dfar

I think the sway attachments are needed for the heigh tof the camper. I have seen a lot of campers get taken by high winds and the result was not pleaseant. That is on eof the reasons for dual rear wheels on one ton trucks. I towed a 28' race boat 8'6" all over FL. with a 2WD Jimmy and did not have a problem with sway. Like I said it's the height factor.

bojali

ok, i had many a discussion with the tech-advisors at PCNA atlanta. Porsche only recommends the factory ball system:

from the tech:
Porsche does not recommend aftermarket towing stability "solutions". These devices were developed to help control vehicles with relatively primitive suspension systems, such as a live axle vehicle. The Cayenne's toe correcting rear axle provides a far greater level of stability and control than these systems.

from another tech PCNA guy:
"let me just add one additional point of information re weight-distributing hitches. Contrary to uninformed opinion, WDH are not in themselves a stability aid at all. Rather, they are generally used when a trailer's tongue weight exceeds the tongue weight recommended by the vehicle manufacturer- and there may have some indirect stability benefit in the sense that a WDH keeps the tow vehicle's rear suspension from bottoming out and unloading the front wheels. Of course, exceeding recommended tongue weight is certainly an unlikely situation with Cayenne given its very robust tongue weight rating."

so thats what i got direct from PCNA. i currently tow a dual axle, TPD 20' with about 6k load, only using the Porsche recommended hitch. I have not had any problems, swaying or unstability. I have an S with the air suspension. MY previous tow vehicle was a 2000 Tahoe with the WDH and a sway-system. So I questioned the "small" hitch system. I have driven in all conditions, high winds/ rain/ bad traffic and its performed per spec.

wingless

There are several options for wiring an electronic brake controller to the Cayenne wiring harness.

One is to use 0.250 male Faston tab connectors, crimped to the end of the controller wiring harness. The images attached by Kevin M. are an example of that type of connection.

The other option is to purchase the mating automotive connector and wiring harness, from the dealership, then attach the two harnesses together. The image shows these components.

A significant advantage of the factory components is that the mating connectors have snap retention features, to ensure that the connection will not detach, until required. The generic Faston solution uses readily available components, but relies upon the contact friction to maintain the connection.

These are VW / Audi parts. The connector housing part number is: 1J0-972-782 and the cost is: $5.40 The wiring harness assembly part number is: 000979-228 and the cost is $4.58 each. Note, only two of these parts is required, each end has a contact, so the 24" wires may be cut in half.

The wires from the controller and from the wiring harness assembly may then be joined with crimp butt connectors, by a soldered in-line splice, insulated with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing, available at any marine store.

BTW, the marine-grade crimp connectors are superior to any I’ve found in an auto parts store.

wingless

Close-up Front-View Image

wingless

Close-up Rear-View Image

Kevin M.

Great Info!!! Thank you!

Xray0

I just bought both parts from www.vwparts.com for $11.XX including shipping.

2
WIRE/TERMI
Item #000979228 $4.68 USD

1
HOUSING
Item #1J0972782 $1.71 USD
_

38D

To close this topic off..

Would folks still recommend the Prodigy, or would you use an analog controller (and if analog, which one?).

ltc

Pesky,
FWIW, I run an analog controller, Drawtite Towing Products. Works just fine.
Easy install, easy operation, simple design.
As an electrical engineer, I still can't see the advantages of a digital brake controller based on the functions it is supposed to perform, but I am not an expert on towing either.

seafeye

So am i correct in assuming that a 2004 Cayenne S with the factory tow package can just buy a prodigy or Drawtite controller, plug it in, and no wiring splicing required?

Budget M3

Reviving this old thread because I have a question about weight distributing hitches and could not find an answer using the search....

I understand that the WDH is not necessary with the Cayenne, however, what are the likely effects if I use one anyway? Is there any potential downside? Will I mess up "The Cayenne's toe correcting rear axle (which) provides a far greater level of stability and control" as the technician above states?

The trailer I am purchasing already has a Reese WDH installed. I will be picking it up in two weeks and driving about 1000 miles to get it back to AZ. I can't see any harm in using the WDH, but I am not an expert.

