Towbar: Bypass ECU or not?

[Sydtig]

Hi All,
I'm looking for a towbar of 2 Tone capability for my 125TSI MY2010 TIGUAN. Bypass ECU was recommended on aftermarket towbar supplier website so that no CAN tuning is needed, is this way suitable for Tiguan if you tow a 1-2 tones trailor total weight？Does CAN tuning involved if VW dealer install a genuine towbar?
Thank you for you sharing.

[Arctra]

I installed an aftermarket trailer electrics module that just taps off the various rear light wires. So it did not require any CAN programming or anything. But I only tow light trailers (carrying my dirt bikes) and not heavy loads like you. See my thread on the install here - http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/...ghlight=towbar

[Sydtig]

Thanks Actra, I read through your thread, your way is of bypass ECU, how heavy is your total trailor weight? I want to know what's the maglitude of light weight. Was there any difference you felt with trailor traveling with your Tiguan?

[Guest001]

Just curious but what is the legal towing limit of a Tiguan and the max ballweight

[Greg Roles]

My mega dollar genuine towbar says 1600kgs braked and 750kgs unbraked on my 103 TDI Yeti. I've towed a Mazda 3 on a braked car trailer across Brisbane, over the gateway and up to the Sunshine Coast just fine, not that I would want to do it often with all the tools jumping into your braking gap the whole way. 2 Ton is probably pushing it. You most certainly knew you were towing a car.

Towing a typical box trailer / dirtbike on trailer I can hardly notice.

[Sydtig]

To Hillbilly,
per Tiguan spec, 750kg without brake, 2000kg with brake.

[Guest001]

To Hillbilly,
per Tiguan spec, 750kg without brake, 2000kg with brake.

Towball mass limit ????

If towing limit is 2000Kg I would be hesitant to tow the full 2000kg with it.

[Sydtig]

To Hillbilly,

Don't worry, I'll only tow a 400kg small boat.

[Guest001]

To Hillbilly,

Don't worry, I'll only tow a 400kg small boat.

Not worried at all but some put HD towbars on vehicles and think they can tow to that capacity when the vehicles capacity may be less. Also Euro vehicles have very light towball limits in comparison to Jap 4x4's.
As long as you are aware of the rules Im sure all will be fine

[Mysticality]

Also Euro vehicles have very light towball limits in comparison to Jap 4x4's.

Unless you're talking Euro 4x4's; basically anything big from Audi/VW/Merc/etc can tow 3.5t

[Guest001]

Unless you're talking Euro 4x4's; basically anything big from Audi/VW/Merc/etc can tow 3.5t

Yes they can but the lighter ones have a very low ballweight in relation to their towing capacity.

Most Aus made vans have a recommended ballweight of at least 10%.

My Passat which shows a tow weight of over 1200kg has a ball weight limit of 90kg which is too low for most Aussie built vans

So most VW's as in Tiguan etc would have problems towing a 1600kg Aussie van as the ballweight limit is too low.

Then you have to look at a Euro built van which is built differently and has lower ballweights.

Even a Pajero and a Patrol have ballweight restrictions over certain weights.

Towing rules state that you may tow either the limit imposed by the manufacturer or the weight limit imposed by the towbar

WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER

So you cant stick a 2500kg towbar on a car rated to 2000kg and tow more than 2000kg

or put a 1500kg towbar on the same car and the limit is 1500kg

Towball weight is designated by the vehicle manufacturer and shouldnt be exceeded or you may suffer from a droopy rear end in a monocoque car.