# Phaeton Trailer Hitch Installation



## vald2306 (Feb 15, 2005)

*Phaeton Hitch*

To anyone who may be able to assist: I work with U-Haul's hitch program and currently have customers inquiring about a hitch for the Phaeton. No hitch manufacturer offers a hitch at this time, however, U-Haul may be able to design one. I would need access to the vehicle for at least two days. Our design shop is located in Phoenix, AZ so if there is anyone in the Phoenix area wanting to get a free hitch for their vehicle, please reply back. If anyone has any other info or thoughts I am willing to listen. Thank you.


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## PC Dave (Nov 29, 2001)

*Re: Phaeton Hitch (vald2306)*

If there's nobody in Phoenix willing to help, I'd be willing to spend a couple of days down there in mid-March or later, just to warm up and get a hitch.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Phaeton Hitch (vald2306)*

Hi David:
Welcome to our forum.
In Europe, a trailer hitch is available as a factory option on V8 powered Phaetons. I don't believe this same option is offered on Phaetons manufactured for the North American market, because of differences in the size of the ball that is provided on the end of the 'hook'. The European ball size is different. A trailer hitch is NOT offered, nor is installation of a hitch approved, on Phaetons that are powered by the W12 engine. I suspect that this is because the W12 engine produces more torque than the rear body-frame of the car could handle with a trailer attached to it - but this is just a guess on my part, not a 'fact'.
I have attached a diagram (below) that shows how the OEM trailer hitch assembly fits onto the car. As is typical for VW OEM hitches, the whole 'hook' assembly is detachable, so you don't see any evidence of a trailer hitch when it is not in use. The factory installed hitch package also includes the necessary wiring to provide lights and signals to the trailer, you can see those attachments just to the left of the hitch itself. Convenience electrical power to the trailer (for example, for an interior dome light) is supplied from fuse SC9, which is the 30 amp fuse 9 in the main fuse holder. This is shown on page 8/8 of the Phaeton wiring diagrams. 
Phaetons that are equipped for trailer towing have one additional electronic controller in the car, that is the *J345* module, the control unit for trailer detection. The J345 is networked to all the other control units within the convenience controller area network (CAN) data bus. So, when a trailer is detected (as evidenced by the electrical connector of the trailer being plugged in), the Phaeton adapts to it, by example, by switching off the rear park distance control system so the driver does not get spurious warnings caused by the presence of the trailer, etc. Power to the J345 is supplied from the 30 amp fuse in position 13 of the main fuse holder.
Phaeton electrical power supply is a little bit more complex than in a 'normal' car, because all the various lights are activated by controllers, rather than by direct DC from the switch that initiates the process (e.g. the brake light switch attached to the brake pedal). So, in the case of a Phaeton that is equipped with the OEM trailer towing package, and has a trailer attached, the activation of (for example) the brake lights follows this sequence:
*1)* The driver presses the brake pedal, activating the brake light switch. A conventional 12 VDC analog signal is then sent to the *J393* Central Control Unit for the Convenience System, and also to the *J345* Control Unit for Trailer Detection.
*2)* These two units then interpret this signal, and send out power to the brake lights on the vehicle and the trailer, respectively.
*3)* If appropriate current demand from a bulb is not detected, the control unit - vehicle or trailer, as the case may be - notes this condition, and sends a message via the convenience CAN data bus to the information display between the speedometer and tachometer. So, the driver will see a message, for example "right trailer brake light not working" or similar.
*4)* If a trailer is connected (the J345 monitors this), then the J393 will also monitor performance of the J345 unit, so far as making sure that it activates all the trailer lights at the correct time. In other words, if a fault should develop within the J345 unit, and the appropriate trailer light is not activated at the same time as the corresponding vehicle light, this problem is noted, and a message is sent via the convenience CAN bus to the display, alerting the driver.
I think you will need to be quite cautious about tapping into the 12 VDC signals that are sent to the turn signals, brake lights, and stuff like that on the Phaeton itself for the purpose of supplying power to the same lights on the trailer. It is possible that the Phaeton would interpret the additional current demand created by the trailer as a fault condition in the wiring of the vehicle. I'm sorry, I don't have a part number for the J345 trailer detection unit to give to you - you might be able to get this information from a VW dealer. I have attached the wiring diagram (number 8) that I referred to above - this is the main power distribution diagram for a Phaeton. It is an Adobe Acrobat document, just double-click to download it. You can see the references to the J345 on it.
My suggestion to you is that you try your best to get a J345 unit and retrofit it to the Phaeton, and then use the voltage outputs from the J345 to supply the trailer. You may need to recode the vehicle to indicate that the J345 is installed, because it is not standard equipment in North America. As for the mechanics of the hitch, I don't have any expertise in that area, you, on the other hand, are probably pretty familiar with that subject.
Michael
*Phaeton Trailer Hitch (OEM Installation)*


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Phaeton Hitch (PanEuropean)*

A postscript: It might be that the entire blue frame assembly shown above is part of the optional trailer towing kit. In other words, it is possible that a North American Phaeton might not have that blue frame assembly. You will have to determine this yourself.
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Phaeton Hitch (PanEuropean)*

I did some research at my VW dealership yesterday, and discovered that there is no listing of any trailer-towing parts for the Phaeton in the North American VW electronic parts catalog (the ETKA catalog).
The Phaeton and the Touareg share some components. I don't know if this extends to sharing the electrical components (J345 controller) for the trailer system or not. But, to help point you in the right direction, here is a parts diagram that shows the electronic controller part number for a north American Touareg. From here, I think you would need to contact a European VW dealer and have them look up the parts you would need to retrofit a J345 to a Phaeton. If you find that the Phaeton part number for the electronic controller is identical to the Touareg part number, except for that prefix that designates vehicle type (3D0 for a Phaeton, 7L0 for a Touareg), then there is a fair probability that the Touareg controller that is sold in North America would be suitable for the Phaeton.
Note that the Touareg trailer hitch system incorporates an electrically operated folding trailer hitch - it swivels up and under the bumper with the press of a button when not in use - I don't know if the Phaeton OEM hitch also does this or not, I have never seen one.
Hope this helps you.
*Parts Diagram - Touareg Trailer Hitch components*


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## StuHaul (Aug 29, 2004)

*U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch*

Is that how you spell "guinea"?
My name is Stuart and I work with U-Haul International. Normally I post over in the Touareg forum in regards to my own car, but my colleagues in the hitch dept have asked me for some help because they know I'm a VW guy.
They've decided to engineer a custom hitch for the Phaeton, but they can't get a dealer (or anyone else) to loan them a Phaeton for a day or two.
If you own one and would like us to custom make you a lifetime guaranteed U-Haul hitch, please IM me or email me at [email protected] All we'd need is to borrow your car for a day or two. It's as easy as that.
Thanks in advance,
Stuart
U-Haul International
_Moderator Note: Merged this post into the existing trailer hitch thread (listed in the Forum Table of Contents), to keep all the information in one place. Michael_


_Modified by PanEuropean at 12:48 AM 6-10-2005_


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch (StuHaul)*

Hi Stuart:
As you can see, I merged your recent post onto this existing topic, which discusses trailer hitches on Phaetons.
Be aware that the W12 Phaeton is not approved for trailer towing under any circumstances. The V8 Phaeton can be equipped with a hitch, as outlined above. There is a controller module that can be purchased from VW to supply appropriate power to the trailer lights, without causing interference to the basic vehicle lighting system (both operation and monitoring). When the VW trailer towing module is installed, it not only controls the trailer lights, it also monitors them for any malfunction, and will display trailer related electrical malfunctions - properly identified as such - on the information screen between the speedometer and the tachometer. It is substantially the same as the trailer electrical module used on a Touareg.
This post may also be of interest to you: 
VAG-COM Parking Assist Sensitivity Due To Trailer Hitch. This discusses making a one-time adjustment to the system to allow for the presence of the trailer hitch ball at the back of the vehicle. If a proper trailer electrical controller is installed, the Phaeton will turn off the rear PDC system whenever the trailer is attached to the vehicle.
Michael


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## W12mike (Apr 13, 2005)

*Re: U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch (PanEuropean)*

Hello,
I have been reading this forum for some time now, and I feel a bit silly correcting Paneuropean in my first post.
On the european car sale site "mobile.de" there are numerous W12´s and V10´s fitted with factory tow bars.
(in German, "Anhängerkupplung")
I guess those cars are short wheel base, I understand that all US Phaeton are long wheel base. Could this fact explain why tow bar on W12 is No No on the US spec cars?
Best regards //MS


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch (W12mike)*

Hi Michael:
Never hesitate to challenge or correct me if you think I have made an error, Lord knows I make as many errors in life as anyone else!
I don't know why trailer towing is prohibited with the NAR W12 Phaeton. It could be because it is a long wheelbase vehicle - or, it might have something to do with the fact that we get different equipment on our W12's here, for example, smaller front wheel brakes than Europe (because of the lower top speed governor setting), and all-season tires, rather than purpose-specific summer and winter tires.
The owner manual for the NAR W12 Phaetons is very explicit about this - it states "Trailer towing is not approved with Phaetons equipped with the W12 engine", or words to that effect. I am in Vancouver and my Phaeton is in Toronto, so I can't look up the exact text.
I'll ask the folks at the Transparent Factory about this next time I get over there (probably late July or early August).
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch (W12mike)*


_Quote, originally posted by *W12mike* »_On the European car sale site "mobile.de" there are numerous W12´s and V10´s fitted with factory tow bars.