Thoughts?

tetice

I wish there really was an authority on this subject. Personally, I would call BS on the tech that says WDH are generally used when the tongue weight exceeds that tongue weight rating. That might occasionally be the result but is not the primary reason for WDHs. Quite simply the WDH is there to transfer some of the trailer load to the front axle of the tow vehicle in dynamic conditions. I've pulled my 20' enclosed trailer with multiple tow vehicles both with and without a WDH and the effects are very significant. Trailers with significant tongue weight will always have the ability to bounce or rock the tow vehicle under some conditions. The WDH keeps the front of the tow vehicle from becoming unloaded. In a straight line this isn't that big of a deal other than the disconcerting feeling of being bounced along the road but when cornering or braking, it becomes a serious safety issue to unload the front. The comments about the it being unlikely to overload the tongue rating of the Cayenne is just about as much BS. The Cayenne has a rated towing capacity of 7700 lbs (which is a very convenient marketing position) but only a 616 lb tongue capacity. Most all towing guidelines indicate you need at 10 - 15% of your towing load in tongue weight to give good stability (for sway). Based on this the Cayenne really only has about 6160 lbs of towing capacity.

With that said, I have towed my trailer with my 2008 GTS and it does tow very well (without the WDH). I'm quite sure that it would be even better with a WDH but I'm not willing try it due to the fact that I'm not sure what effect it will have on the electronic stability aids, auto leveling suspension, etc. I am quite certain though that if the Porsche engineers would embrace the WDH concept, they could make all the sophisticated systems work even better.

Sorry Budget M3, I don't really have an answer to your question but I would say that for simply picking up your trailer, you should just ignore the WDH. It can take a bit of time and is a fairly involved process to properly set up a WDH and if its done improperly, it may do more harm than good. Also if it is set up properly for a full load, it will not be optimum when the trailer is unloaded and vice versa.

Is your trailer an open or enclosed trailer? In either case, if you are pulling it back empty, just get it level and you should be good for the trip.

Budget M3

Thanks for the thorough response, tetice. The trailer I am picking up is an Airstream travel trailer, and is what I would characterize as "partially loaded" (dishes, linens, pots, pans, hoses, etc). It is fairly light (~3000lbs dry, ~4000lbs GVW) and should have a tongue weight well within the Cayenne's limits.

My initial thought was as you recommended--tow it without the WDH. However, since the WDH is already on the trailer, it may be just as much hassle to remove it as it will be to get it properly set up. One thing the WDH will do is to adjust the height of the hitch ball to allow for a level trailer to tow vehicle connection, so it might be worth a try. My primary concern, as you point out, are the electronic stability controls. I have no idea how WDH might affect those.

Anyone else out there with experience in this area?

grohgreg

Never owned a WDH myself. I occasionally tow my John Deere to/from the dealer for service. The weight and balance can vary from trip to trip, depending upon loader/no loader andr implement attached/no-implement attached. Combined tractor/trailer weight often tickles the max Cayenne tow rating. And the balance of the load affects the tongue weight. I know that an empty trailer drops the hitch one inch. I figure that to be about 150# tongue weight. After driving the tractor onto the trailer, I position it on the trailer bed so that the hitch drops no more than one more inch. That brings the tongue weight to about 300#; which produces an insignificant change in vehicle attitude or handling, but is still well within what I consider to be a tongue weight safety margin.

Oh - and in the spirit of the topic title - I use a Tekonsha Prodigy RF brake controller. Look Ma, no wires !!

//greg//

ltc

Congratulations. You win the MadFox Memorial STFF Award .... Well done.


Answer: Installing Trailer Brakes:
QTY: PARTS:
2 000979228
1 1J0972782
1 Brake Controller

Get the first two items from a Volkswagon Dealer; Porsche
does not carry the connectors or wires. You can get
the controller from your local trailer store or online from
ETRAILER.COM.

First, remove under tray panel under dash on driver side.
Find 20 torx in center of panel and remove it.

Drop panel down and look for a 4 prong square connector on left side of dash, hanging off of main harness. Might be wrapped with grey foam.

Install the ends of the wires 0009799228
in the 4 slots in the connector, part number 1J0972782.

CONNECTOR IN CAR: WIRE COLOR:

TERMINAL 1: BROWN
TERMINAL 2: RED Check fuse box right
F19, make sure it has a 30 AMP fuse in it.
TERMINAL 3: BLACK/ RED
TERMINAL 4: BLUE

WIRING TO CONTROLLER:

TERMINAL 1: GROUND
TERMINAL 2: B+ POWER ALL THE TIME
TERMINAL 3: STOP LIGHT
TERMINAL 4: TRAILER BRAKE

Lewis