Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 18:06:09 -0800
Reply-To: River Clan <ri@RIVERCLAN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: River Clan <ri@RIVERCLAN.ORG>
Subject: Re: vermont in winter
In-Reply-To: <44063ABA.1040906@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
We live on the Oregon Coast, and it can be really windy here.
Not that it's an easy option on a Syncro, but our H&R springs &
bilsteins made a HUGE difference in the sway and general feeling of
safety in the westy. I bet some EMU's and better shocks for syncro's
would be similar.
It made it from scary, to the ease of a new car.
The propane heater we have, a catalytic wave mounted on the cabinet
door, kept us warm in the 20's with the pop-top open. I bet
something a bit bigger without the tent open would keep you warm in
siberia.
Peace,
Ri
1987 Westy Tiico
http://www.riverclan.org
On Mar 1, 2006, at 4:22 PM, John Rodgers wrote:
> A good propane FURNACE like the Suburban woud make quick work any cold
> air inside the van on below-zero days. One advantage of the output
> of a
> big heater is that not only will it warm up the vehicle interior fast,
> give it a little time and the heat radiating from the interior will
> raise the temperature of the engine making it easier to start in that
> extreme cold. BTDT.
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver 2 X
>
> Rob Infante wrote:
>
>> I spent the past two weekends ice diving in vermont, and sleeping
>> in the
>> syncro westy afterwards. It was brilliant! I loved not worrying
>> about a hotel,
>> and the 4wd worked great on the snowy slippery hill we parked on
>> next to the
>> water, especially last Saturday when it snowed 4" or so. I had
>> my -25F down
>> bag with me, even with the temps below zero every night I was
>> toasty as can
>> be.
>>
>> Given that degree of cold, would a propane heater really do much
>> to heat
>> things up? I usually would just sit in the sleeping bag and stow
>> all the
>> curtains, then out for diving. It would have been nice to crank
>> up the heat before
>> getting up, but if it was going to take more than 5 or 10 minutes
>> to warm
>> the bus it would have been wasted.
>>
>> Another question I have is about driving in high winds. The
>> second weekend
>> was better than the first, as I had another person and their gear
>> with me,
>> but I was still being buffeted all over the place. I had thought
>> about putting
>> 15" or 16" tires on, but would that make it even more unstable?
>> Its pretty
>> unpleasant. Would more power have any effect? I was watching a
>> dodge sprint
>> package truck sail along while I felt the rooster on top of a
>> barn, and
>> wondering why he could be so stable, narrow and taller as he is.
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> regards
>> rob infante
>> '87 syncro westy
>> boonton nj
>>
>> btw, last month I had written about my hesitation issues, and the
>> general
>> recommendation was to change the O2 sensor. I did to no effect,
>> and finally
>> had my mechanic sort it out. He found the catalytic converter
>> clogged solid,
>> and changed it out. It has never driven so well in the 10 months
>> I've had it,
>> it goes up the steepest hills doing 50 and has great takeoff and
>> acceleration.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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