Here is the restriction that we are given in the North American Owner Manual. My guess - this is strictly a guess, nothing more - is that trailer weight limits (gross trailer weight, as well as tongue weight) are observed much more strictly in Europe, because they are part of the technical documentation provided with the vehicle. In North America, there is no such thing as TÜV standards, and no such thing as a 'bord-buch' that lists limits that the driver must respect. For this reason, I bet that the VW engineers had nightmares about someone hooking up an 4,000 kilo, 8 meter long mobile home to a W12, then flooring the gas pedal from a standing stop, and ripping the entire hitch assembly right off the back of the car...







Trust me, someone would do that - then sue VW.



_Modified by PanEuropean at 7:46 AM 3-11-2008_


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*W12 restrictions*

Frankly, this is not particularly smart. I just saw a Honda CRV towing a pair of jetskis down the highway two days ago. But you can't tow ANYTHING with your W12? I even had a 1980 Scirocco with a hitch. Towed a motorcycle trailer without any problems.
If VW used some common sense, they would make a class 1 or class 2 hitch for the Phaeton. This limits the hitch rating by limiting the receiver tube size. But you can still mount a bike rack or a small trailer.


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## PhaetonChix (Dec 16, 2004)

*Luxury sedans as tow vehicles*

When was the last time you saw an S-class or 7-series towing???? Isn't that what Touaregs are for?


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## copernicus0001 (Nov 30, 2004)

*Re: Luxury sedans as tow vehicles (PhaetonChix)*

That's why I have a Lincoln Navigator too... for towing snowmobiles and ATVs, for driving in the snow, for driving off road in the north woods and in remote parts of Canada.... for boundary water trips, etc....


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## chrisj428 (Feb 26, 2005)

*Re: Luxury sedans as tow vehicles (PhaetonChix)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PhaetonChix* »_When was the last time you saw an S-class or 7-series towing???? Isn't that what Touaregs are for? 

They didn't call it the Tow-reg for nothing.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (spockcat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *spockcat* »_If VW used some common sense, they would make a class 1 or class 2 hitch for the Phaeton... 

Hi Jim:
I don't think the problem is VW not having common sense - I think the problem is that not every driver in North America has common sense, and VW is aware of that.
If you hook up a heavy trailer to a 420 horsepower car (450 horsepower as of last month), and you drive with a lead foot, you are going to cause structural damage to the vehicle. After all, the frame of the Phaeton is designed to carry the carroserie, not to tow a heavy trailer. The biggest of the Kenworth or Peterbilt trucks also have 450 horsepower engines - look at the size of the frame rails on them.
In Europe, every vehicle sold comes with the automobile equivalent of a 'Certificate of Airworthiness' and a 'Certificate of Conformity'. This is a booklet that lists, amongst other things, the maximum gross weight of a trailer that can be towed, and the maximum tongue weight of the trailer. Both the drivers and the police are fully familiar with these documents. You can't even change the tires on your car from Michelin to Dunlop (same size, etc.) unless the new tire and rim combination is approved for your vehicle.
We all know there is no such regulation and oversight of vehicles in North America. All it would take would be one dim-wit to hook a 40 foot Airstream up to a chipped W12, then floor the gas pedal (while in sport shift mode) to cause an accident... and you can bet they would go after VW, saying it was manufacturer negligence that caused the accident.
If you look at the VW websites from other countries, you will see that Phaetons are approved for 1,000 pound gross trailer weights and 100 pound tongue weights. If I needed to tow something around with my W12, I would feel quite comfortable putting a hitch on it and towing something that is within that weight range. But, I would take it easy on the gas pedal, and accept that it was my own responsibility to use common sense when towing. VW of America has just covered their butt against legal issues with the W12 towing prohibition, and to be honest, I can't blame them one bit for doing it. They are selling cars in one of the most hostile environments in the world, if you look at it from a manufacturer point of view.
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Here's a bit more information about installing a trailer hitch on a Phaeton. Many thanks to one of our 'forum friends' for supplying us with the technical data.
If you order your Phaeton from the factory with trailer towing equipment installed, it will have two additional components: 1) The tow ball (hook) itself, and related attachment equipment, and; 2) one additional electrical controller - the J345 Control Module for Towing Sensor - that provides electrical power to the trailer lights, signals, and so forth. It is possible to order both of these components from a VW dealer after the Phaeton has been purchased, although I am not sure if these parts are carried by North American Region (NAR) VW dealers.
The mechanical attachment is quite simple - it consists of a rectangular frame that bolts onto the back of the Phaeton, and accepts a removable trailer towing hook. The hook is European specification - in other words, the ball on the end of the hook is smaller than the ball that is normally used for a North American trailer. If you only have one trailer to tow, it might be simpler to change the attachment device on the trailer over to the European specification, rather than trying to change the VW supplied hook over to North American specification. I posted some pictures and more detailed illustrations of the various parts above, earlier in this thread.
The electrical controller is also quite simple, it plugs into the Phaeton electrical system. It is very similar to a Touareg trailer towing electrical controller. Once you have plugged this controller into the Phaeton, the various wires from the trailer (turn signals, stop lights, etc.) plug into this controller.
Because of the sophistication of the electrical system on a Phaeton, it is not possible to just splice into the wires leading to the Phaeton brake and turn signal lights to provide power to the same lights on the trailer. If you do this, the Phaeton will note the additional current demand, and report a fault in the lighting system. The advantage of using the Phaeton trailer controller is that it will supply the trailer with power from the main bus of the car (rather than the individual lighting circuits on the car), and it will also monitor the trailer lights. So, if a light burns out on your trailer, you will see a warning on the screen between the speedometer and tachometer (the Y24 screen) that says "Trailer turn signal not working" or words to that effect. The trailer electrical control module will also automatically disable the rear park distance control system and rear foglight whenever a trailer is attached.
Below are some drawings of the mechanical components. The English language one provides all the names, and the German language one provides all the part numbers. I don't have any pictures of the electrical control module for the trailer, however, once it has been installed by a VW dealer, you won't see it - it goes in the same compartment as the starter battery. All you see is the electrical connector for the trailer, which is discreetly installed behind the Phaeton rear bumper.
Michael
*Mechanical Components for Trailer Towing - English*








*Mechanical Components for Trailer Towing - German (includes part numbers)*


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Here is the description, diagram, and part numbers for the electrical portion of the trailer towing equipment, which includes the J345 Control Module for the Towing Sensor. This control module supplies power to all the electrical consumers on the trailer (turn signals, brake lights, running lights, etc.), and monitors their function. If there is a problem with any of the lighting on the trailer, warning messages will be displayed in the instrument cluster, as shown on the diagram at this post: Complete List of instrument cluster messages and symbols.
Michael
*Electrical Components for Trailer Towing*


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

For those of you who may be interested in retrofitting a trailer hitch to your Phaeton, here is some information that will tell you how to do it.
Be aware that if you retrofit the trailer hitch, the rear bumper may no longer meet the deformation standards mandated by American law. This is because the beam across the back is much bigger and stronger on Phaetons that have an attachment point for a trailer hitch hook. Because the beam is bigger and stronger, there is less room for foam between the beam and the rear bumper skin (the painted part, with the chrome strip on it). The foam is what absorbs the impact, to pass the NHTSA tests. My guess is that this explains why the trailer hitch is not offered as an option in the USA.
Anyway, as long as you are not too concerned about that, here's how to retrofit a hitch. I have not collected part numbers for all the different components, which means it is possible that the part number for a V6 short wheelbase bumper might be different than that for a W12 long wheelbase bumper. It's up to you to do this research if you want a hitch. If you want help with the research, post a note here and I will see what I can do.
Be aware that the European standard for the diameter of the ball on the hook is different than the American standard - the American trailer hitch balls are a little bit bigger than the European ones. I think it would probably be easiest all around to fit the European spec bumper and hook (ball), then retrofit your trailer with a European spec coupling - the coupling (part that goes on the trailer) is cheap, and can be obtained easily. Getting a custom hook with an American size ball cast and then machined for a Phaeton bumper would probably be quite expensive.
Michael
My new sig line: "Post something technical today, and fuggedabout Auburn Hills, will ya?"
*You will need to buy a new plastic lower valence with a door on it. *
This part is inexpensive. You only need the black part, not the whole bumper skin.








