Towing Caravan with Cali

[MurrayR]

I am looking to purchase a towbar and caravan for my 2007 California.
Is the Cali a good towing vehicle for caravans?
Is it worth fitting the correct tow bar?

Cheers

 

[WelshGas]

I don't know if your vehicle, being the 2007 model, is the same as mine but the VW tow bar is a little more than just the metal work. It is programmed into the vehicle computer and there are changes made in the vehicles handling when the towbar is connected up.
Having said that I towed a caravan for many years with a similar sized vehicle and it was very good. Others on here do tow caravans so I'm sure they'll be along shortly.

 

[18hunts]

We tow a small Bailey with no problems other than forgetting it's on the hook.

 

[motacyclist]

there are changes made in the vehicles handling when the towbar is connected up.

I didn't know that. What sort of changes? We only use ours to clamp a bike rack to so a change in the handling might not be appropriate.

To the OP, our previous Cali had a non VW (Thule) detachable towbar fitted, with the standard UK electrics. The only problem was that it triggered off the parking sensors when the bike rack was fitted because the system didn't know when the tow bar was in use. Apart from that it worked fine. (Our new Cali has the VW one and when the tow bar is in use it disables the rear sensors.)

 

[WelshGas]

Some info. See the Electronic changes that need to be made when fitting the VW towbar, especially the Trailer and Engine control modules.


Once fitted the following aspects of the vehicle electronics coding should be updated (depending on fitted equipment). All of this is very simple with either the dealer tool (VAS/ODIS) or the consumer tool VCDS.

Update the Installation List in the Gateway (J533 / #19)
Update the Trailer Control Module (J345 / #69)
Update the Engine Control Module (J623 / #01)
Update the Parking Aid 2 (J446 / #10) if installed
Update the Rear View Camera (J772 / #6C) if installed
Update the Lane Change Assist (J769 / #3C) if installed

So as you can see it is not only important to use the correct vehicle specific electrics kit, and not just the old fashioned bypass relay solution, but also the vehicle electronics should be adjusted to take account of the tow bar being fitted.

 

[Andy]

The OEM electrics, as stated above, interface with the ecu & most importantly change the balance of the braking. With out this if you pull any weight you will damage rear brakes. This has been stated on similar thread by SMG.
Can get OEM westfalia kits from www.pfjones.co.uk several of us have bought from here.

 

[Volky]

Does anyone tow a pod with the VW bike rack down? Just wondering about clearance between the end of the bike rack and the front of the pod.

 

[18hunts]

We tow a small Bailey Caravan with the bike rack down. I have never had a problem with clearance.

 

[Volky]

Thanks for replying - what distance is there between the front of the Bailey and the tow bar? I'm new to all this and I just can't get my head around how the distance between the bike rack and the caravan can be maintained round a sharp turn...

 

[18hunts]

Just gone through all my photos, (modern age, digital, big pile. Do laptops have piles?) and I don't appear to have a side view of Cali and van but thank you, it has brought back a lot of memories of places visited, people met, drinks had.
The most acute turn you will ever experience is when you are manoeuvring onto a tight pitch and I have never clashed between Cali and van. Management usual oversees these manoeuvres and being the nervous individual she is on these occasions she has never shown any concern or agitation during this negotiation. Distance wise I can't be exact but from the front face of the van to the tow hitch is approx 85cm which I think gives me about 50cm from the bike rack. I usually only have two adult bikes on but occasionally three when our son graces his presence.
I have never heard of anybody having a problem.
Hope this helps.

 

[Volky]

Thanks again, it really does. Sounds like you've never regretted the Cali/caravan combi - we're completely new to the caravan world so checking that we can get what we want - and having bikes with us is a non-negotiable! Any tips/what made you decide to add a caravan to the mix?

 

[18hunts]

Chicken and egg. Caravaners for nearly 30 years before we got the Cali. Cali makes a great day vehicle, particularly if your cycling, and obviously gives you the option to use it as a camper.
We tend to use the caravan in the UK and then use the Cali for approx 3 months in Europe, two biggies early and late season and multiple weeks away. We like the freedom of just the Cali in Europe but the caravan suits our life style, level of comfort etc in the UK. Just been up to Edinburgh for a wedding and made a great base rather than hotels. Weather not good but snug in the caravan with space to move around.
As Eddie Merckxs said 'no matter how fast or how slow, how far or how little - just ride a bike'. Same goes for caravaning or Cali camping or any combination that takes your fancy. Just do it.

