Date:         Sun, 14 Nov 2004 10:31:01 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: Weight Capacity
In-Reply-To:  <000301c4ca63$120e5a00$e9005f44@nonek29x6exon9>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed

Years ago, my wife used our 90 to pick up some paving blocks at a local 

garden supply. She informed me that the van was back, ready to unload. 

I was shocked to see the stack of them covering the floor, four to a 
layer, up almost to the windows. She said he made her stop when the 
tires almost touched the wells at the top, giving her enough freeboard 

to ride home on and he said she would have to come back to get any 
more.

On a less ridiculous note, last year in the sweltering heat of august 
we drove that car to NYC from Alabama, about 1000 miles, with about 
1300 pounds in the car. We ran into everything... pouring rain, 
tire-melting emergency stops on the freeway, swerves to avoid truck 
tire debris, and the van handled it all with ease. I felt better on the 

way back anyway, though.

Jim
On Nov 14, 2004, at 10:00 AM, Stan Wilder wrote:

> I love the story about the fellow that found lots of nice clean bricks 

> at
> the landfill and loaded up a bunch to build a patio.
>
> He was careful not to get too many and although he quit at about three
> layers thick in the rear floor space his van wouldn’t move from the 

> spot in
> the soft soil he was parked.
>
> Seems his clutch would just slip and the van wouldn’t move out of its 
> own
> depressions in the soil.
>
> He concluded that the failure of his clutch was a safety factor so you
> wouldn’t be killing yourself or anyone else when the overloaded van 

> wouldn’t
> stop.
>
> Stan Wilder
> High Performance Ceramic Coatings
> www.engineceramics.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On 
> Behalf Of
> Robert Campbell
> Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 9:46 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Weight Capacity
>
>
>
> Volks,
>
> I just took some stuff the landfill yesterday.... I was weighed going 

> in and
> out....
>
> Going in, I was 4400 lbs -- leaving, I was 3900 pounds.  So, if you
> substract my wieght (200 lbs), the weight of my 1991 Carat (Automatic,
> non-camper), is: 3700 pounds.
>
> Your results may vary.....
>
>     -Robert
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 10:21:25 AM EST
> From: Robert Cardo <rrecardo@WEBTV.NET>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Weight Capacity
>
>
>
> Dennis,
> I'm curious,
> What is the actual GVWR of any Vanagon?
> The Syncro only has heavier rated springs.
> The hubs and axles are not any beefier.
> Same thing with a Westfalia.
> It isn't any different than a GL in weight carrying capacity.
> And now your talking about a worn out vehicle with the springs that 
> came
> on it when it was built, and more than likely only 3/4th's of the
> original ride height.
> I'd like to see this Van carrying 1800 lbs.
> The rocker panels will be scraping the asphalt clean, or polishing the
> tops of the wheel wells.
>
> RC
>
> ---"Typically, the Westies have room for ~1,400 pounds and passenger
> vans ~ 1,800 pounds. Make sue the tires are rated at or above the axle
> ratings.
> Dennis"---
>
>
>
>
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