temporary removal of bumper/fascia during installation , Underbody trimming required (not fascia)
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (112 Customer Reviews)
Perfect for light-duty towing, this custom, vehicle trailer hitch receiver features fully welded, gloss powder coated steel construction. Drawbar sold separately.
I have a 2019 VW Alltrack and wanted a discrete hitch that could be used for a Bicycle rack and occasionally towing a motorcycle cycle trailer for my 625lb roadbike. I took the hitch to a local body shop for installation and wiring. I liked e trailer’s offering for the VW Sportwagens and it delivered. The body shop said it was a perfect fit, and that the wiring was straight forward for them. I towed a uhaul and my cycle 1900 miles recently, in rough weather too and everything was picture-perfect. I’m a nut in how this car is maintained, and the hitch looks great, in line with my clean look- clean car desire.
The installation is rated a 10 out of 10 for difficulty. I was hesitant to tackle it as I have never removed a bumper cover before. Luckily there were several [online] videos of my VW Sportwagen on how to remove the bumper cover. The removal turned out to be easy and nothing was damaged in the process. Bumper cover removal is a one man job. The Curt hitch fit perfectly and no trimming of the bumper cover is required. I would recommend a second person to assist with installing the trailer hitch receiver. If you don't have a helper, I would use some all thread rod to help hold everything in position. I'm no mechanic. If I did it, you can do it!
Tim
4/27/2023
I really love my receiver hitch. It has been great for hauling bikes and extra gear.
Order this rack. It showed up in good time. Went to install it, only to find out that they sent 3 of 8 pieced of hardware needed to install the rack. Emailed them letting them know in an effort to give them a chance to fix the problem. Being a small business owner I know how these kinds of things can go, and you always appreciate the opportunity to fix an issue before someone takes to the internet and blasts you with a review... Well, they ghosted me. So here is my review... I will not recommend this company. This left me hanging and never replied. Customer service is not existent. If you purchase, cross your fingers and hope you get all your hardware, bc if not etrailer.com is not coming to the rescue to fix their mistake.
Brooke M.
12/20/2023
I am so sorry we left you hanging like that! Since seeing your review, I have sent your information to our customer service team and they will be reaching out about the missing hardware pieces.
Loose bolts and washers from the open parts bag inside of box was less than ideal.
Very easy to install alone. It might be because Volkswagen seems to have planned for this option, but this was much easier to do than on other vehicles that I have had.
Easy to install with zero modification to the vehicle. Took about 2 hours.
Things I found useful:
Use a plastic trim-panel removal tool to release the bumper clips without scratching the bumper or the rear quarter. A screwdriver will scratch the painted surfaces.
Ask a friend to help you bolt up the hitch-bumper sandwich. This was tricky to do alone.
Rich Z.
5/17/2018
Thanks for the follow up! I love the product and use it every day for a hitch-mounted bike rack.
Shipped quick, good communication, great instructions via video.
Installation was a breeze, as long as one know's they're in for a few hours of effort.
I put my rear tires on ramps to get under the car, and to have everything up at a higher height for ease of work.
When actually installing the hitch and the bumper, I duct taped the two together first, and then used a cheap rope tied to the hatch strut mount to hold one end up at about the right height while getting that first bolt into the frame.
And, install all bolts loose, so that you can wiggle the hitch around to ensure it's centered. There is about 1/4 inch sway L/R and getting it right in the middle makes the perfectionist happy. after its centered, tighten all bolts.
ALSO, the hitch comes with nice new longer bolts with locking washers, big washers. Not sure if that is described in the listing, but it is a nice touch. Also not sure the originals are long enough, but aa great additional piece. I used anti-seize on those bolts even though I never plan to remove it. I live in New England, and add this to every bolt/nut I unscrew no matter what.
One note about the VW: there are these little trim PLASTIC T15 torx bits that strip out very easily. Be ready for that. I replaced them with other scrap screws I had in the garage. oh, VW.
Overall, VERY happy with the profile and install.
This product fits perfectly on my 2019 Alltrack SEL. One thing that isn't mentioned in the manual is the proximity sensor wiring and the disconnecting of the wiring harness. I went online to get a refresher as to how the plug works. The release mechanism of mine was all full of sand and road dirt and wasn't working well, so clean it out and be careful not to break the locking mechanism.
The other aspect of the rear proximity sensors is there is a wiring harness that runs along the inside of the bumper with stick on wire retaining pads. One of my pads was installed too low and was in the way of the now farther out OEM crash bar (in the right side). This caused a lump in the bumper when it was pushed back in place. I had to remove the bumper and pull that wire retaining pad off and move it up. Then everything fits perfectly.
This install really helps with a second set of hands. And the above mentioned wiring harness makes it hard to pivot the bumper into place to get the receiver through the stock bumper hole, but a little patience and it will go through.
I'm attaching some embarrassingly dirty pictures of the inside of my bumper. I live out in the middle of nowhere and there are way too many unpaved roads.
Great. Installation notes:
On a 2015 Golf TDI Sportwagen, there are 6 T25 screws in each rear wheel well. You need to remove the rear most 4 of those, 3 into bumper cover support frame, and one oriented 90 degrees offset from the others, into rear fender. This is much easier to do if you jack up the car and remove the rear wheels.
If you are working by yourself, it helps to have jack stands to hold the rear bumper while you remove the screws, and to hold the trailer hitch and rear bumper when you install them together. See picture.