*When you remove the two thumb-turn fasteners, the door comes off, and you can see where the hook is installed.*
The electrical connector swivels down.








*This shows what the bumper bar with the hitch attachment point looks like.* 
It is easy to remove the rear bumper skin. 
*Hint:* It is even easier to install the hitch if you have not yet installed the rear bumper skin...
















*A close-up of the hitch receiver and the electrical connector.*








*The hitch is clearly marked with the maximum static (tongue weight) limits, and also the maximum dynamic (pulling power) limits.*
You will need to do a little math with the torque output of your engine and the total weight of your trailer to make sure you don't rip the bumper off your Phaeton, or the hitch coupling off your trailer when you stomp on the gas pedal. 
*Especially* the W12 owners... 
Please remember our forum motto: "_Volkswagen is not your mother, and you are over 21 - so, don't do this modification unless you are willing to take responsibility for your own actions, just like you were taught to do in Boy Scouts"_








*This photo shows where the bolts that hold the bumper bar onto the frame of the car are located. * 
You will need to remove the muffler and the rear fender well liners to get access to these bolt holes.








*Phaetons not equipped with hitches at Dresden have stickers and wax applied over the bolt holes.*
Be sure to cover the bolts with corrosion prevention wax on both sides after you install them!








Be sure to cover the bolts with corrosion prevention wax on both sides after you install them!
*Use this wax spray to touch-up the corrosion protection wax on the bottom of the Phaeton.*


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Finally, a really nice picture of what it all looks like when it is installed. Many thanks to Daniel, our forum member from Zürich, for providing us with this excellent picture of a factory installed trailer hitch on a W12 Phaeton.
Please do not let VW of America know that the staff in Dresden installed this hitch at the time this Phaeton was built, otherwise, VW of America may void the warranty on this car, as they state in the owner manual shown earlier (above) in this thread.
*Factory Installed Trailer Hitch*


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## Phaeton Guy (Nov 17, 2005)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Do you have any friends in Europe that could find out the price of the trailer hitch components? I want to install one and would rather use the VW components than have one 'custom made'. Any assistance would be appreciated. What is the ball diameter - 50mm??


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (Phaeton Guy)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Phaeton Guy* »_Do you have any friends in Europe that could find out the price of the trailer hitch components? ... What is the ball diameter - 50mm??

Hi:
I can ask the next time I am in Europe, but I don't know when that will be. Perhaps one of the forum members who lives in Europe can inquire about this - the part numbers are all shown above in this post. I suspect that the expensive bits would be the bumper bar, the hook, and the electrical controller.
I don't know what the diameter of the hitch ball is. I do know that it complies with the EC spec for trailer hitch balls (hooks, as they are referred to in Europe), which is smaller than the sizes that are normally used in North America.
Michael


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## Mr Johann Vegas (Jun 10, 2004)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Finally, a really nice picture of what it all looks like when it is installed. Many thanks to Daniel, our forum member from Zürich, for providing us with this excellent picture of a factory installed trailer hitch on a W12 Phaeton.
*Factory Installed Trailer Hitch*









Is this a SWB or a LWB car?


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (Mr Johann Vegas)*

Short.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Got an IM today from PhaetonGuy (Jim), with this question:

_Quote, originally posted by *PhaetonGuy* »_Do you know of any reason the VW trailer hitch (tow bar) sold in Germany fo the phaeton would not fit the NA spec car? I am ready to order one through a friend in Germany, but do not want to go ahead if it will not mount to my long wheel base US version. Are the mounting holes for the tow bar in the NA cars?

I don't know of any reason why the hitch would not work in a NAR specification car - or a LWB car, for that matter. Trailer towing equipment is listed as an option on page 14 of the 2006 Swiss Phaeton Specification Sheet and Pricelist as _'ANHÄNGEVORRICHTUNG ABNEHMBAR' _(removable towing bracket), and I cannot see any notes there that indicate it is not available for LWB cars.
The metal bar that forms the impact absorbing part of the rear bumper assembly is often slightly different between NAR and ROW cars - due to differences in impact regulations - but the trailer towing kit replaces that entire bar, so, I can't foresee any problems there. In a 'worst case' scenario, it might be necessary to remove a bit of foam or plastic from the impact absorbing material that is installed between the outer skin of the rear bumper (what you see) and the bumper bar / towbar bracket itself.
The best way to determine if the LWB cars (or NAR cars, as the case may be) have the required mounting holes on the rear frame for the towbar would be to lift the vehicle up on a hoist and have a look. Next time I am at my VW dealer I will have a look on my Phaeton - and the V8 that my dealer keeps as a service loaner - and see if they are present.
What you do need to be aware of is that the size of the ball (hook) used in Europe is different than the size of the ball used in North America. The North America towing balls are generally larger than the European specification. Unless you converted your trailer over to the European spec, you might need to have a new removable tow hook manufactured (machined) with a larger ball on it. My guess is that it would be cheaper to convert the trailer to European specification.
The NAR owner manual has a note in it that states that Phaetons with the W12 engine are not approved for trailer towing. I don't know what the reason for that notation is. You can order a towing package on a W12 in Europe. If you have a W12, it might be worth your while to call Phaeton Customer Care in Auburn Hills, and ask if they could tell you why that restriction is published in the NAR owner manual.
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

For the record, here is a scan of the June 2005 (model year 2006) United Kingdom Phaeton Brochure, showing the accessories that are available as dealer installed options. The prices are in ₤ (GBP).
Michael
*UK Phaeton Brochure, showing towbar and towbar electrics for dealer installation*


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## Phaeton Guy (Nov 17, 2005)

Any luck determining the tow hook ball size? I have arrange to purchase the parts at a German VW dealer and have them shipped to me, but no one can seem to verify the ball size.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (Phaeton Guy)*

I _*think *_it is 50 mm, but I have no idea how you could confirm this. The problem is this: There is only one size of trailer hitch ball used in Europe, and for that reason, no-one ever bothers to specify what the diameter of the ball is. It's a bit like asking how high an electrical outlet on the wall is above the floor. They're all the same height, no matter where you go - so, no-one ever thinks about what the measurement is.
Sorry...








Michael


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## Phaeton Guy (Nov 17, 2005)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

True....unless you need to know. Thanks for the help, I think I will roll the dice and order the tow bar from the German dealer and try my luck. Keep your fingers crossed.


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

Here are some pictures of the "kit" that is available from VW. With the expection of some small hardware that needs to be purchased seperately, it is very complete.
*Hitch Ball* - This comes with the main crossbar, which I didn't photograph, and includes a set of keys for securing it in place. Made by Westfalia, the quality is top rate.








*Hitch Controller* - This is the unit that fits in the trunk and tells the rear PDC not to freak out, among other things. The bracket is a different part number and there are some screws (4) needed to mount everything properly.








*Hitch Wiring* - This is the most complex auxilliary harness I've seen to date. It routes from the controller through varies partitions and access ways to different ground and connection points, then out of the car and to the hitch where it terminates in the EU standard connector. Luckily, it comes with a great multi-lingual instruction manual.









_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_I _*think *_it is 50 mm, but I have no idea how you could confirm this.

By measuring it.







50mm is correct, which means that a 2" trailer tongue will work.


_Modified by OEMplus.com at 10:59 PM 9-26-2009_


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## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

"You will need to buy a new plastic lower valence with a door on it. 
This part is inexpensive. You only need the black part, not the whole bumper skin."
Where does one purchase this part?


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: W12 restrictions (petermueller)*

Phaeton Rear Spoiler w/Towing Cutout - 3D5 807 434 J V7S - $145


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## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

*Re: W12 restrictions (OEMpl.us)*

Rich;
Does the valence have the cutouts for the V8 exhaust tips? The one shown on this thread above appears not to have the cutouts.


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: W12 restrictions (petermueller)*

The one I quoted above is specific to the V8. The one pictured could be from a V6 3.2, V6 TDI or V10 TDI (Michael?) and the numbers would be different...


