Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 22:51:55 -0400
Reply-To: Todd Olson <todd.olson@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Todd Olson <todd.olson@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Small gear trailer for vanagon- any ideas?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Jason,
I researched trailers for two years before buying the Aluma AE46 three years
ago. It has been the greatest trailer I have ever owned. It is all aluminum,
light weight and fits perfectly behind my Vanagon Westy. It has excellent
ground clearance and has the same axle width and overall width of the van so
it just looks like it was custom made for it. They come in many colors. I
picked out a deep red that is a close match to the Red of my 87 Westy. The
tongue is even the perfect length to jackknife the trailer in a 90 degree
"L" shape for camping. The diamond plate aluminum top is the perfect height
to use as a work surface for cooking or setting things on. It is nice
because the top opens up to allow access to everything inside instead of
rear doors that you have to either climb over everything or take everything
out. I have also mounted a Yakima bike rake on the aluminum bars on top. A
cool and unexpected thing is the hatch struts are strong enough to hold two
bikes and the rack up in the air so you can get in the trailer without
unloading the bikes. Feel free to contact me with questions, I would be glad
to help. Or if anyone would like to see pictures just let me know. It is the
second best accessory I have ever had on my bus. Of course the first is a
Westy package! :-)
They are manufactured in Iowa but they have dealers all over the country.
Before you buy one I would suggest talking to Bernie at Trailer World in
Fort Dodge Iowa because he might be able to save you money. He buys direct
from the factory and then to you. He saved me $500 over my local dealer. If
you live outside Iowa these trailers go to a distributor and then the dealer
and then to you. That typically adds $500 to the price of the trailer. A
friend from Canada purchased one through Bernie and then had it delivered to
Michigan so he could pick it up at Buses By the Beach and saved around $700.
Click on the link and then scroll down to see pictures of the AE46:
http://www.alumaklm.com/sections/pictures.php
I purchased mine at:
Bernie
Fort Dodge Trailer World, Inc.
2475 235th Street
Exit 124 Highway 20
Fort Dodge, IA 50501-8465
515-972-4554 Office
515-408-4285 Cell
515-972-4606 Fax
Hours: Tue-Fri 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sat 9:00AM to Noon
www.fortdodgetrailerworld.com
Wishing you many miles of smiles!
Todd Olson
Buses By the Beach.com
Coming Events:
Bus Benefit! May 15th - 18th 2008 Grand Rapids, MI
Bus Boo! September 12th - 14th 2008 Grand Rapids, MI
For more information go to: www.busesbythebeach.com
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 19:54:46 -0400
From: Roger VanTill <motelvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Small gear trailer for vanagon- any ideas?
A coupleof friends have these.
http://www.alumaklm.com/sections/products/template_new.php?product_id=10
<http://www.alumaklm.com/sections/products/template_new.php?product_id=10&pr
oduct_category=2> &product_category=2
On 5/26/08, JR Denton <jasondenton@comcast.net> wrote:
> Does anyone pull a small cargo trailer for your extra gear? I am
looking for ideas on a getting a small (weather tight) trailer to put the
extra gear in and possilbly mount a rack on it for bikes. I saw one
today on the highway behind an SUV but cant find much on google serches.
Light weight would be the goal.
>
> Thanks, Jason
>
> 91 Westy
> Seacoast NH
>
--
Roger
'89 Westy "The Moose Lounge"
'86 GL Sugaree
'81 L CoJack (For Sale)