Date:         Wed, 14 Feb 2001 09:44:40 -0800
Reply-To:     mjcatlin@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Catlin <mjcatlin@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Renting a tow-dolly for vanagon core-HELP!
Comments: To: phil stanhope <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Phil, I recently towed a Vanagon on a rented dolly
and experienced some problems.

Some dolly rental outfits will check your tow
vehicle in their book to make sure it is
"qualified" to tow a vanagon.  Check this out on
the phone first.

The Vanagon tires were all cracked and flattened,
so I brought two good tires to put on the back.

I checked the transaxle for gear oil level before
moving it, and was prepared to add some if
needed.  I had a really hard time shifting it into
neutral so it could be towed.  If it had remained
stuck in gear, I would have had to remove the
axles before towing.

This particular dolly tilts back to make a steep
ramp upon which you roll your van.  The ramp was
so steep that my spare tire cover bottomed out on
the dolly.  I had to build up a more gradual ramp
out of scrap wood blocks.  I had to use the same
procedure to unload the van at its destination.

I used a come-along (small hand-operated winch) to
pull the van up onto the dolly, which worked OK.
It would have been easier if I had brought one or
two helpers.

I hope this helps.

Mike Catlin
Davis, Calif.

phil stanhope wrote:
>
> Im renting a tow-dolly to pick up a Westy core(manual
> tranny)  and towing 200 miles using a toyota tundra
> v-8
>
> Has anyone from the list ever towed a vanagon using
> one of these little tow-dollys? Any tips on how to
> mount a non-running Vanagon to one of these? (Im
> clueless)
>
> I think its going to be a bear trying to push the
> westy on to the dolly, hopefully theres a wench to
> help pull it up.
>
> Phil 84' all white westy
> "millenium flacon"
> Adventurewagen wanted
> (vanagon years)
>
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