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (OEMpl.us)*


_Quote, originally posted by *OEMpl.us* »_The one pictured could be from a V6 3.2, V6 TDI or V10 TDI (Michael?) and the numbers would be different...

Respecting the pictures above of the silver Phaeton that is in the process of being assembled in Dresden (hence the great view of the trailer hitch parts) - I don't know what kind of engine it had, but I can say with confidence that it was not a V8 or a W12 engine.
The general idea about the little removable door for the trailer hitch on the rear valence (the skirt around the bottom of the bumper cover) is the same for all. There are at least three different types of valences, though - one with big holes to accommodate the W12 exhaust pipe tips, one with smaller holes to accommodate the V8 exhaust pipe tips, and one with no holes at all for the diesel engines and the 6 cylinder gasoline engine.
Michael


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Michael, in your interesting (as ever) post above, you say:
"Be sure to cover the bolts with corrosion prevention wax on both sides after you install them! Use this wax spray to touch-up the corrosion protection wax on the bottom of the Phaeton." beside an appropriate photo. The bolts being the main fixings for the tow bar frame.
Is this something that one would need to ask a VW garage to do when fitting a Phaeton tow hitch, or something that they would automatically under Volkswagen's fitting instructions and general procedures?
I had a towbar fitted on the car by the dealer before delivery in April this year. I was told that a factory fit was not an option, so the dealer fitted it at the time of pdi. I intend to check with the dealer that they did put on the rust protection but when asking want to be clear how much of a requirement this would have been. 
PETER M



_Modified by PeterMills at 7:42 PM 11-7-2006_


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PeterMills)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PeterMills* »_Is this something that one would need to ask a VW garage to do when fitting a Phaeton tow hitch, or something that they would automatically under Volkswagen's fitting instructions and general procedures?

The practice of ensuring continuity of corrosion prevention coatings is what you could call 'best industrial practice' - if the person who did the work was cautious and careful, they would do this automatically. The wax compound in the spray can is a common VW shop supply. The installation instructions probably would not mention this specifically, any more than a food recipe would start off by telling the cook to wash their hands before handling food.
Michael


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PanEuropean)*

Thank you, Michael. It does appear, from my crawl under the car with mirrors and torch, that the fixings are clean and without any treatment, so I will take this up with the dealer.
PETER M


----------



## plastech (May 3, 2006)

*Re: W12 restrictions (PeterMills)*

Peter,
Before you play Mary hell check the bolts are not galvanized.
Also why did they say the towing bracket is not a factory option.
Tony


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings*

The bolt heads do not look to be galvanised (I can only see one, just), though they appear to have a light sheradising or other coating. I think that my bigger concern, now Michael has got me thinking, is for the surfaces that the bolts penetrate (which were factory covered with tape and had corrosion prevention coatings sprayed over) rather than the bolts themselves.
As to why my dealer did not offer a factory fit tow hitch; this was never fully explained. I did state that this was my preference but was told Dresden would not do this, point blank. 
If any one on this forum has a factory fit tow hitch on a UK car I would be interested to hear that. Also if anyone has the fitting instructions. Hopefull, however, a reasonable attitude will prevail and the dealer will take on responsibility and semi-strip and rust treat the area. 
PETER MILLS



_Modified by PeterMills at 1:51 PM 11-8-2006_


----------



## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (PeterMills)*

Peter,
I just ordered an OEM Crossmember, OEM Ball head, and OEM Hex bolt's from OEMPL.US (this is their web address also) for $769.47 USD.
Shipping of $80.00 was additional. Very reasonable for the quality.
Once I have instructions I will forward them to you-may be a few weeks.
Regards,
Peter


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (petermueller)*

Peter,
Thanks for that.
PETER M


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## plastech (May 3, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (petermueller)*

Uk price not delivered is :£674.96 0r $1,284.38 
What is the price from Germany Rich?
Rgds Tony


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (plastech)*

Tony, send me your post code by PM or email and I'll confirm for you...


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (OEMpl.us)*

I am pleased to record that my dealer Robinsons VW of Norwich stripped back my Phaeton last week sufficent to rust protect the area around the tow hitch mountings, in accordance with Michael's earlier post. I asked that I be allowed to inspect the applied treatment before re-assembly and they agreed; which was good for my peace of mind.
PETER M



_Modified by PeterMills at 7:07 PM 12-3-2006_


----------



## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (PeterMills)*

Congrats Peter! Always nice to hear about a happy ending!


----------



## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (OEMpl.us)*

Hello enthusiasts!
We have found a more reasonably priced supplier for our Westfalia hitches and I wanted to update the community. The price is now $845 for the complete Phaeton hitch package; including the crossbar, ball assembly, proper lower valence and all hardware.
Please remember this is available for V8 vehicles only. Here is the link with additional information: Trailer Hitch Package


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (OEMpl.us)*

At my recent visit to the Phaeton factory, I took care (including rolling on the maple floor to some raised but polite German eyebrows) to check how the tow bar fixings were left when factory installed, after having insisted that my dealer strip back and rust treat these for me (see above).
I can confirm that the factory installed tow bar/hitch frame fixings are sprayed over with the anti rust paint (sadly I had to sign a form promising not to take photos before I was allowed into the factory).
It is interesting that Michael's photo from above repeated here:








appears to show the bolt heads unpainted, but I think that this may have been a display shot.
PETER M


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (PeterMills)*

Ah - I know the story on that photo: I took the photo as the employee was installing the towbar, while the car was being built. That is why there is no wax on the bolts - they bolt had only been installed and tightened 30 seconds prior to me taking the photo!
Michael


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (PanEuropean)*

That was in the days when you could take photo's of course..... (or not..?)
PETER M


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## Stinky999 (Sep 14, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (OEMpl.us)*


_Quote, originally posted by *OEMpl.us* »_Hello enthusiasts!
Please remember this is available for V8 vehicles only. Here is the link with additional information: Trailer Hitch Package

Isn't the picture in this link a W12? It has the 4 exhaust tips. Are there other European versions that use the 4 pipe exhause, e.g., V10 TDi?


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (PanEuropean)*

_Ah - I know the story on that photo: I took the photo as the employee was installing the towbar, while the car was being built. That is why there is no wax on the bolts - they bolt had only been installed and tightened 30 seconds prior to me taking the photo!_ 
If this was a vehicle in production it looks to me as if the exhaust and heat shields have already been put back, without any paint finish applied to the fixings, that varies to what I saw in April at my visit so perhaps the procedures have changed. However it also looks as if this car did not have the adhesive tape patches (only removed for towbar fixing) which in the case of my car were removed by the dealer exposing the areas of untreated chassis. Therefore in the case of the photo above the galvanised fixings may have bolted tight to the wax.
All rather pedantic, but an interesting puzzle.
PETER M


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (Stinky999)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stinky999* »_
Isn't the picture in this link a W12? It has the 4 exhaust tips. Are there other European versions that use the 4 pipe exhause, e.g., V10 TDi?

I believe that is a V10 SWB. Michael took the photo, so he would be the expert...


----------



## bobm (Mar 2, 2004)

*Re: Towing hitch - rust protection to fixings (OEMpl.us)*


----------



## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Towing hitch - electronics*

Is anyone aware of a Phaeton being supplied new with a tow bar in the UK (other than mine)?
VW at MK are not aware of one, and investigations are in hand as to why my tow bar controller does not appear on a diagnostic scan of my car, but VW Luxury Cars at Milton Keynes have not come across another one being fitted as a new car accessory (although it appears in the brochure as an available accessory).
Also has anyone had one retro-fitted, and, if they have, does the controller appear on a diagnostic scan (Pan European has kindly advised this should be J345 Control Module for Towing Sensor, as controller 69)?
PETER M


----------



## ilanK (Apr 10, 2006)

*Trailer Hitch Question*

Hello everybody. Just a quick question. I recently bought a boat who's dry weight is 2800 pounds. Was wondering what would happen if i install a trailer hitch and attempt to tow the boat with my 06 V8?
Has anybody towed close to that weight?
Thx


----------



## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Trailer Hitch Question (ilanK)*

Hello Ilan,
There are several good reference threads for Phaeton towing and hitches :
- Trailer Hitch and Trailer Electrical Controller
- Trailer Hitch Installation for Phaeton
- Adjust rear Park Distance Control measurements to allow for presence of a bicycle rack or trailer hitch
They have some good discussion and end up with "yes, it will be fine", but you should read them and come to your own conclusions. We have two other customers in this forum that may/may not chime in with their personal experiences.
If you have decided that you'd like to move forward with getting one, please let me know. We offer the factory Westfalia hitch with a 5,500 lb. towing capacity and a 200 lb. tongue weight, more than enough for what you're doing. 
The hitch kit includes the crossbar, locking ball assembly w/two keys, the correct lower spoiler w/access panel and all hardware for installation:
- Phaeton V8 (2004-2006)
_Photo borrowed with PanEuropean's permission..._
 


