Date:         Wed, 5 Dec 2001 22:48:51 -1000
Reply-To:     Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>
Subject:      Re: converting to 4 wheel drive
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> I had one of those positraction chevey also but what I am getting from the
> list is to just choose to buy a syncro instead. Less headache. And maybe
> pass on the current 2 wheeler to a relative or (ouch) sell it? Seems like
a
> never now.
>
> William P.

Well, yes, if you have the $$$, syncros are wonderful cars... I love mine.
And buying a syncro is certainly less headache than building one.  But they
are kind of expensive to buy and also expensive to maintain.  However, like
I said, you can get almost as much off road mobility (unless you really want
to do some wild 4 wheeling, which most people do not) by just installing a
syncro tranny with a locker (about $3K).  Forget the front wheel drive.  You
don't need it.  And then do the half-lilley to the engine (about $1K) and
you will have almost the most powerful WBX you can get with almost as much
traction as a syncro.  And the 2wd's can be found much, much cheaper.  You
can even find one with a blown tranny.

With a syncro you have to concern yourself with a viscous coupling ($850 to
replace when... not if... it goes bad), two differentials, and a drive shaft
that, as you have seen the posts recently, is often out of alignment.  Also,
you must ALWAYS run tires with almost exactly the same amount of tread (at
least so they are all the same diameter), or risk damaging the vc.  A fifth
tire purchased at the same time as the other four and rotated in every 5K
miles is also a necessity.  If, god forbid, one of your tires gets ruined,
you will still have four that match that way.  If you somehow only end up
with three, you must find a fourth tire that matches almost exactly the
other three in order to keep the vc healthy.  All this in addition to the
fact that syncros go for about twice as much as 2WD vanagons.

So, as you can see, it is an expensive proposition to own a syncro.  That
said, when they are together, they are wonderful cars.  I love my syncro
westy.  It will take me almost anywhere on this island and I'm ready to camp
when I get there.  But I have dumped a ton of $$$ into it.  It's
embarrassing to admit how much, but let's just say I'm well over $30K.  Of
course I have done several upgrades and she's in fantastic shape with only
55K miles on her.  But for that price you can buy a new eurovan!  Not that I
would want one, but a new car as opposed to a 13 year old one, well... you
do the math.

As I said, if I had it to do all over again... I might choose differently.

No flames please, just my .02.

Mick Kalber
89 Syncro Westy "Daddeo"
Tropical Visions Video, Inc.
62 Halaulani Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
808-935-5557
808-935-0066 (fax)
hotlava@interpac.net
http://www.volcanoscapes.com/



----- Original Message -----
From: developtrust <developtrust@home.com>
To: Mick Kalber <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 1:21 PM
Subject: Re: Re: converting to 4 wheel drive


> I had one of those positraction chevey also but what I am getting from the
> list is to just choose to buy a syncro instead. Less headache. And maybe
> pass on the current 2 wheeler to a relative or (ouch) sell it? Seems like
a
> never now.
>
> William P.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mick Kalber" <hotlava@INTERPAC.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 12:31 PM
> Subject: Re: converting to 4 wheel drive
>
>
> > can be, but there are a lot of things in the syncro that are different.
> > what I would do if I had a 2wd and wanted better traction is to put a
> syncro
> > locking transmission in.  not cheap, about two grand, but you end up
being
> > able to lock the two back wheels together which is a great advantage.  I
> > once had a 65 ch*vy van with posi-traction (same thing essentially) that
> > would go anywhere... it was amazing.
> >
> > good luck.
> >
> > mick
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 10:21 AM
> > Subject: converting to 4 wheel drive
> >
> >
> > Does anyone know if a vanagon can be converted to a 4 wheel drive
syncro?
> >
> > William P.
>
>