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Date:         Mon, 30 Oct 2017 15:23:36 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon weights
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CY4PR20MB1303BBE725E510732638B193A0580@CY4PR20MB1303.namprd20.prod.outlook.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Yes, overhang is large since the wheelbase is so short. Vanagon is 181" long with a 97" wheelbase, leaving 84" (7 feet!) extending past the center of the wheels, or 46%. I measured about 39" in the rear and 45" in front.

Contrast that to a more modern van design, like the EVC. It's 204" long with 131" wheelbase leaving 73" overhanging, or 36%. But, the engine is over the front wheels, and the Vanagon engine is behind the rear wheels. This leads to a fair amount of front/rear body rocking on uneven terrain (like speed bumps).

Stuart

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2017 8:07 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Vanagon weights

As some may recall I recently acquired a vehicle weighing system. Scales for all 4 wheels going go the wireless display. Recently I did a suspension upgrade on an 88 Westy using Schwenk Springs and T3 front bushings and stuff. The owner was nice enough to pretty much have it emptied for me as I was doing a lot of interior electrical work. It does have a house battery under the driver's seat. To my surprise the van weighed in at 970 pounds all 4 corners. 3,880 pounds. Adding weight, My 190 pounds going in and walking around, it was amazing to see how the weight gets distributed to at least 3 wheels. Adding shim to the left rear to take out that sagging look also took weight off the left front and threw some 200 pounds on the right front. As I always thought one should not just shim one corner. Now I know. What really surprises me is the front-rear balance. On empty 2WD the front has actually been heavier than the rear. Explains the lack of snow performance.

Dennis


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