_Modified by OEMplus.com at 11:00 PM 9-26-2009_


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Trailer Hitch Question (lank)*

The Phaeton shown in the photo below is a regular production V TDI that is equipped with the factory installed hitch (the one that Rich refers to in his post above).
Considering that both the car and the boat are owned by Volkswagen and they are kept at the Transparent Factory in Dresden... I think it is safe to assume that towing this size of boat is an approved activity.
What you might need to pay special attention to is braking on the trailer. North American Phaetons are equipped with smaller brakes than the ROW spec Phaetons because the NAR vehicles are electronically limited to lower speeds. In the case of the NAR W12 Phaetons, we are not allowed to tow *anything *because there is no reserve brake capacity available to cope with the added weight of a trailer.
The NAR V8 Phaetons weigh a little bit less than the W12s, but have the same brakes fitted, so, you have a bit of reserve braking capacity, but still not as much braking capacity as a ROW V8 or ROW TDI that is capable of much higher top speeds than a NAR V8 or NAR W12. Thus, I think you will need to pay extra super special attention to making sure that your trailer has a braking system that can handle stopping the *entire *weight of the trailer. By the time you get the car itself loaded up with yourself, your partner, the kids, the beer cooler, etc. the car will probably be at Maximum Gross Weight, thus you will have very little braking capability left over for the trailer.
Michael


----------



## Twosont (Feb 8, 2005)

*Re: Trailer Hitch Question (PanEuropean)*

more pics of the car anddd the boat please


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## ilanK (Apr 10, 2006)

Ok sounds good, but what about the electrical. How easy is it to tap into the electrical for the lights and signals.


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## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

It's pretty easy-I did it on my 2005 V8. Used a four flat connector-don't even try the OEM plug.
If you decide to go further pm me I'll send you the wiring info.


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## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

Here is the wiring info:
I tapped into the wiring looms that plug into the taillights.
Here are the color codes:
rear light(L) grey/black
rear light(R) grey/red
brake light(R) red/black
turn signal(R) black/green
rear light(R)grey/red
rear light (L)grey/black
brake light(L) red/black
turn signal(L) black/white 
(the first color is the major color the second is the minor color)
For the power supply I mounted it into the passenger side rear battery compartment,
using a fused controller module from Draw tite


_Modified by petermueller at 12:13 PM 8-24-2007_


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (ilanK)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ilanK* »_Ok sounds good, but what about the electrical...

Hello Ilan:
There are two ways of going about the electrical hookup. One way is the 'military spec' method, in which you use the VW trailer electrical controller that is made for the Phaeton. This controller needs to be connected to the wiring harness of the car. North American spec Phaetons don't come with the quick-connect harness that allows this controller to be plugged in, thus, it will require quite a bit of custom wiring work to install a VW trailer electrical controller on your car.
The advantages of using the VW controller are as follows:
- no interference with the vehicle electrical distribution system
- instrument panel will annunciate trailer light failures
- fog light, rear PDC automatically disabled when trailer connected
- short circuits, etc. on trailer do not affect the car.
The other method, I guess, is to just tap into the power supply for the rear running lights and the brake lights. But... those lights are LED, not conventional bulbs, and any increase / decrease in load or resistance on that circuit may be noticed by the central electrical controller of the Phaeton and interpreted to be a fault or a lamp failure. So, if you plan to just "tap in", you do this at your own peril. I have no experience doing this, and I suggest you speak with someone who has done it before to find out EXACTLY how they went about it. Those rear light units are a lot more complex than you might think - below is a photo of what is inside one.
Michael


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## petermueller (Oct 20, 2006)

Michael:
I just tapped in and it works perfectly. No peril, the module from "Draw tite" is designed to allow tapping in with no additional draw on the cars lighting system.


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: (petermueller)*

My original supplier Robinsons of Norwich (UK) has now, some 15 months after delivery, completed my tow bar installation to as near as possible the factory fit specification. It has taken quite a lot of work, not helped by the fact that VW UK could not, or did not, offer them much support.
I hoped this would be a factory fit when ordering the car new with tow bar but found it fitted at Robinsons with the PDI. I later checked with the factory and they confirmed that Robinsons could not have ordered the car with a factory fit tow bar, so it had to be retrofitted.
I would say that Robinsons (contact James Bealey 0044 1603 612111) are the UK’s leading experts now on fitting tow hitches to Phaeton and I would recommend them to anyone for this task. The head mechanic Richard Browse also has earned my considerable respect.
There have been three areas on the tow bar that I have had to deal with since the car was supplied new with it.
Firstly, the fixings were not rust treated and after picking this up from a Michael Moore posting, Robinsons dealt with this for me all as covered earlier in this posting.
Secondly, Michael at our April GTG pointed out that I appeared to have no J345 Control Module for Towing Sensor as it did not appear on the VAG-COM scan. So the car went back to Robinsons for investigation. The controller was found to be installed (however its bracket was missing and this was ordered and fitted) and the VW fitting instructions checked and found to confirm that a retrofit controller is not plugged into the Canbus so does not appear on the scan, but still works in every other way including advising of lamp failure and fog light adjustment. 
Thirdly I found on the Westfalia website http://www.westfalia-automotive.de/e_frameset.htm a list of the parts required to retrofit a tow bar which included a cradle to carry the tow bar at all times above the RH battery. This has been retrofitted and here are some photo’s.


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## rrussell (Sep 9, 2003)

*Re: (PeterMills)*

Can you use the Phaeton Trailer Hitch to install a Bike Carrier? I would be interested in this.


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: (rrussell)*

you can put a standard 2 bike carrier on a Phaeton hitch, yes, or more economically you can buy the Phaeton roof bars (only the bars I would suggest) from your local VW garage and then get a Thule bike carrier, which will fit (as the Phaeton roof bars are Thule), see for all the roof bar accessories:
http://www.thule.com
PETER M


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## car_guy (Aug 19, 2005)

*Re: (PeterMills)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PeterMills* »_you can put a standard 2 bike carrier on a Phaeton hitch, yes, or more economically you can buy the Phaeton roof bars (only the bars I would suggest) from your local VW garage and then get a Thule bike carrier, which will fit (as the Phaeton roof bars are Thule), see for all the roof bar accessories:
http://www.thule.com
PETER M


Just a reminder that you can put a roof rack on the short wheel base Phaetons only. There are no mounting points on the LWB and I don't believe you can fit one without drilling holes in the roof.
Steven


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (car_guy)*

And, lastly, a reminder that you should not fit a trailer hitch to a North American W12 Phaeton, because the NAR spec W12s don't have enough extra braking capacity to cope with the added weight of the trailer. The NAR W12s have smaller front brakes because they are limited to 130 MPH. This saves us all a heck of a lot of money when it comes time to overhaul the brakes, but it means that you can't load the car up beyond the GVWR that is printed on the door sticker (driver door A pillar).
The photos in this thread that show W12 Phaetons with trailer hitches are photos taken of European W12s, which have the big 8 piston Brembo brakes up front.
Michael


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## OEMplus.com (May 27, 2003)

*Re: (PanEuropean)*

For NAR W12 owners, I'm happy to include (at a slight premium) the Brembo 8-piston front brake conversion with our hitches.


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: (car_guy)*

Sorry and thanks Car_Guy for correcting that Roof Bars only fit on SWB cars.
To confuse matters further, the new August 2007 GB VW Phaeton price list (on the VW UK website) states, in error I assume, that the roof bars only fit on the new LWB 3.0TDI.
PETER M


_Modified by PeterMills at 3:07 AM 10-9-2007_


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: (PeterMills)*

Michael - if you have time to do these pictures ........
Best wishes Peter M


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (PeterMills)*

Hi Peter: 
Photos re-hosted, sorry for the delay.
Michael


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## tynee (Dec 19, 2007)

*Re: (PeterMills)*

How could you fit a two bike carrier into this hitch assembly if bike carriers traditionally have an arm that slides into the square hole of typical trailer hitches? Unless there is another part out there someone knows of?


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## PeterMills (Sep 1, 2006)

*Re: (tynee)*

The bike carrier (two bikes) I used to have relied simply on a friction grab to the tow bar ball itself.
PETER M


_Modified by PeterMills at 7:21 AM 4-5-2008_


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## dennissura (Mar 20, 2008)

*Re: U-Haul Guinea Pig - Get yourself a free hitch (StuHaul)*

Don't know if you have anyone who volunteered yet. I live in Detroit Metro and would be willing to let U Haul have my car for a day inorder to get the hitch. I would work with my VW dealer on the electrical. I was going to sell my Phaeton but decided to keep it and move it our West to our home in LV and let it haul my camper.


