JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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Boomerweps wrote:neu wrote:Reisender wrote:Hi Neu. I am not a fan of packing heavy objects at the rear of the trailer to offset hitch weight. Instead just consider getting them over or slightly behind the axle. Packing heavy items at the very rear of the trailer can introduce a pendulum effect which can cause a sway situation.
Check your manual to see if Audi has a maximum height on how much the ball can be above the mount. I know some manufacturers do including tesla.
Even swapping out the lead acid 12 volt for a lithium battery can help the situation.
Is your Audi a Plug in hybrid or full electric?
Happy camping Neu.
Thank you for the tip! And if I place a heavy object in the back of the trailer to reduce the tongue weight to an acceptable level, is that a good idea or still a bad one?
I have a gasoline engine, not a hybrid, 2.0T with 252 hp and 370Nm of torque in stock.
Thanks for the tip on the lithium battery. My battery is actually on its last legs, so I have more than one reason to consider replacing it with a lithium one.
I don't have the user manual at hand, but I have a photo of the sticker on the hitch itself. It seems that the maximum height is 6 1/4. However, I'm not sure what they meant by 1/2. The diagram is confusing to me. Could you help clarify?
UPD: Aaah, now I understand. The maximum lifting height here is 1/2 inch. What am I supposed to do now? Can I drive with the trailer lowered down?
As far as I understand, with a single-axle trailer, I can tow it with the tongue tilted forward. I just need to remember about the tongue weight and the clearance.
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/jjWv1gPf/image.png)
Whoever approved that hitch sticker needs fired. WDH only limits!
And that diagram of where the ball should be is nuts. Most hitch rise measurements are listed by its base, so 1/2” in this case. Only time I’ve seen the top of the ball used for measuring is in a WDH set up manual. And unless you buy an oddball (pun intended) tow ball with an extended base, no regular tow ball is 5 & 3/4” tall, most are 3-4” tops.
First off, I totally agree; this sticker has issues; it clearly states the "hitch" is only rated for carrying 441# in weight-distributing mode. This needs further clarification by the manufacturer. It may be the car frame cannot handle a weight-carrying setup. We do not know the weakest link in this car setup.
Now to the dimension specs listed, this car receiver hitch is custom-made for this vehicle by the manufactures specs to work both with the car frame and the physical receiver hitch. If you look closely, there are 2 specs shown.
1. The bottom of the tow ball mounting surface is to be no more than 1/2" above the top of the inside of the 2" square receiver tube.
2. The center of the tow ball is to be no more than 6 1/4" behind the centerline of the 5/8" ball mount locking pin.
Both specs refer to the leverage a 441" tongue weight rating can create in torsion within the receiver and car frame system. In technical terms, they limit the amount of moment arm the trailer hitch ball mount or trailer hitch WE shank and head length is used for max. weight rating.
Those dimension ratings can be worse than weight distribution or weight-carrying ratings in Neu's quest to level out his camper. He is trying to use a high-rise drawbar and needs an even higher one to level out the camper. Both can be over the ratings of that receiver, or car frame, with or without a WD hitch on a 441# trailer loaded tongue weight.
Neu, I suggest getting it in writing from Audi what those numbers mean for your VIN number vehicle for both the weight disturbing and weight carrying ability along with the max. tow ball rise height and length from the receiver pin hole can be. And please report back any findings. I have seen receiver ratings before on total ball rise, just not as spelled out as yours are.
Hope this helps
John
EDIT: 5/7/23 Corrected spec # 2 above to reflect the rear overhang of the tow ball.
* This post was
edited 05/07/23 01:00pm by JBarca *
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
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Durb
NW
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You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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JBarca wrote: 2. The top of the tow ball is to be no more than 6 1/4" above the centerline of the 5/8" ball mount locking pin.
Minor Correction: The center of the ball can't be more than 6 1/4" behind the pin hole...NOT ABOVE.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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Durb wrote:You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
I believe this is a unibody vehicle...ie: there is no frame to weld to.
