Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:46:16 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Towing an Automatic Vanagon. Cutting the drive axles?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
I had the same thing happen.
I went to rent a two wheel tow dolly to tow a dead vanagon 6 miles on level
ground.
Wasn't u-haul, but the rental place flat would not let me use either my
turbo volvo sedan, or my older Mercedes with their dolly.
Had to do it my old fashioned way. Rig up my tow bar set up, tow it on all
4 wheels.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike" <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: Towing an Automatic Vanagon. Cutting the drive axles?
> U-Haul will ask what the tow vehicle is, and if they don't like the
> towing
> vehicle weight versus the towed vehicle (including trailer or dolly)
> weight
> ratio, they won't allow the rental. Sometimes they'll say "OK" over the
> phone, then when you arrive and they inspect the towing vehicle, they
> disallow the rental. Ask me how I know. You can go to thier website and
> put in different vehicle combinations, to see if it'll be a UHaul approved
> combo, before you attempt to do the rental.
> Basically, the towing vehicle has to be heavier than the towed vehicle
> plus dolly or trailer. It's very dangerous to attempt to tow with a
> lighter
> vehicle. IMHO, it's VERY dangerous to tow practically anything of any
> great
> weight with an empty pickup truck or van; they're so light in the rear,
> that
> a heavy trailer will easily unload the rear axle and overtake the pickup
> in
> heavy braking or fast cornering. Again, ask me how I know.
> They simply can't afford to be liable or responsible for knowingly
> allowing ignorant people to do stupid things with their equipment.
>
> Mike B.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 7:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Towing an Automatic Vanagon. Cutting the drive axles?
>
>
>> Uhaul is now offering me a full car hauler (all 4 wheels off the ground).
>> They didn't give me that option before, but i have it reserved for
>> tommorow,
>> and i'm bringing my air pump and come-along to get the thing on the
>> trailer.
>> Then, the "Two Week Westy Conversion" begins!!
>> : )
>>
>> Who wants parts?
>>
>> -Craig
>> '85GL (Soon to be WESTY!)
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 11:23 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> You still got off cheap. Imagine if someone was injured.
>>>
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>>
>>> From: "Jim @ work" <jrasite@EONI.COM>
>>>> Reply-To: "Jim @ work" <jrasite@EONI.COM>
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: Towing an Automatic Vanagon. Cutting the drive axles?
>>>> Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:04:37 -0700
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> You obviously have only three choices:
>>>>
>>>> 1.) remove the half shafts and dolly it.
>>>> 2.) rent a trailer (will require a "real" truck) and trailer it all
>>>> four
>>>> wheels off the ground. (Number 1 above really ought to include a "real"
>>>> truck as well. You're moving about 4500 lbs. I would want something
>>>> with
>>>> equal or better weight to tow with.)
>>>> 3.) hire it done.
>>>>
>>>> Well, maybe a fourth choice...
>>>>
>>>> 4.) go to where van is and remove what you want. Call local boneyard
>>>> to
>>>> come pick up the remains.
>>>>
>>>> Having put my Westy on its roof trying to save a few bucks, I would
>>>> strongly
>>>> recommend options 2, 3, or 4.
>>>> My effort to "save a few bucks" has thus far cost me:
>>>> $300 to put the Westy back on its wheels and drag it 8 miles home.
>>>> $300 for a replacement top.
>>>> $500 to the metal bender to put the tailgate hole back to square.
>>>> $150 for a different tailgate.
>>>>
>>>> Still to come:
>>>> paint. driver's door.
>>>>
>>>> Calling a hook would have been a bargain.
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>>
>>>
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