Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:12:37 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Hitch install
In-Reply-To: <005701c6d6e5$a01f52a0$6500a8c0@notebook>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Here is the story with the broken tow hooks.
My '87 Syncro Westy was equipped with a tow hook mounted hitch, made by
Reese.
In 1993, we headed from New York to Alaska. On the way there we stopped at a
Camping World in Michigan and they had on sale a "Wheel less trailer"
luggage carrier. They offered a really good deal on the display model. I
thought this was great alternative to the one wheel trailer I was using at
the time. I didn't take the trailer on this trip due to distance, tolls, and
the rough roads I knew I would be traveling on. This luggage carrier seemed
like the perfect solution.
Camping World sent me to custom hitch fabricator where I had a receiver box
welded onto the Reese hitch. Went back and placed the carrier on the hitch.
Wired up the lights with a converter and all looked good. The carrier
weighed about 65 pounds, empty.
While traveling noticed that the box did flex so we decided that we would
only use the carrier for light stuff like clothes and other stuff. Maybe 100
pounds total.
A few thousand miles later, we were driving up the Dalton Highway or Haul
Road to Prudhoe Bay. We stopped at night at the Cold Foot truck stop. Next
morning we go to pull out and we hit a large bump in the camping area that
gave the van a really good jolt. Noticed excessive engine vibration so
stopped and went to check things out. The luggage carrier had fallen at a
weird angle. I found the front of the receiver box jammed into the muffler
and the tow loops on both sides had cracked. I went to lift the box to see
what was moving and one of the cracked loops broke completely and the box,
hitch and all fell to the ground. We had to finish the rest of the trip with
that box and hitch inside the van. Each night we took it out to camp and
each day we stuck it back in.
That was the basis for the hitch design.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Bennington [mailto:rich.bennington@charter.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 11:35 PM
To: 'Dennis Haynes'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Hitch install
<
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Dennis Haynes
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 3:42 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Hitch install
The main reason I designed my hitch was the experience of having the tow
hooks snap and dropping a luggage carrier. Luckily I was in a campground
when it fell.
While the tow mounted hitches are suitable for towing small loads, the
twisting action of any overhung load flexes the tow loops and will also
stretch out the mounting holes on the chassis rail. My hitch addresses both
those issues.
>
How much were you towing(really, how much tongue weight)? And which hitch?
Did it have a center mount besides the tow hooks? I've seen some that don't,
which causes way extra torque applied right to the the holes you mention due
to the twisting action you mention. Still, with tongue weight supposed to
be 10-15% of the load, we should be talking about 100-150 lbs. I'm over
that, and standing on mine, it doesn't move one bit. I wouldn't go
overboard on it, though, for the reasons you mention.
<
The Vanagon drive line and cooling system handles towing quite well. I have
towed Vanagons but I do not recommend it. The limiting factor is brakes and
most states require brakes, some with trailers as light as 1,000 pounds.
>
I'm with you on the brakes - but I sure wouldn't give my vanagon
transmission and engine much load at 160K miles (manual transmission). Most
serious tow packages on trucks have transmission coolers(automatics) and
"super engine cooling", which is increased capacity. And the torque is
typically in the 300-600 ft-lb range. And most 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton truck
mfgs. have very low tow ratings for manual transmissions -- you have to buy
the automatics for serious towing. So even with electric brakes, and your
hitch, you still can't (shouldn't) tow much with a vanagon.
--Rich