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## dennissura (Mar 20, 2008)

*Re: (Phaeton Guy)*

Did you ever install the trailer hitch on your Phaeton? I am interested in doing the same and would like to know what load limits are in place. Thinking of hauling a pop up tailer. I live in Detroit Metro.


----------



## KCPhaetonTech (Aug 17, 2008)

*Re: (dennissura)*

Any excuse to use the Phaeton:












_Modified by KCPhaetonTech at 11:58 AM 9-26-2009_


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: (dennissura)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dennissura* »_Did you ever install the trailer hitch on your Phaeton? I am interested in doing the same and would like to know what load limits are in place. Thinking of hauling a pop up tailer. 

Hi Dennis:
The load limits for towing with the V8 powered Phaeton are listed in the technical specifications section of the owner manual.
The North American W12 Phaetons are not approved for trailer towing because they don't have sufficient brake Ke reserve to cope with the weight of a trailer. NAR W12s are fitted with smaller brake assemblies than the European W12s (this makes sense for owners, because the NAR vehicles are limited to lower top speeds), and one consequence of this is that there is not enough Ke reserve to cope with a trailer.
Having said that - if someone wanted to tow a *light *trailer (e.g. a little platform for carrying garden supplies, etc.) around in the *city*, I think they could probably get away with it. But, it would be unwise and unsafe to attempt to tow a medium or heavy trailer at highway speeds with a NAR W12.
Rich at OEM Plus carries the original Phaeton trailer hitch kit (the authentic VW parts shown in the earlier photos in this thread). Click here to go directly to the Phaeton hitch page.
Michael


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## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

*After factory Hitch (Towbar) installation in UK 3.0tdi*

Just wondering if anyone got around to fitting a hitch to a UK phaeton. Leaving aside bumper removal, which requires the batteries to be removed, it should not be a huge task 

I need to get back sailing and need to get moving fast to get anything done this year!

All advice & input welcome. 
http://www.towbarsdirect.co.uk/
Base hitch as factory fitted is about £250 + bumper trim + electrics.

Thanks
Hugh
Dublin


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## phaetonenvy (Jun 2, 2006)

Not to threadjack - but I'd be interested in speaking with anyone who installed this stateside.

More importantly, anyone who found an alternative that was less than the oemplus price.

is towbarsdirect a suitable alternative?

I'd really like to use the phaeton for an external bike rack and towing as well.

thanks!


----------



## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

*Installation of hitch on Phaeton: practical advice*

I finally got around on Saturday in fitting the Westfalia hitch to MY 2008 diesel Phaeton. 
Many thanks to all the comments & assistance assembled in this thread; it make it much more straightforward task.
While it’s fresh in my mind I will make a few quick points. I will not attempt to duplicate the instructions for removing the rear bumper or other installation instructions, only to point out a few less obvious issues.
1.	As per the earlier images, I used the Westfaila component as used in the factory. Cost approximately £290 including a relay based light connector for can-bus based system. I did not bother with the factory lighting component as my trailer use will be modest and the relay system apparently works fine with the phaeton. However this is not yet connected internally.
2.	There is no need to jack up the car or remove the wheels. Provided you have a suitable stubby torx driver you can remove all the necessary wheel liner fasteners (~5) without wheel removal.
3.	There is no need to remove the batteries or boot lining.
4.	Remove the Fuse board. READ THE FAQ on how to do this. It is not intuitive. 
5.	Remove the DVD changer if you have the multimedia system.
6.	Remove the rear light clusters (4 black torx fittings each side)
7.	Reach up underneath the bumper and separate the proximity sensor electrical connectors (2), if you can. Otherwise you will have to separate after all the bolts are undone.
8.	Follow the instructions posted in the FAQ to remove the rear bumper. I was working single handed, so if you can get assistance it’s much easier. There is nothing particularly difficult, but the torx fittings in the boot (trunk) compartment are a little tricky to access. I did not remove either batteries and did not feel it would have been any significant benefit.
9.	Detach the electrical connector if not done already.
10.	Remove & discard the old bumper bar
11.	The exhaust system must be lowered on each side. I was concerned here as I felt it must be supported and I arranged ad-hoc support (upturned plastic containers!) but in the event the exhaust is very rigid: it drops only by about 40mm.
12.	Remove one of the supporting fasteners form the heat shield and bend it slightly to get access to the fixing positions: remove the covering to expose the holes.
13.	Install the hitch.
14.	Install the fixing bolts. NOTE. The access is such that it’s easy to cross thread the bolts as I did with one, and wasted 20 minutes solving that basic mistake 
15.	Apply some anti-corrosion coating to the bolts. I feel this is mostly theoretical as even though my car has 60K miles, this area was still clean. My local garage did not have the wax coating, so I got an under body coating from a local accessory shop and it gave a good plastic finish to this area.
16.	I got the new lower trim for the bumper (V3D5807434HV7S) UK£ 107; detach the old one and install the new one to the bumper. However if you want to save a few $$ you could easily trim away the same sized opening and apply an edging strip on the raw edge. The extra cut out is invisible from a normal viewing position. If you use the new trim, make sure EVERY connector is snapped home when joining with the bumper.
17.	If you have not done so, install the light fitting connector and thread through into truck compartment.
18.	Refasten heat shield and exhaust
19.	Reinstall the bumper.
20.	Reconnect the electrical connector for the sensors
21.	Reinstall the rear light cluster, fuse box, etc.


Total time was about 5 hours, but this was totally single handed and making a few mistakes. If there was assistance and with more experience than I have, this could be done in maybe 3 hours.


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## phaetonenvy (Jun 2, 2006)

Thanks for the update.

I am now convinced that I need a towbar.

I can't wait to see some pics.


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## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

I took a few pics, but nothing that adds anything to the images earlier in this thread. Overall this is not a difficult task for someone with some time, tools and the general practical capabilities required to do see it through.
Hugh


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## phaetonenvy (Jun 2, 2006)

Thanks again!

I was hoping for pics of the sailboat in tow.

I recall an image that VW was circulating of the phaeton towing a very large sailboat as part of a demonstration. I haven't been able to find the image...but it was very impressive.


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## Faszination (Aug 18, 2007)

Hugh,

Can you elaborate on how you did the electrics for the tow bar? Did you source the components from VW or independently? Did the system need re coding or did it work when the components were plugged in?

Cheers

Ian


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## plastech (May 3, 2006)

phaetonenvy said:


> Thanks again!
> 
> I was hoping for pics of the sailboat in tow.
> 
> I recall an image that VW was circulating of the phaeton towing a very large sailboat as part of a demonstration. I haven't been able to find the image...but it was very impressive.


I like this one


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## Zaphh (Jul 5, 2008)

I like the effort the owner put in using the same wheels for the trailer.

The boat matches the car very well too.

Too bad the car moved out of the photo when the guy pressed on the button ! :laugh:

P.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Zaphh said:


> I like the effort *the owner* put in using the same wheels for the trailer.


In the case of the photo above, the 'owner' is the Gläsern Manufaktur in Dresden. Both the vehicle and the trailer (and boat) are part of the fleet cars there. The photo was taken about 2006 or so, I don't know if they still own the assembly or not.

On the topic of trailer hitches, just a word in the ear of the North American Region (NAR) W12 owners: Because the North American W12 vehicles are fitted with the smaller front brake assemblies that are used on the ROW (Rest of World) V8 vehicles, the NAR W12s are not approved for trailer towing. This is because there is not sufficient braking power reserve to cope with the added weight of a trailer. I suppose that if someone wanted to hook up a small garden trailer and tow a 300 pound load from the local nursery to their home at 30 MPH, there might not be too much risk, but attempting to tow something like the boat shown in the picture above would be very dangerous in a NAR W12. The car would have more than enough power to accelerate to highway speeds, but not enough braking capability to slow down.

Michael


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## W12mike (Apr 13, 2005)

> The car would have more than enough power to accelerate to highway speeds, but not enough braking capability to slow down.


I dont dispute the facts regarding the weights for the NA W12, but the reason is different i belive.

First, all trailers have brakes that take care of the trailers own weight, so it doesent matter if the car has the 3,0 Tdi or EU w12 brakes. Trailer still brakes itself.

The real reason I belive, is the very different aproach to trailer towing in EU VS NA:

In Europe the weight resting on the thow hitch is relativly low.
An example is my former caravan, its max weight was 2600 kg, tounge weight was 110 kg.
I towed this caravan some 4000 km with my Phaeton, exelent road manners.

