Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 18:20:28 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject: Re: Travel trailer towing a few miles with vanagon?
In-Reply-To: <002f01c46ead$603a0830$ef02fea9@none8d9z0zb52k>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Good advice, but I'm still tempted since it turns out that the
destination is literally across the road from the RV park, and there's
an equalizing hitch with the rig. The nearest home depot to rent a
truck from is probably 40 miles away, and the locals (I'm told) charge
$50 each way to move a trailer. Since I'll have my dad's truck this
trip, I won't need the Vanagon to move the rig. I think I'll pop into
an auto parts store down there and find out who among the locals like
to make a little cash moving trailers instead of going through the
"park system." I could probably get by much cheaper than $50.
???
Jim
On Jul 20, 2004, at 6:00 PM, Stan Wilder wrote:
> Like I told the fellows the other day ............... "you never run
> out of
> friends if you have a pickup truck".
> Go rent one if all your friends have Vanagons and VW Busses.
>
> Stan Wilder
> www.engineceramics.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis Haynes" <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 5:24 PM
> Subject: Re: Travel trailer towing a few miles with vanagon?
>
>
>> Since it is only a few miles, why not ask/pay someone to move it for
>> you? My guess is the weight you list is the empty weight. Is the
>> trailer
>> really empty? Tongue weight should be 10-15% of the trailer weight.
>> This
>> is almost 500 lbs, again empty. This much tongue weight calls for the
>> use of a weight distributing (equalizer) hitch. Also, the tow vehicle
>> needs controls for the trailer brakes. No way would I do this with a
>> tow
>> loop mounted hitch. Can you do it? Maybe, but I think the risks are
>> not
>> worth it.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Jim Felder
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 2:34 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Travel trailer towing a few miles with vanagon?
>>
>> I plan to take my parents' 20-foot travel trailer to the gulf for them
>> (350 miles away).
>>
>> I'll use my dad's truck or have it towed to get it down there, but the
>> truck will have to come back home. After several weeks on the
>> campsite,
>> the plan is to tow it a few miles away to the long-term storage
>> facility, then go take it out when they want it set up, then put it
>> away again.
>>
>> I plan to do this with my vanagon. Any reason I can't? It's the gulf,
>> so it's level. It's nearby on small roads, so it's slow.
>>
>> The trailer weighs 3336 lbs. The tongue weight (I think) is 250 lbs.,
>> not more than 500 as I recall.
>>
>> Is this doable if I take it easy? Can I use a bolt-on hitch? Any hitch
>> recommendations?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jim
>
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