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Trailer hitch?

bentin

Autocross Champion
It does... looks the same as the MK7.5... I'm pretty sure the bolt patterns havent changed.
Yeah, it’s the same chassis, the only difference is a minor change in rear bumper skin shape, so for removable receivers, you need a slightly different shape for the GTI, doesn’t seem to be an issue for the R, the old geometry won’t hit anything by, it just doesn’t clear the cutout in the bottom of the GTI lower valence.
 

TexasChris

New member
Where are you in Texas? I'm in Austin, picked up my R in Ft Worth yesterday and brought it home today. I'm still on the fence about ordering the hitch, it absolutely has to have the bumper removed, but that's really not a big deal. The issue for the R is cutting a hole in the diffuser for the receiver to be accessible. So far, it's looking like I get to be the guinea pig. Good news is that a replacement is under $200, so even if I truly fubar it, it's not that bad to replace it.

I have a Sea Sucker that I'm comfortable with, but it sure is easier to use the 1Up if I can get it to work on the R.

So... any updates on the hitch install? Like to know how the install went.
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
So... any updates on the hitch install? Like to know how the install went.
Haven't ordered one yet, ice storm has me on the road bike only, and that easily fits in the car, if I need it to. I'm still torn between just using my SeaSucker for the mtb. I guess I should at least make sure the bike fits up there first.
 

Alarmed_Win

New member
Has anyone found a trailer hitch for the Mk8 yet? I need one for my bike rack.
2nd'ing this, just got my MK8R, LOVE IT, just need a hitch now for my bikes! I had a 4 carrier bike rack permanently mounted to an ecohitch on my STI(RIP) and that worked out great, looking to do something similar.
 

walker

Go Kart Newbie
coincidentally, I came here to ask about hitch options, and this thread was right on top! Bookmarking for future reference.
 

LapizBlue

New member
Any update on this? Been looking for a hitch that will fit my mk8 R. The only one I've seen mounted successfully was the Draw-Tite 24925. Unfortunately it looks like the supports that attach to the bottom of the frame interfere with the exhaust valve actuators. You either need to lower the exhaust 1 inch or buy aftermarket. I'd rather not do wither.
 

mbusa

New member
I have installed the cross-member for the Torklift hitch and it required no modification to the exhaust. The instructions are good and there is very little difference between the R and the GTI. I think there was just one extra clip on the passenger side.

I have yet to cut the hole for the receiver to slide into, but it should not interfere with either. The junction for the receiver does not fit tightly against the inside of the diffuser so linking up the cut isn’t super straightforward. I’ll post pictures once I can finally get it back up on jacks and make the cut.
 

aweheba

New member
Hey, I reached out to torklift central about a golf R hitch install, and they sent this if anyone is interested(in WA):

Thanks for considering us for your fitment needs. Unfortunately, we don't think the parts you're looking for will be a carry-over fitment. But don't worry, we have a sweet program that might be able to help you out.

Basically, we recommend that you reach out on social media or forums to find someone with the same type of vehicle as you who lives closer to our location in Kent, WA. If you can refer someone to us and they allow us to borrow their vehicle for up to five business days for the build, you and the person you referred will both get the parts for free!
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Someone on Vortex has offered their car. I’ve been fine with my SeaSucker, but it would be nice to be able to use my 1Up.
 

mbusa

New member
All right, I finally got around to cutting the hole in the diffuser today. It was nerve racking and ended up needing to be bigger than I originally hoped. This is for the torklift 2” hitch that has the removable receiver (the only one spec’d for the MK8 GTI). To be clear this is now installed on a MK8 Golf R.

I’m going to skip over the installing of the cross bar as that is pretty straightforward but you do have to remove the rear lights, bumper, and disconnect the ultrasound sensors. It’s all easy enough to do at home if you jack the rear end of the car up and pop the wheels off.

For installing the receiver you will need to cut a hole in the diffuser. The receiver (pictured) fits into the cross bar and is bolted in with a giant 4” bolt. You need to cut a hole in the diffuser to slide this up into the cross member. I started by using a bunch of masking tape and some magnets to help locate the approximate center of the socket on the cross member. I then used a combination of a dremel too with a cutting wheel and a rotozip to start to cut the opening for the receiver. Long story short after a ton of trial fittings and - what felt like - a million small cuts. I had the receiver bolted in.

The whole thing looked a little rough and I wanted to clean it up - this is a brand new car, after all. So I got some edge trim to put around the cut. I found that by so carefully tracing the outline of the receiver I couldn’t get the edge trim to conform to the many (many) bends. I made the decision to just make the hole a larger rounded square so the edge trim fit. As you can see it looks pretty good. I couldn’t think of anything better. Even cleaning up the cuts with a soldering iron didn’t look that great enough.

I installed my 1up bike rack and all seems good. This 2-piece hitch doesn’t seem as wiggle free as the hidden hitch I had on my mk7 gti and have on our mk7 tdi sportwagen, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.

The 2nd part of this install isn’t for the faint of heart. I’m not a car mechanic, but I do have good mechanical skills and do some woodworking so I’m comfortable and familiar with cutting tools and making precision cuts. That being said with the edge trim I think you could do a pretty hack job and still have it come out looking pretty good. Just take it slow and don’t reattach the two retaining clips that hold the center of the diffuser in until you have the receiver all torqued up - the 100Nm spec on the bolt is a lot the get done with a 15/16” socket in a cramped space.

I know I had a lot of questions about the fitment of this hitch so I hope this helps others who are in that situation.

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walker

Go Kart Newbie
Great work mbusa! That looks fantastic, the trim is a nice touch. So where are you located and how much would you charge a fellow forum member for install ?! Only half joking. If/when I move to a MK8 gti I need a hitch. I've got woodworking skills, but no car wrenching knowledge at all.
 
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