Date:         Fri, 13 Oct 1995 10:15:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@PO2.GI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trailer-towing w/bus...


>> Can I tow is the question!
>
>We used to tow a trailer with up to three motorcycles behind a '72 with
>its 1700cc engine.  No problems mostly.


I used to tow bugs behind my '69 bus ('74 1600cc bug engine, dual port)
many years ago in Colorado. Nothing ever broke. In fact, at one point
I towed a '72 bus from Dillon to Denver, 70 miles from 9,000 feet to
11,000 feet and back down to 5,000 feet. I believe the '72 I was towing,
weighed more than the '69 I was towing it with. Used a thick single-bar
tow hitch that attached to the rear bumper mounts only, one bolt on each
end. Yes, the tow uphill was real slow, 2nd gear all the way up a 7%
grade, dropping down into 1st when I approached altitudes where aircraft
pilots are required to use oxygen.

Mind you, I don't necessarily recommend or endorse doing this. I certainly
exceeded the design limits of the bus and the tow hitch, and only by the
grace of God and some damned good, conservative VW designers did I avoid
becoming part of the landscape through breaking off a hitch or whatever.
I was young and foolish. I'd like to duck and say "All's well that ends
well". Except next time it might not. And if I had had to slam on the
brakes or swerve quickly during those esacpades, I might have really
regretted it.

In fact, I did have to replace a cracked head shortly after towing a
Sunbeam Alpine from Colorado Springs to Ft. Collins-- about 100 miles
over upsy-downsie terrain. What a surprise.

BTW, if you open the engine hatch while you drive, your sadly-abused
engine will run cooler. But sometimes cops don't like it 'cuz they can't
see your plate.

 -Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com   '71 VW Transporter which I would never do
                                that to