etrailer | Beginner’s Guide to Installing the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver on a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
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Full transcript: https://www.etrailer.com/tv-install-c...
Hey everyone, Ryan here at etrailer. Today on our 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, we're gonna be showing you how to install the CURT Trailer Hitch Receiver. Before we do that though, let's just take a minute, we'll check this one out, and make sure it's gonna work for you. So by having a trailer hitch on the back of your Jetta, it will help open up your opportunities on what you're gonna be able to do, you know, be able to use a lot of different types of accessories. Seems like bike racks are real popular to put back here. And with that in mind, there are a couple hitches available for the Jetta, and what one is gonna be best for you, it really just depends on how you plan on using it.
This CURT hitch is gonna be different in a couple of ways, compared to the EcoHitch that's available. And one of the differences is gonna be that the CURT one has these smaller inch and a quarter by inch and a quarter receiver tube opening. So if you only really plan on using, say, one smaller bike rack, or already have an inch and a quarter by inch and a quarter accessory, this would probably work out real well for you. And the CURT hitches that we have is also gonna be pretty much completely visible for the most part. You know you're gonna be able to see the cross tube, and everything.
On the Jetta though, with it being so low to the ground, and the hitch sitting a little further back, it isn't too terribly noticeable, at least in my opinion. Now with the EcoHitch, that one's gonna have the larger two inch by two inch opening, and because of that it's gonna be a little bit more versatile. You know, quite a few more accessories will work out with it. So if you're unsure what you're gonna be doing, or would maybe like to change things up, you know, as you own the vehicle, that might be better suited. And it's also going to have a little bit more of a hidden appearance.
That EcoHitch will sit up kind of behind the fascia, and really the only thing you're gonna be able to see is that receiver tube opening. Again, so if the appearance is really what you're after, you don't want something that you can see, that would be a great option. The hitch is going to use the half inch size pin and clip. Keep in mind though one doesn't come included with it. If you need one, not a big deal, you can always get it here at etrailer.
A lot of times too, if you end up buying a new accessory, it'll come with one. Something to look out for there. The safety chain openings are a plate-style, and large enough to allow you to use pretty much any size hook. As far as the weight capacities go, the hitch is gonna have a 200 pound maximum gross tongue weight rating, which is the amount of weight pushing down on the hitch. So that's good for those one and two-bike racks, you know, to give you an example there. As far as the maximum gross trailer weight rating goes, this is gonna be 2,000 pounds for the amount of weight pulling on the hitch. And with all that said, I do always like to recommend, it's always a good idea just to grab your Jetta's owner's manual. That way you can check in there and make sure that your Volkswagen can handle that amount of weight safely. We'll grab a couple of measurements now, and these will help us figure out what type of accessories work best. So if you go from the ground to the top inside edge of the receiver tube opening, taking into account the lift that we're parked on, that's gonna be about 10 inches. So if it we inchesre me, and I was gonna go out and buy something new, I would probably try to get something that has a rise in the shank, just to give you a little bit more ground clearance back here. And if you go from the center of the hitch pin hole to the edge of the rear bumper, that's gonna be about five inches. And you can use that to help figure out exactly if any of those folding-type accessories that you might have can be stored in that upright position without hitting the back of your Jetta. I do wanna mention too, this is going to work with the sedans, like we have here today, as well as the wagons, unless you have a TDI model. The hitch is not gonna be compatible with those TDIs. The good news is that EcoHitch that we talked about, that will work with the TDI and the regular gas model Jettas. So if that's what you got, might be worth looking into as far as that goes. As far as the installation, it's really not super complicated, per se. There's kind of a handful of steps, that, you're just kinda all over the place, right A couple of different types of har
