Date:         Tue, 17 Sep 2002 10:20:55 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Towing A 2WD Westy
Comments: To: Joseph Angrisani <JOE65@AOL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <f7.21772a2d.2ab86259@aol.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Tue, 17 Sep 2002, Joseph Angrisani wrote:

> I was wondering what peoples' experiences have been with towing.  Bentley's a
> little ambiguous....surprise surprise.
>
> Anyhoots - does anyone know from experience if a 2wd 4spd 84 Westy can be
> towed on a U-Haul type front wheel dolly with the rear wheels on the road?

I don't know about a dolly, but it will tow nicely on a U-Haul Auto
Transporter.  The Transporters aren't that much more expensive, so if your
tow vehicle can handle the extra weight (1800 pounds + the weight of the
van, I believe) I'd go for that. They rent for a flat fee, no milage
charge.  I was worried about such a tall vehicle being unstable on a
dolly.

By the way, when you load onto the transporter pay attention to how the
combination is sitting.  You want the transporter trailer level or
slightly low in the front for best tracking.  A trailer with the front end
too high tends to transfer too much weight off the tongue, and can start
to fishtail.  If your tow vehicle tends to make the front of the
transporter sit high, load the van rear end first to transfer more
weight to the tongue.  I did this and it tracked beautifully behind a 19'
U-Haul van at freeway speeds.  Driving up the ramps backwards can be
tricky unless you have someone to direct you, though. ;)  Check the wheel
straps after you've driven about 20 miles, they tend to loosen up a little
at first as the vehicle settles on the trailer.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "The VW camper is a brilliant invention -- it's like a
 |___/             Swiss army knife for the road... It's the stealth RV."
                                                        -- Wayne Curtis