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Date:         Mon, 22 Oct 2007 07:25:26 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: towing a van?
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <000501c814b6$a5d719c0$63b2d8d1@laptop>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

This is worth a wiki article for those, like Don, who are on limited bandwidth connections. The wiki is supposed to be able to be dumped on a CD before heading out on a trip (Sudhir? does this work?). Could be handy to have onboard.

If anyone wants to also address towing an automatic tranny version, too, just email the words to me so as not to tie up Don's connection or hijack the thread.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano KG6RCR

On 10/22/2007 7:19 AM Don Hanson wrote:

> This is probably 'archived', but my dial-up (remember that?) internet > connection here in the back country of the northwest is so slow that it'd > take all day to find it...So.. > > Any input on towing an 84 manual trans vanagon for a long trip? I have a > couple of tow bars, one I used to tow a Datsun king cab pickup to La Paz, > Baja behind a huge motor home...(I'll never drive one of those down Baja Hwy > 1 again!) and another lighter one I used to tow my Beetle around behind my > F250 Ford 4X4. The Beetle-specific one is probably a little frail for the > weight of the vanagon. The other was built to tow a full size pickup, so > that would probably be best..but is there an anchor point of choice for > vanagon towing? > I have a set-up of lights that I string along the outside of the towed > vehicle, so wiring into the van's taillights is not a concern. Is there a > way to block out the steering column/ignition lock? Or, should I just > disconnect the batteries and leave the key in the ignition like I used to do > with the Datsun? (the Beetle had no steering lock) > I am contemplating taking the Vanagon along as a "tool trailer" this > winter when I head south from Oregon to the desert Southwest. About 1500 > miles each way, hauling my carpentry tools so I can work a little while I am > there for a few months...Since diesel fuel is coming up on $4 per gallon, > I'll be trying to utilize my truck as a work vehicle now and towing the > Vanagon as a "tool trailer", then transferring the tools into the truck for > work use. Once there, the van can resume it's function as transportation > and camp vehicle. > Thanks, > Don Hanson >


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