Any problems with the Hayman Reese hitch for a T5?

[dct]

Hi Guys

I'd like to fit a towbar (or really, a hitch receiver) to my T5 Transporter. Its mostly going to be used to cart pushbikes around.

I've read the earlier threads on VW's extortionate charges for the stock towbar.

I've had two companies quote around $795 fitted including harness for the Hayman Reese hitch receiver.

Any reason to go for the VW OEM part over the Hayman Reese?

Thanks

David

[gregozedobe]

I believe the really expensive bit is the control unit that connects the trailer electrics to the van's can-bus electronics. But I have also read somewhere (can't remember where) that you only really need this if your van has ESP, otherwise any competent sparkie can just connect it up using relays.

A search may thow up some useful threads (but go into advance search and change the date to any date, otherwise you only get threads less than 6 months old).

[dct]

Thanks for the comments. I did read the older thread (with people being quoted > $1600 for a VW Towbar fitted!), and there was one person with a Hayman towbar he used for towing a caravan as he wanted the full 2500Kg towing capacity.

I'm curious if there is any difference electronically between the VW bar and the Hayman Reese bar. My van does have ESP but I'm not sure how much this would be affected in my case (I'll have a number plate bar attached but no trailer).

Both suppliers stated that the installed cost included the harness - and at $800, this seemed a hang of a lot better than the VW costs.

Is there any reason to pay the extra for the VW bar?

David

[Transporter]

Thanks for the comments. I did read the older thread (with people being quoted > $1600 for a VW Towbar fitted!), and there was one person with a Hayman towbar he used for towing a caravan as he wanted the full 2500Kg towing capacity.

I'm curious if there is any difference electronically between the VW bar and the Hayman Reese bar. My van does have ESP but I'm not sure how much this would be affected in my case (I'll have a number plate bar attached but no trailer).

Both suppliers stated that the installed cost included the harness - and at $800, this seemed a hang of a lot better than the VW costs.

Is there any reason to pay the extra for the VW bar?

David

Peace of mind? Knowing, that it is going to work with the ESP.

[Ivo]

What is ESP?

[gregozedobe]

What is ESP?

Electronic Stability Control - the car has various sensors and applies the brake on individual wheels to stave off impending disaster, and will also reduce engine power if it deems necessary. Basically it tries to save idiots from the consequences of their bad driving decisions, but it can't save anyone from the basic laws of physics (go too fast around a corner and you WILL crash).

[Ivo]

Do I have ESP on my van? I know its got traction control as it kicks in sometimes on when accelerating on slippery surfaces.

Why is ESP a problem when towing? Does it effect the electric brakes on a trailer? What if I'm just towing a box trailer to the dump or my 14ft tinny around that dont have electric brakes?

[gregozedobe]

IIRC, if you have a button labelled "ESP" or a diagram of a Car with squiggly lines (like it is skidding), then you have proper ESP.

If you have one labelled "ASR OFF" then you don't have ESP, just EDL and ASR (the power reduction you have already noticed).

My van doesn't have ESP, but seeing as yours is a Multivan it may have ESP as standard equipment.

I'm sure the different functionality of ESP, ADL, ABS and ASR is described in your owner's manual.

My understanding (and I could very well be wrong), is that if you have ESP on your van the parameters are changed when you tow, as a van with a trailer on behaves differently to a van without a trailer. The ESP controller probably behaves more conservatively with a trailer hooked up.

I don't think towing a trailer with or without electric brakes is a problem for the ESP controller, more that it needs to know whether you are towing or not.

[dct]

I hadn't heard the ESP reason before - just comments on the reversing indicators being disabled.

I'm not sure how the ESP would know what to do, given that the "load" in my case will be a Thule rack with 3 bikes but it could equally well be a 2500Kg caravan.

Anyway I think I'll take the risk...

Thanks

David

[Tornado T5]

If you don't have factory installed reverse parking sensors then I'd go the H-R option. I have one on my van with a step and rear protection bars, 250 tow ball weight and 2500kg tow rating although I'd never tow that much. I should have had the factory wiring loom dealer fitted to automatically deactive the rear sensors when a trailer is installed however they installed a round pin which doesn't have an internal switch to send a signal that a trailer socket has been connected. Dealer fitted a seperate switch for me to turn off the rear sensors. I do have ESP and haven't heard about this mentioned when talking tow bars and the factory wiring loom. It may have a bearing on the ESP calibration although I thought I read that this feature (an ESP setup which catered for towing) was a T5 update feature..

[Ivo]

Turns out I do have ESP as there is a button on the dash!

[dct]

Hi Tornado

Nice looking van! I think the cow horn bumper protection was included in the price i've been quoted, but not sure about the step - which would be very useful.

I'll have to ask the installer.

David

[MultiplexMan]

I was told that "pork pie" when I was shopping for a hitch receiver for my T5.

Logic Question
- if I attach a bike carrier to the hitch, and engage the secondary lights on the carrier - how does the ECU know what I have attached? How does it differentiate between an empty trailer, a caravan, a bike carrier?

Answer
- it cannot.

I went through the installation instructions included with the VAG harness and there were no hard "data" connections. The only thing that gets "adjusted" is a load value so the second set of lights is not reported as a bulb failure (resistance increase) when the hitch is engaged.

Cheers, MM

[Tornado T5]

Hi Tornado

Nice looking van! I think the cow horn bumper protection was included in the price i've been quoted, but not sure about the step - which would be very useful.

I'll have to ask the installer.

David

The hitch is modified by Vehquip, Ferntree Gully Vic, who add the horns and step to a H-R supplied unit. Burwin's VW use this supplier for many dealer fitted options to T5's and in fact I ordered about $6K of options directly with Vehquip and had the dealer settle with them so that I had one pick-up and inclusive finance deal. Their quote for the tow bar back in '07 was under $800 fitted.

[Tornado T5]

I was told that "pork pie" when I was shopping for a hitch receiver for my T5.

Logic Question
- if I attach a bike carrier to the hitch, and engage the secondary lights on the carrier - how does the ECU know what I have attached? How does it differentiate between an empty trailer, a caravan, a bike carrier?

Answer
- it cannot.

I went through the installation instructions included with the VAG harness and there were no hard "data" connections. The only thing that gets "adjusted" is a load value so the second set of lights is not reported as a bulb failure (resistance increase) when the hitch is engaged.

Cheers, MM

Would this be the same for T5's/Multivans with factory installed reverse parking sensor's?