A similar caravan in NA has a toung weight of 300-400 kg, only a heavy pick up can tow it due to the high hitch weigt. In NA there would also be an anti sway brake fitted, newer ever used in EU.

All this makes it almost impossible to alow a passenger car to tow the full EU aproved weight in NA.
The car would colapse under the NA toung weight!

Look at this typical NA TT, it has the wheels a long way back putting a lot of weight on the tow bar.
In this case 659 Lbs.









This is the kin of TT i had, a typical European TT.
Look how centered the wheels are.


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## Zaphh (Jul 5, 2008)

W12mike said:


> I dont dispute the facts regarding the weights for the NA W12, but the reason is different i belive.


There is another reason for your reason to be wrong, Michael: If a V8 can tow a trailer, then this means that V8 brakes can brake the car + trailer.

Now, there would be a difference between a W12 and a V8 if you were driving with the trailer at speeds that the W12 could attain that the V8 could not. But with a trailer, you probably have a maximum speed that will be the same for a V8 and a W12. So if both the V8 or the W12 run at identical speeds, it is only the difference of weight between the two cars that would be the difference.

Could this be the reason why W12 cannot tow trailers ?

P.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Hi Pierre:

Yes, the difference in vehicle weight (between the V8 and the W12) is exactly the reason why the NAR W12 is not approved for trailer towing. The two vehicles share the same brakes, and the top speed is limited to 210 km/h for both (which both vehicles can easily achieve).

Trailer tongue weight is not an issue at all - that acts in a vertical direction. The brake energy requirements imposed when slowing down with the trailer attached (when the mass of the trailer exerts a forward force against the Phaeton, and all sorts of force vectors arise as a result of that) is the cause of the restriction. 

The owner manual for the NAR W12 is very explicit about this - "Trailer towing is not approved."

Michael


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## W12mike (Apr 13, 2005)

> The owner manual for the NAR W12 is very explicit about this - "Trailer towing is not approved."


Exactly, I have never doubted that fact.

On the tounge weigt, you Michael are wrong, it is a serius issue.
The owner manual for the EU Phaeton is very explicit about this - "max tounge weigt is 100 Kg."

Its not OK to load the tow hitch with 2 or 3 times the max weigt alowed.
This limit is set by VW, not the manufacturer of the tow bar. 

In EU the max alowed tow weigt is 2500 Kg for the 3,0 Tdi, I seem to remember that the W12 has a 2400 Kg rating. All with max 100 Kg toune weigt.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

W12mike said:


> On the tongue weight, you Michael are wrong, it is a serious issue.
> The owner manual for the EU Phaeton is very explicit about this - "max tongue weight is 100 Kg.".


Hi Mike:

I am sure we both agree on this, the problem is that I did not express myself well in my earlier post. I was attempting to explain that the most serious of the possible problems was the requirement to decelerate the mass of both the vehicle and the trailer - in other words, dealing with the consequences of force acting in a horizontal (forward) direction.

I did not mean to suggest that it is acceptable to exceed the maximum tongue weight. My concern was that an owner may (for example) exceed the tongue weight by 100% (e.g. from 100 kg to 200 kg), then look at the vehicle and think "It appears - visually - to be OK", and not consider that when the vehicle is sitting still, there is no indication of the potential problem that will be presented when the driver attempts to decelerate the vehicle. During deceleration, the entire mass of the trailer will act against the vehicle, and the braking system will not be able to cope with the demand to decelerate that additional mass.

Michael


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## Zaphh (Jul 5, 2008)

There is still something unclear, as trailer (above a certain mass) have their own brake system... The trailer is not braked by the car. The trailer brakes are operated by the tongue. When the car brakes, the trailer will push on the tongue. This will actuate the brakes of the trailer (this must be quite well tuned so as to avoid jolts)...

So in a sense, since the trailer has its own brakes, braking the trailer should not be an issue...

P.


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## WillemBal (Nov 20, 2010)

Zaphh said:


> When the car brakes, the trailer will push on the tongue. This will actuate the brakes of the trailer (this must be quite well tuned so as to avoid jolts)...


That will create a force in the direction of the driving direction of the car, in other words, a force acting in the longitudinal direction. When the brakes are properly tuned and are functioning normally, then this force would be the same, almost regardless of the weight of the trailer.

But the problem is that the trailer brakes will create a rotational acting force as well. The trailer tends to dive forward, just like any vehicle will do when brakes are applied. So that force will result in an additional vertical force on the tongue. And the amount of this vertical force will be linearly proportional with the weight of the trailer - among others.
So I guess that makes the handling of the car, towing a heavy weight trailer, a lot different during braking.

Willem


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## Faszination (Aug 18, 2007)

Can anyone advise how difficult the electrics are to connect assuming you get all the VW components? Having looked at the various comments and diagrams further up this post it all seems fairly plug and play but I am not clear on exactly where the J345 controller plugs on to the bus and whether the car needs recoding once connected for it to be recognised.

Any advice greatfully received.

Cheers

Ian


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## Irish Phaeton (Sep 6, 2010)

1.	I used the non-VW electronics. This is basically a generic relay based system for can-bus systems. Retail about $25 for an electrical block about 10cmx4cmx1cm. 
It works flawlessly, but of course I get false beeps on reversing sensor (which would be disabled by VW module) but no error in the Phaeton systems. In an earlier post a fellow poster has listed the colour codes for the connections at the rear lights, and I can confirm these are fully accurate for a MY 2008 European diesel.
Usefully the generic relay box has 2 useful features
1) It beeps when turn indicators are used, and a load is detected. This is just about audible in the car and confirm that the trailer rear turn indicators are connected and functioning.
2) By a series of button clicks a trailer fog light can be "latched" on even though the rear car fog light is turned off

While I am sure the VW solution would ultimately be better, I do very little towing and so it's fine for me. However having the tow option removed the need to change cars for something more utilitarian.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Faszination said:


> Can anyone advise how difficult the electrics are to connect assuming you get all the VW components? Having looked at the various comments and diagrams further up this post it all seems fairly plug and play but I am not clear on exactly where the J345 controller plugs on to the bus and whether the car needs recoding once connected for it to be recognised.
> 
> Any advice greatfully received.


Ian:

I have several wiring diagrams that I think will provide you with the information you need to answer your questions, but they are too big to attach here in the forum.

Please send me a PM (Private Message) that contains your email and I will send them directly to you. Total size of the diagrams (PDF files) is about 6 megs.

Michael


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## dythama (Oct 15, 2006)

*Phaeton GP2 2009 Onwards - IMPORTANT INFORMATION*

Hi guys,
Thought you maybe interested to learn as I have the (the hard way in my case) that Volkswagens parts catalogue only lists the tow kit listed in this thread (3D0 055 204) as suitable for ALL Phaetons 2003 onwards.

*THE CATALOGUE IS INCORRECT AND THIS KIT ONLY SUITS GP1 PHAETON UPTO 2008.*

*VOLKSWAGEN DO NOT CURRENTLY OFFER ANY SOLUTION TO RETRO-FIT TOWING ELECTRICS TO GP2 AND GP3 PHAETON POST 2008*


After much discussion with VW UK, Dresden Factory and my retailer, the concensus agreed by VW UK and VW UK Technical is that a tow hitch cannot be retrofitted to GP2 and GP3 Phaeton as there is no retro-fit kit availiable.

The reason for the incompatibility is due to change in CAN bus operation. The later CAN works so I believe at a higher frequency. The symptoms following install of kit 3D0 055 204 are as follows:

1) Trailer ligh function is normal
2) Park assist is not disabled whilst trailer connected and reverse selected
3) Faults logged on Cluster due to implausible comms to trailer module
4) Trailer mode not enabled to ABS, ESP etc when trailer connected
5) Lane assist not disabled during towing

The solution adopted by myself and the retailer was to retrofit the module installed at factory which is also shared with certain Touareg models. This module fits to the same install bracket mentioned elsewhere in this thread and is 7L0 907 383N

This required the existing plugs for the original device 8E0 907 383C to be cut off and connected to new wires and inserted into two different plug shells. Additionally it was also neccesary to run a additional fuse to Fuse location SC28 (15A)

Coding of the module was straight forward and correct functionallity not afforded by 8E0 907 383C has now been overcome. Additionally unlike pre 2008 Phaetons, GP2 Phaeton do not have trailer indicator active warning on the cluster. Instead all trailer functions that are defective are detailed by explicit warning messages on the dash insert display!!

