Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class I - 1-1/4"

Shipped quick, good communication, great instructions via video.
Installation was a breeze, as long as one know's they're in for a few hours of effort.
I put my rear tires on ramps to get under the car, and to have everything up at a higher height for ease of work.
When actually installing the hitch and the bumper, I duct taped the two together first, and then used a cheap rope tied to the hatch strut mount to hold one end up at about the right height while getting that first bolt into the frame.
And, install all bolts loose, so that you can wiggle the hitch around to ensure it's centered. There is about 1/4 inch sway L/R and getting it right in the middle makes the perfectionist happy. after its centered, tighten all bolts.
ALSO, the hitch comes with nice new longer bolts with locking washers, big washers. Not sure if that is described in the listing, but it is a nice touch. Also not sure the originals are long enough, but aa great additional piece. I used anti-seize on those bolts even though I never plan to remove it. I live in New England, and add this to every bolt/nut I unscrew no matter what.
One note about the VW: there are these little trim PLASTIC T15 torx bits that strip out very easily. Be ready for that. I replaced them with other scrap screws I had in the garage. oh, VW.

Overall, VERY happy with the profile and install.1349137

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This product fits perfectly on my 2019 Alltrack SEL. One thing that isn't mentioned in the manual is the proximity sensor wiring and the disconnecting of the wiring harness. I went online to get a refresher as to how the plug works. The release mechanism of mine was all full of sand and road dirt and wasn't working well, so clean it out and be careful not to break the locking mechanism.

The other aspect of the rear proximity sensors is there is a wiring harness that runs along the inside of the bumper with stick on wire retaining pads. One of my pads was installed too low and was in the way of the now farther out OEM crash bar (in the right side). This caused a lump in the bumper when it was pushed back in place. I had to remove the bumper and pull that wire retaining pad off and move it up. Then everything fits perfectly.

This install really helps with a second set of hands. And the above mentioned wiring harness makes it hard to pivot the bumper into place to get the receiver through the stock bumper hole, but a little patience and it will go through.

I'm attaching some embarrassingly dirty pictures of the inside of my bumper. I live out in the middle of nowhere and there are way too many unpaved roads.1323676

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The installation is rated a 10 out of 10 for difficulty. I was hesitant to tackle it as I have never removed a bumper cover before. Luckily there were several [online] videos of my VW Sportwagen on how to remove the bumper cover. The removal turned out to be easy and nothing was damaged in the process. Bumper cover removal is a one man job. The Curt hitch fit perfectly and no trimming of the bumper cover is required. I would recommend a second person to assist with installing the trailer hitch receiver. If you don't have a helper, I would use some all thread rod to help hold everything in position. I'm no mechanic. If I did it, you can do it!1288018

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Easy to install with zero modification to the vehicle. Took about 2 hours.

Things I found useful:
Use a plastic trim-panel removal tool to release the bumper clips without scratching the bumper or the rear quarter. A screwdriver will scratch the painted surfaces.

Ask a friend to help you bolt up the hitch-bumper sandwich. This was tricky to do alone.

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Thanks for the follow up! I love the product and use it every day for a hitch-mounted bike rack.

Rich Z - 05/17/2018

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Very happy with the hitch. Went with the 1.25” because I’m only using it for a bike carrier and not towing. Curt hitch required no cutting of the bumper panel for a 2017 VW Alltrack, which was preferred. No alignment problems at all when installing and bolts fit perfectly. Will use strainer for any other needs!638427

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Avery good fit, and tucks up under the bumper, so doesn't scrape the ground on transitions like some others. This is considered a difficult installation, but if one follows the etrailer installation video, and doesn't rush, it is very doable for one with some mechanical skills.1399417

While the installation is a little complicated, the results are very good. With four sets of hands reinstalling the bumper cover it was not necessary to do any cutting on the lower valance. This resulted in a very clean "factory look".1413670

Product looks of great quality. Install on my 2017 VW Sportwagen S TSI required a small cut on the bumper plastic, where the factory cut is. I basically extended the factory cut with 1/3 of an inch, so that the hitch end passes through the cut. Other than that, installation is easy and the hitch looks great on the VW!772321

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Fairly easy install. Great that there was no drilling and cutting. The installation video on etrailer was perfect.1417073

Thanks for the quick response to my call.
We were able to get the hitch installed time for my son's trip.
A trip with no boat would have been no trip at all!!1350132

First, etrailer is wonderful to work with. My sales agent Kaylyn was VERY good at communicating with me to understand my needs, then pointing me to a good solution. I have purchased Curt Hitches and RoadMaster wiring and other vehicle tow materials from etrailer. My experience was outstanding in previous purchases, this new hitch purchase was no different.
I purchased her recommended Curt Hitch and Hollywood Bike I have Kuat, Yakima AND Thule hitch bike racks. This Curt/Hollywood combination is a gift for my son’s Golf SportsWagen. This is perfect for his needs. They price point on the HollyWood bike rack is. Plus. It is not (typical heavy) E-Bike capable, but he doesn’t need that!
Kaylyn took the time to follow up with me after a VERY FAST shipment and delivery, letting me know delivery details. After that she provided additional follow up with video installation references. All of this translates to a great customer experience, virtually assuring a relatively painless and certainly satisfactory self-installation experience.
Thank you Kaylyn, thank you Ryan for a solid EZ to understand installation video.
I always think of etrailer when I need towing or hitch accessories. My “GoTo” place.
Well done!1285164

by: Ramin08/09/2022

It took a while to find a shop that would install the hitch on my VW Golf Alltrack Wagon and I felt confident about them, however, once it was installed it has been working great. Every time I take my car for service I have it checked to make sure it is fully secure. No issues so far.1350390

This was my second Curt hitch requiring installation under the bumper and it was just about as smooth and easy as the last one. It's got great clearance (more than the bumper itself) and perfect for installing a bike rack.