 

[Volky]

Okay, I'm jealous. 3 months in Europe would be fantastic. We manage a couple of weeks only, but love them. Think we're looking at things in the same way. Love the Cali, but want more extended use in Winter/early Spring when the weather can be against us.

 

[18hunts]

Agree totally, don't camp in the Cali because it's a Cali, we like the versatility it gives us and that's a Cali until such times as there is a better alternative. I don't wear rose tinted glasses, I have roof rot! and there is a lot more I could be critical of.
Come winter/early spring we like our creature comforts.

 

[Robowagen]

Recently had a tow bar retro fitted to our Cali so we can tow a little camping pod so our daughter can bring a friend along camping with us, I've not tried having the bike carrier lowered so can't help with your question on the gap / space between them.

Obviously our pod is very small compared to a caravan but pulled it with ease, I would say whichever towbar you go for just make sure you have the dedicated electrics as explained above, we went with the westfalia removable swan neck fitted by our local towbar company for less than what VW wanted for just the towbar without fitting costs! Our towbar is the exact same towbar that VW would supply & fit.

 

[Volky]

We are looking at the Swift Basecamp - more of a pod than a caravan proper but has creature comforts and a warm space for two growing kids. We can get 2 bikes in there but we have 2 more to deal with, and we still want to use the Cali for days out cycling. Thanks Robowagen for your input, we also need a tow bar retrofit.

 

[Robowagen]

Our daughter loved her first camp out in the Pod

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Volky]

That is a great Pod! Great rug too. Should have been a thumbs up from me, not an agree!

 

[Teejay]

Our daughter loved her first camp out in the Pod

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife adores the petit caravan/pods looks fab.

 

[Robowagen]

My wife adores the petit caravan/pods looks fab.

We started with a blank canvass having to make it watertight and fit it out internally ourselves, I did the wood building

The soft furnishings were sorted by wifey & daughter

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Volky]

Got it right this time with the like...

 

[James Powell]

Just gone through all my photos, (modern age, digital, big pile. Do laptops have piles?) and I don't appear to have a side view of Cali and van but thank you, it has brought back a lot of memories of places visited, people met, drinks had.
The most acute turn you will ever experience is when you are manoeuvring onto a tight pitch and I have never clashed between Cali and van. Management usual oversees these manoeuvres and being the nervous individual she is on these occasions she has never shown any concern or agitation during this negotiation. Distance wise I can't be exact but from the front face of the van to the tow hitch is approx 85cm which I think gives me about 50cm from the bike rack. I usually only have two adult bikes on but occasionally three when our son graces his presence.
I have never heard of anybody having a problem.
Hope this helps.

What about the weight on you back axle with bikes bike rack and caravan. do you just count the nose weight and the weight of bikes and rack

 

[Andy]

What about the weight on you back axle with bikes bike rack and caravan. do you just count the nose weight and the weight of bikes and rack

Only accurate way to check axle weights is to get weigh it on a waybridge. You will never be able to work it out to any accuracy by adding figures up.
Nose weight, ie imposed weight on towbar, is 100 KG. Most of the weight of any towed item should be taken by it's own axle.

 

[James Powell]

so the nose weight doesn't pose too much weight on the rear axle just queuing weather I can tow hobby caravan that is 1900kg with a nose weight of 100kg and carry 4 bikes on vw bike rack so 75kg on the back of the California at the same time. We are carrying 2 adults and 5 children 330kg not including driver. the vehicle I am collected on Thursday has no spare wheel does that mean I save some weight there.

 

[Andy]

so the nose weight doesn't pose too much weight on the rear axle just queuing weather I can tow hobby caravan that is 1900kg with a nose weight of 100kg and carry 4 bikes on vw bike rack so 75kg on the back of the California at the same time. We are carrying 2 adults and 5 children 330kg not including driver. the vehicle I am collected on Thursday has no spare wheel does that mean I save some weight there.

There should be a plate under the bonnet that will tell you all relevant weights for that vehicle.
Suggest that with 7 people & all baggage you may well be over weight. Only way to be sure as I said in previous post is to weigh it with everything loaded as well as a full tank of fuel.
Better safe than sorry !!