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Date:         Mon, 22 Apr 2002 14:53:12 -0700
Reply-To:     DaveC <voicebox@DNAI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         DaveC <voicebox@DNAI.COM>
Subject:      Re: neat idea........anyone done this before?
In-Reply-To:  <20020422.145023.-449535.12.wilden1@juno.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>There would be a problem managing: >1) The weight >2) The extreme ugly >3) Braking >4) Getting the tongue weight down

#4 is a big one. Considering that the entire weight of a full Vanagon is distributed 50/50 over both axles, nearly all the weight of the "trailer" is now forward of the rear axle, with no support other than the trailer hitch.

You've now got about 1,000 pounds pushing down on your trailer hitch. I don't think many of them are rated for this.

The reason trailer hitches have two ratings (tongue weight and pulling weight) is that anyone can put 2000 pounds in a trailer, but *properly balancing* it over the trailer's axles will result in anywhere from full weight to zero tongue weight. The Vana-trailer has no central axle to balance the weight over, so it's not gonna be easy to do this.

High tongue weights not only stresses the trailer hitch/bumper assembly, it helps to reduce the weight on the front wheels of the towing vehicle (push down on the rear bumper enough, and the front wheels will lift off (yes, this is an exaggeration) ) which, on some vehicles, makes the steering "light" (could be not a good thing...)

Bill K: you don't need the entire rear axle assemblies any more if the trailer isn't providing any "push" power. I think if you were to just cannibalize a couple of outer CV's so that the stubs go through the hubs, that will hold things together.

Dave -- Dave Carpenter

Whatever you wish for me, May you have twice as much.

"Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering." -- Arthur C. Clarke


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