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Reisender
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valhalla360 wrote:Durb wrote:You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
I believe this is a unibody vehicle...ie: there is no frame to weld to.
He might be talking about the trailer side. Not sure.
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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valhalla360 wrote:JBarca wrote: 2. The top of the tow ball is to be no more than 6 1/4" above the centerline of the 5/8" ball mount locking pin.
Minor Correction: The center of the ball can't be more than 6 1/4" behind the pin hole...NOT ABOVE.
Thank You! for pointing this out. You are correct; I miss read the arrow point. I thought they might be thinking about a hi-rise tow ball. The centerline of the ball to the centerline of the pinhole is the rear overhang. The rear overhang limit fits better by limiting the torsion in the receiver.
I will now go and fix my response. Thanks again.
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neu
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I will go to the dealer tomorrow and ask about the table. To be honest, I got the impression that they don't know anything at all. I had to explain to them what a brake controller is, and they were surprised that I was the first one to order this option.
I came across a post about about an Audi Q5 owner who upgraded their stock hitch. They also use a weight distribution hitch, and after the modifications, they were able to tow 6,000 lbs with a tongue weight of around 1,000 lbs. I will attach photos of their modification.
What are your thoughts, guys, on this matter?
Here's what they wrote:
"Our hitch receiver is the Audi OE receiver with the integrated Audi 7 pin wiring. We also added a Redarc Tow Pro brake controller and had the factory hitch receiver reinforced considerably. Due to European regulations, the hitch receiver is not likely rated for Weight Distribution applications BUT with the additional reinforcing I am more than comfortable using this hitch receiver to tow my 28 foot AS trailer.
I use an EAZ-Lift WD Hitch with 1000Lb bars and 2 Husky Sway Control bars. Properly set up this system works great."
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/fTnhFJLb/image.png)
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/C1gjXGWN/image.png)
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/y6nFpSnm/image.png)
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/d30Tc4n8/image.png)
![[image]](https://i.postimg.cc/rw7bdHrw/image.png)
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Durb
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Reisender wrote:valhalla360 wrote:Durb wrote:You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
I believe this is a unibody vehicle...ie: there is no frame to weld to.
He might be talking about the trailer side. Not sure.
Yes, that is why I wrote to take the trailer in. Many trailers (generally heavier) have the front "A" section welded to the underside of the trailer's main frame. There are couplers on Amazon perfectly suited to be welded to the underside of your frame moving the hitch ball height down a number of inches. Problem solved; trailer tows level. Much simpler than trying to work on the SUV side of the equation.
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Reisender
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Durb wrote:Reisender wrote:valhalla360 wrote:Durb wrote:You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
I believe this is a unibody vehicle...ie: there is no frame to weld to.
He might be talking about the trailer side. Not sure. i
Yes, that is why I wrote to take the trailer in. Many trailers (generally heavier) have the front "A" section welded to the underside of the trailer's main frame. There are couplers on Amazon perfectly suited to be welded to the underside of your frame moving the hitch ball height down a number of inches. Problem solved; trailer tows level. Much simpler than trying to work on the SUV side of the equation.
Makes sense. Especially with these raised suspension “Boondock” packages you see nowadays with the big goofy off road tires. ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
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neu
Toronto
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Durb wrote:Reisender wrote:valhalla360 wrote:Durb wrote:You could take your trailer to a welder and have him remove the coupler, then weld another coupler to the underside of the frame. It looks like you would pick up 5-6 inches.
I believe this is a unibody vehicle...ie: there is no frame to weld to.
He might be talking about the trailer side. Not sure.
Yes, that is why I wrote to take the trailer in. Many trailers (generally heavier) have the front "A" section welded to the underside of the trailer's main frame. There are couplers on Amazon perfectly suited to be welded to the underside of your frame moving the hitch ball height down a number of inches. Problem solved; trailer tows level. Much simpler than trying to work on the SUV side of the equation.
Could you please send me the link for what you mean?
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