Connections for changing from the supplied module to the OEM post 2009 module are detailed below:

Phaeton Connection Conversion
T6 = Kit supplied 6 way connector
T14 = Kit supplied 14 way connector
T13 = Kit supplied 13 way trailer external connector

T12 and T16 are the new connectors used to plug into new updated module.

Device 8E0 907 383C (up to 11/08) Teminates Device 7L0 907 383N

T6h/1 Red 2.5 Fuse SC13	30A	T12af/12
T6h/2 Brown 2.5 T12af/10
T6h/3 Orange/Green (Can H) 0.35 T12af/7
T6h/4 Orange/Brown (Can L) 0.35 T12af/8
T6h/5 Black/Blue 0.5 Fuse SC20	5A	T12af/2
T6h/6 Red/Yellow 0.75 T13/6 T16o/13


T14c/1 Grey/Black 0.75 T13/7 T16o/10
T14c/2 Black/White 0.75 T13/1 T16o/7
T14c/3 Grey/Red 0.75 T13/5 T16o/4
T14c/4 Black/Green 0.75 T13/4 T16o/5
T14c/5 Grey/White 0.75 T13/2 T16o/2
T14c/6 - - -
T14c/7 Blue/Red 0.75 T13/8 T16o/3
T14c/8 Red/Black 0.5 - T12af/3


T13/9 Red/Green 2.5 Fuse SC9	30A	-
Red/Green 2.5 Fuse SC9	30A	T12af/11
Red/Green 2.5 T13/9 T16o/16

New Wire	1.5 Fuse SC28	15A	T12af/9


Part numbers required to convert kit 3D0 055 204 to suit GP2 and GP3 Phaeton 2009 onwards:
New module 7L0 907 383N
Plug shell 6Q0 937 713
Plug shell 6Q0 972 883B
OEM wires with fitted terminals for above plug shells:
000 979 019EA
000 979 021EA
000 979 038EA
000 979 225EA
000 979 131EA
000 979 133EA
000 979 982A


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## Zaphh (Jul 5, 2008)

Thanks for this very helpful mail.

P.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Photos re-hosted.

Michael


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## phaetonenvy (Jun 2, 2006)

Thanks for all of your contributions.

I performed this install without much trouble (save the cuts on my knuckles due to threading those bolts with the heat shield bent back just enough for my hand to fit).

I should also send out a special "Thank you," to Stu for helping me to source and ship a towbar from the UK.

I can't wait to use my phaeton as a tow vehicle.

Thanks again!!!

Joe


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## EnglishPhaeton (Dec 6, 2010)

phaetonenvy said:


> Thanks for all of your contributions.
> 
> I performed this install without much trouble (save the cuts on my knuckles due to threading those bolts with the heat shield bent back just enough for my hand to fit).
> 
> ...


Glad to hear it fitted okay!! Good also to see you back!

Stu


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## alex_at (Aug 13, 2011)

Hi,

I got the Westfalia Trailer Hitch installed to my MY06 3.0 TDI. If you take a look at the pictures on page 1, you will see that the electrical connector is straigt, not an L-shape pointing to the ground. 

Now, with the rear bumper in place, how exactly am I supposed to connect the trailer cable? There is litterally 2 cm of space between the cutout for the original cover and the connector plug box?


edit: I should read the text more carefully, I missed the part saying: "the connector swivels down"


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## invi_pl (Jan 13, 2015)

*Wiring pinouts?*

I just bought used trailer hitch kit.

In mechanical way i can make it, but i have no description of cables (cuted)

I have:

3 brown cables (guesing it is ground?)
1 red/green
1 red/black
1 red
1 blue/black 
1 twisted pair (orange - i gues can?)

My module is 8E0 907 383

Anybody have manual how to connect it?


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## Gabs08PHTN (Jan 6, 2011)

Wojtek,
I have the complete Westfalia installation procedure, including wiring connections, in PDF format.
If you send me a private message with your email, I will send it to you.

Gabriel


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## coreytrevor (Nov 27, 2011)

phaetonenvy said:


> Not to threadjack - but I'd be interested in speaking with anyone who installed this stateside.
> 
> More importantly, anyone who found an alternative that was less than the oemplus price.
> 
> ...




Has anyone installed one stateside other than Phaetonenvy? 

Perhaps one such as this? https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/volkswagen/phaeton/saloon/23/-all-variants-6657


I'm not super concerned about breaking, ball diameter or trailer weight. It is more about whether or not it will fit onto a northamerican Pheaton with a V8. 

The discussion about wiring for the hitch/towbar has me pretty confused. I'm guessing that I cannot just splice a cheap lighting kit into my brake lights and turn signal wires, like I did with my Volvo 240. Class III hitch and overload springs in the back of my 240 work great but my god is it slow when towing even after I put a larger cam/exhaust into it...:laugh:



Thanks very much! All thoughts are appreciated.


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## jkuisma (Nov 23, 2009)

> Has anyone installed one stateside other than Phaetonenvy?


I am in Europe but do know by experience that it WILL fit. All Phaetons have the necessary mounting space and even the holes are pre-drilled. I have installed the hitch on my 2011 long wheelbase car, which was not possible to order with the hitch from the factory but the install was no problem.



> Perhaps one such as this? https://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/tow...-variants-6657


In your link, it is a Westfalia hitch. It is the original make and model used by VW. It will fit. And it is of a very good quality. I would not attempt to install any other make or model.



> I'm not super concerned about breaking, ball diameter or trailer weight. It is more about whether or not it will fit onto a northamerican Pheaton with a V8.


This only applies to Europe, but folks over here need to take into account that the current EU regulations mandate certification of the hitch for the particular vehicle. It should not be possible to pass annual inspection with a hitch not approved for the vehicle. In reality, no-one cares, but just so you know. I do not know about US regulations so will keep quiet.



> The discussion about wiring for the hitch/towbar has me pretty confused. I'm guessing that I cannot just splice a cheap lighting kit into my brake lights and turn signal wires, like I did with my Volvo 240.


To get the hitch installed, you will need to buy a model-specific (Westfalia) electric kit. It costs almost the same as the hitch (well not quite) and it comes with all necessary connectors, wiring and a control unit (with original VW part number stamped on it). Nothing is spliced into the existing rear light wires. The new control unit is connected to CAN BUS and fuse box and it provides all necessary signals to the hitch socket. There are aftermarket "generic" wiring kits but I would NOT touch them. Phaeton has sophisticated, bus-controlled and low-current LED rear lights so aftermarket kits will not work and will cause bulb fault messages.

The physical install of the electric kit is fairly simple. But you will need to have the vehicle re-coded for the trailer hitch. On older cars (pre 2008 or so, meaning the cars do not have lane change assist and other later driver support systems) it is pretty simple and can be done with VCDS. On later Phaetons, it is not that simple. I tried to accomplish the coding myself but in the end had to take the car in for dealer. It was only one hour's job, not too expensive. The problem is, the adaptation is done by using a "guided process" available only on dealer-VAS computer, not in VCDS tool which I have. Even the dealer needed to consult the factory to complete the coding (I understood there was an issue with lane change assist). So I felt the price i paid was justified.

To make a "factory original" install you should also replace the lower bumper valance with a model with a cutout. I think this is completely unnecessary. The bumper valance is not that expensive, but in later cars should be painted to body color, which adds to the cost. It is simple to modify the existing bumper, i.e. to cut the opening. I did purchase the cover lid, which is cheap. But in practice its is quite useless as it is nearly impossible to see if it is installed or not.

Quite a bit of disassembly and tinkering is needed to complete the install but it is a rewarding weekend project! 

Jouko


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## JAFFAGUY (Sep 17, 2020)

PanEuropean said:


> *Re: Phaeton Hitch (vald2306)*
> 
> Hi David:
> Welcome to our forum.
> ...


Just like to say a huge thank you for the immense knowledge demonstrated on this forum. I live in the UK and have just fitted a Westfalia towbar to my car. Very straightforward due to the wonderful diagrams and photos posted here. Whole job took about 3 hours to do. Would have been very difficult without this forum. Also created a 7 pin wiring module simply using a relay for each circuit (fused). Looks complicated but is very simple in principle and very easy to swap out a relay if one stops working. No bulb error messages at all as the current required to trigger the relay is tiny. No VW dealer I could find had any knowledge of how to fit the VW towing wiring system, which is why I made my own instead. Thanks again everyone. Allan


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## Raven23c (Apr 8, 2016)

Hi Allan, A point that I picked up from reading the service manual: 
*Other additional work based on time or distance.* 
Renew Gearbox mounting. 
Applicable for vehicles with towing bracket only. 
Every 150,000 km


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