You can squeeze the 4 wire trailer socket through the square hole for either tail light (the hole is larger than the socket on the tail light), and wrap the flat 4 wire bundle in electrical tape where it crosses that hole below the socket on the tail light. After you reinstall the bumper cover, when you reinstall the tail light, just make the plastic thumb screw as tight as you can with a flat screwdriver to compress the foam gasket over the flat 4 wire bundle.
Fit perfectly on the VW Alltrack wagon. Great for a bike rack!
Ordering this product through eTrailer was a satisfying one, including an informative and user-friendly web site, quick and courteous pickup of the Q&A telephone line, and professionalism of the staff.
Since the mechanical ability to install this hitch was above my pay grade, I had a local auto-body facility install the Curt Class I hitch on my 2017 VW Golf Alltrack SE; expect to pay around $150 for this job. The mechanic stated that the installation instructions provided in the delivered package included excellent diagrams and pictures for the mechanic to follow.
The hitch looks and performs very well as a base for my Swingman XC2 bike rack!
(I opted for a trailer-hitch-based option for my VW bike-rack needs for the Alltrack, as I unsuccessfully tried the roof-rack-based VW bike holder on my old 2010 SportWagen but had issues lifting and safely securing the bike (especially in high winds)).
Very happy with the hitch. Went with the 1.25” because I’m only using it for a bike carrier and not towing. Curt hitch required no cutting of the bumper panel for a 2017 VW Alltrack, which was preferred. No alignment problems at all when installing and bolts fit perfectly. Will use strainer for any other needs!
Delivery was timely and the packaging was secure - not easy when shipping heavy steel. Install was straightforward, and the instructions are good. Some of the pictures were hard to discern in black and white, but there is a color version online. It requires a little patience, and a second set of hands is needed for about 5 minutes of the install. My 10 year old son was recruited for that job. When installing this on a VW, highly recommend getting a couple extra plastic fasteners for the bumper, the ones with a T15 screw head. On my vehicle, two were on so tight that I stripped them attempting to unfasten, and I had to drill them out. I bought replacements that weren’t OEM at local auto parts store. Also, if you want to avoid removing wheels, get a ratchet with a short T25 bit. I had a 1/4” bit with a 3/8” ratchet with a step down attachment for 1/4” - wouldn’t fit; I had to go buy a small 1/4” ratchet. Hopefully I’ll save someone a few extra trips to the parts store.
Arrived complete and in good condition.
For a competent home mechanic this is very simple. completed in <2hr. without help. Small sections of threaded rod to hang the hitch/bumper from is key if your going solo (thanks to previous reviewer).
There was no trimming required and the fit is nice and flush - looks factory.
Installed my hitch today on my 2018 VW Golf Alltrack. Took about 3 hrs for the install as I didn't take off the wheels which made reinstalling the screws in the wheel well (I have mud flaps on mine) mor difficult. I was all thumbs!! Didn't have to cut the bumper fascia. I just took off the silver trim on the bottom of the bumper cover first which made maneuvering back on the car mich easier the snapped the trim back on afterwards. Looks great and pretty OEM on the car.
Product looks of great quality. Install on my 2017 VW Sportwagen S TSI required a small cut on the bumper plastic, where the factory cut is. I basically extended the factory cut with 1/3 of an inch, so that the hitch end passes through the cut. Other than that, installation is easy and the hitch looks great on the VW!
Looks like a factory hitch on my 2019 VW Golf Alltrack! Install went smooth, just took it slow and steady. I was hesitant at first but definitely doable with some patience and an extra set of hands. I would absolutely recommend this product. Etrailer install video on youtube was also very helpful.
Hands down the simplicity of it all... and the how to video that coincides with the products is stunning!!!
Fits like a glove. BUT instructions could be better, it’s very hard to see which bolts get which washers . Hardest part was running wire thru interior to battery. Here are the pictures of my 2017 Alltrack.
Well built and install was easy for me just dirty. A well hidden hitch built like a factory hitch. Wiring currently is expensive .
There was missing hardware.
Jenny N.
6/2/2023
That certainly does not help with installing the hitch. Customer Service will be in contact with you to have the hardware sent out.
Really easy install, instructions were very clear and easy to follow
the hitch is very nice and has a good coat of paint on it
Delivery was quick, the videos on the website were super helpful and the support goes above and beyond. The trailer is an excellent addition to my car and am very happy with my purchase
This was my second Curt hitch requiring installation under the bumper and it was just about as smooth and easy as the last one. It's got great clearance (more than the bumper itself) and perfect for installing a bike rack.
The one thing I will say is that for the 4 T15 screws, they are plastic screws and the head is likely to strip or break when unscrewed. Instead of unscrewing them, use a nail punch or small phillips head screwdriver to push them out from the back, and then use lube or grease before you reinstall them.
SportsWageneer
11/11/2021
Still a great almost completely hidden hitch after a year of use
Very happy with my hitch - just installed it last night and it sits beautifully under the rear bumper (it doesn't extend the length of the car at all). Moreover, when my original hitch was on backorder, etrailer's customer service was super helpful in switching to a different hitch that was specific to my car while making it easy to cancel the original order. I was able to receive the hitch in time for my trip :)
Matthew
7/19/2021
1 year later and happy to report full satisfaction with the hitch to date.
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Paul
1/6/2024
The hitch works as advertised and I’m glad I purchased it