Date:         Tue, 2 Aug 2005 23:18:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Don in North Carolina <vanagondon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don in North Carolina <vanagondon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon tongue wait capacity?
Comments: To: Jim Felder <felder@knology.net>
In-Reply-To:  <bc95293afc9a3bd2ed1ca2571bd00918@knology.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On 8/2/05, Jim Felder <felder@knology.net> wrote:
> Recently, I had a book published. I picked up and moved all 7,600
> pounds in my van (not all at once, I made five trips).
> 
> The van performed admirably. I could tell the books were there, but
> nothing scary happened.
> 
> It made me wonder, if I install a trailer hitch, what kind of tongue
> weight should I expect to handle in the vanagon (90 carat, Westy 83 TD)
> with a small trailer?
> 
> What kind of towed (pull weight)?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jim

Jim,

From the owners manual - 1986 and up:

Maximum braked trailer weight -    900kg (2,000 lb)
Maximum unbraked trailer weight - 600kg (1,320 lb)
Maximum tongue weight -                 75kg (165 lb)

Note that there is no difference shown between the Syncro and the passenger 
van.  Not sure if the camper supplement shows a lower number or not.
 
-- 
Don in Reidsville, NC
1986 Kawasaki Concours
1988 Vanagon GL (Sylvia)
"Why do they call it a fixed income, if mine is always broke?"