Date:         Tue, 1 Dec 2009 11:10:39 -0600
Reply-To:     greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Registering the Otter
Comments: To: Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <1ed6d210911302006i1d2f7918s3ac7f88820e3fcf7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp="Yes"; format="flowed"

Hi Doug,

I have had my vanagon towed from the front on a couple occasions. The  
tow operator slides the lift under and picks it by the fron wheels and  
away you go. I agree it won't work with a "wrecker" style tow truck  
but they are much less common than flatbeds these days anyway; 9/10  
trucks I see lately have the low-boy style pickup gear.

I wouldn't ever advise towing from the rear, there is WAY too much  
play in the steering. Dad tried it once with a dolly and nearly lost  
the van in the first mile due to the play in the two rubber couplers  
between the steering wheel and the steering box. After that they  
switched it right way around and towed it 600 miles that way without a  
problem.

Front lift towing might be a problem for an automatic transmission van  
going more than 30 miles at more than 30MPH, but not for a standard,  
in my experience. And if it is an automatic it'd take an hour (less if  
you're lucky) or so to disconnect the axles from the hubs and you're  
good to go.

Greg

Quoting Doug Alcock <doug.alcock@GMAIL.COM>:

> The flatbed question is relatively easy --- Vanagons can't be towed
> from the front. If I'm on the side of a highway, I ask for a flatbed
> and usually get the response that 'if you don't need a flatbed you'll
> be charged for it' --- my response to that is ' if you can hookup from
> behind and turn around and get back on the highway don't send a
> flatbed otherwise I need a flat bed' this tends to end the
> conversation. If I'm somewhere where it is easy to hookup from behind
> I won't be fussy. I don't care where you are a flatbed is available
> --- don't ask me how I know.