The one thing I will say is that for the 4 T15 screws, they are plastic screws and the head is likely to strip or break when unscrewed. Instead of unscrewing them, use a nail punch or small phillips head screwdriver to push them out from the back, and then use lube or grease before you reinstall them.909763

Still a great almost completely hidden hitch after a year of use

SportsWageneer - 11/11/2021

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Great. Installation notes:

On a 2015 Golf TDI Sportwagen, there are 6 T25 screws in each rear wheel well. You need to remove the rear most 4 of those, 3 into bumper cover support frame, and one oriented 90 degrees offset from the others, into rear fender. This is much easier to do if you jack up the car and remove the rear wheels.

If you are working by yourself, it helps to have jack stands to hold the rear bumper while you remove the screws, and to hold the trailer hitch and rear bumper when you install them together. See picture.

You can squeeze the 4 wire trailer socket through the square hole for either tail light (the hole is larger than the socket on the tail light), and wrap the flat 4 wire bundle in electrical tape where it crosses that hole below the socket on the tail light. After you reinstall the bumper cover, when you reinstall the tail light, just make the plastic thumb screw as tight as you can with a flat screwdriver to compress the foam gasket over the flat 4 wire bundle.
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Ordering this product through eTrailer was a satisfying one, including an informative and user-friendly web site, quick and courteous pickup of the Q&A telephone line, and professionalism of the staff.
Since the mechanical ability to install this hitch was above my pay grade, I had a local auto-body facility install the Curt Class I hitch on my 2017 VW Golf Alltrack SE; expect to pay around $150 for this job. The mechanic stated that the installation instructions provided in the delivered package included excellent diagrams and pictures for the mechanic to follow.
The hitch looks and performs very well as a base for my Swingman XC2 bike rack!
(I opted for a trailer-hitch-based option for my VW bike-rack needs for the Alltrack, as I unsuccessfully tried the roof-rack-based VW bike holder on my old 2010 SportWagen but had issues lifting and safely securing the bike (especially in high winds)). 496744

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Delivery was timely and the packaging was secure - not easy when shipping heavy steel. Install was straightforward, and the instructions are good. Some of the pictures were hard to discern in black and white, but there is a color version online. It requires a little patience, and a second set of hands is needed for about 5 minutes of the install. My 10 year old son was recruited for that job. When installing this on a VW, highly recommend getting a couple extra plastic fasteners for the bumper, the ones with a T15 screw head. On my vehicle, two were on so tight that I stripped them attempting to unfasten, and I had to drill them out. I bought replacements that weren’t OEM at local auto parts store. Also, if you want to avoid removing wheels, get a ratchet with a short T25 bit. I had a 1/4” bit with a 3/8” ratchet with a step down attachment for 1/4” - wouldn’t fit; I had to go buy a small 1/4” ratchet. Hopefully I’ll save someone a few extra trips to the parts store.555714

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Fit, form & function is perfect for our 2019 Alltrack!1441747

Really easy install, instructions were very clear and easy to follow
the hitch is very nice and has a good coat of paint on it1139354

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I had this professionally installed. Very pleased w the quality and fit of the hitch.1370074

Installed my hitch today on my 2018 VW Golf Alltrack. Took about 3 hrs for the install as I didn't take off the wheels which made reinstalling the screws in the wheel well (I have mud flaps on mine) mor difficult. I was all thumbs!! Didn't have to cut the bumper fascia. I just took off the silver trim on the bottom of the bumper cover first which made maneuvering back on the car mich easier the snapped the trim back on afterwards. Looks great and pretty OEM on the car.673052

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Very happy with my hitch - just installed it last night and it sits beautifully under the rear bumper (it doesn't extend the length of the car at all). Moreover, when my original hitch was on backorder, etrailer's customer service was super helpful in switching to a different hitch that was specific to my car while making it easy to cancel the original order. I was able to receive the hitch in time for my trip :) 844812

1 year later and happy to report full satisfaction with the hitch to date.

Matthew - 07/19/2021

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Looks like a factory hitch on my 2019 VW Golf Alltrack! Install went smooth, just took it slow and steady. I was hesitant at first but definitely doable with some patience and an extra set of hands. I would absolutely recommend this product. Etrailer install video on youtube was also very helpful.812278

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Fit great. It was a bit scary yanking on my body panels to get them off, but directions were spot on.1434619

This was so easy to install and the shipment came as expected. I managed to put it on my VW Golf Sportwagen in about 2 hrs. Can't wait to hook up my bike tray to it.1260553

Fits like a glove. BUT instructions could be better, it’s very hard to see which bolts get which washers . Hardest part was running wire thru interior to battery. Here are the pictures of my 2017 Alltrack.554688

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