Date:         Sun, 10 Dec 2006 22:34:40 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Re: vanagon Digest - 10 Dec 2006 Re traction question from newbie
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Well, I must say after 20 years of living in Wyoming, driving in snow has
lost it's "fun-factor" for me, at least.  I would rather get from point A to
B with the least possible fuss, especially when the ground is cold and wet
with snow..But, now that I know Vanagons are 'challenged' in slick
conditions, I will devise a way to deal with that.  The rest of the Vanagon
experience more than makes up for this minor 'glitch'..
  Some sandbags in the back, a limited slip rear end and some aggressive
narrow snow tires always worked in Wyoming, even in old pick ups with
2wd..so I can cope..Just gotta keep a good head of steam on the hills, I
guess..or drive the Beetle on snowy days...
   I hope this post is done properly. As a newbie, I have not really found
all the ins and outs of this list yet.

  Don Hanson

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Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 9:00 PM
Subject: vanagon Digest - 10 Dec 2006 (#2006-1025)


> There are 6 messages totalling 386 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
> >   4. Newbie, hello all and a question(long)
>
> Date:    Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:35:06 -0800
> From:    Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: Newbie, hello all and a question(long)
>
> Well, truck tire fans won't want to hear the results, but our recent 2
foot
> snowfall gave me a chance to try out three different tire/van combos in
> exactly the same conditions on the same morning with the same driver.
>
> The '91 Westy with the Michelin Agilis was almost impossible to get out of
> the gravel parking area in front of the house. I had to spread gravel
after
> shovelling away the snow. I love driving in challenging conditions but the
> little drive I took through the village was hard work, and I was happy to
> get it safely parked again.
>
> My '84 daily driver with the 195/75-14 Bridgestone Turanza Ts, while still
> lacking traction, was better than the '91, especially after piling all my
> power tools over the engine, and I drove on down to the sailing club
parking
> lot for fun.
>
> Dixie, with the 205/65HR-15 Yokohama Avid H4S' (36psi F/36 psi R)was the
> most fun with a good blend of traction and slippiness, so I toured the
whole
> joint including up and over the southern BNSF crossing.
>
> All three sucked in comparison to My wife's '90 Golf with Yokohama Guardex
> Winters. This is their 5th or 6th winter, and they just plain get it done.
> No drama whatsoever, they just start, stop and corner as long as you're
not
> too violent on the pedals. Almost no fun to drive in the snow at all, if
you
> see what I mean.  Which, I guess, is the point.  :)
>
> John, have you put your tractor on the scale, or are you just guessing?
>
> On 12/10/06, John Reynolds <kayakjr@juno.com> wrote:
> >
> > "All in the weight, weight distribution, and tires."    "1 - To much
> > weight up front."
> >
> > I thought so too, but as he said traction is very poor   "more so than
> > most other 2wd cars and trucks I bring up my drive."
>