Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 12:02:02 -0500
Reply-To: "James R. Gilbert" <cb541@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "James R. Gilbert" <cb541@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU>
Subject: Towing a pop-up camper
Somebody (sorry, short term memory) asks about towing a
small pop-up camper with a '87 4 speed vanagon.
Right. I did, last summer. A 6700 mile, over the Rockies
trip. OH to GA to FL to GA to CO (western slope) and back to
OH. 6700 miles in 31 days. Quite a trip. Fun.
It was abuse to the vanagon. Our camper was 2200 lbs,
weighed in Grand Junction CO. The van at that time was 4000
lbs, loaded for four and our trip. From GA to Orlando, and
back to GA, we had 7 people, all the stuff. Probably another
600 lbs. That's 6800 lbs, we had. At one time, going sorta
downhill, I got in a 85 mph passing situation.
From the above, I hope you see at least some of what I did
isn't recommended. The owner manual says tow up to 1200 lbs
unbraked and 1200-1800 lbs braked. I would recommend
following the owner manual. Our camper is unbraked and we
had serious brake fade going down some of the Rockies
slopes. Up Eisenhower pass, going west, in the berm, going
10, engine oil light, over heating, about to blow. I'm
really pleased we made it home. At 148000 miles (got home
form trip at about 132000) the engine was about to blow,
rods knocking, valves tapping. Now new engine, $4000 at
local garage with some 50-65 year old mechanics I trust. The
50 year old mechanic said the guy who re-built my engine
(new crankshaft, cam shaft, bored cylinders, a lot) said the
guy who re-built my engine was re-building VW engines when
He was a kid. I don't wanna put down the younger, but I
sorta like experience a bit. Engine cost $2200, so it was
$1800 for labor and all the extra parts that have to be put
in when an engine is replaced. I digress.
My new engine. We still have that pop-up. I would really
like to have electrically operated brakes on the camper
(there is a sorta 'reaction' kind of camper brake that
operates when the camper pushes against the car/van, can't
back up a hill with those.)
Where was I. I'd never try the Rockies again, with this rig.
Abuse, pure and simple. The low Allegehnies (sp?) probably I
would, but take it easy. Any driver on the super highway
(the asphalt one), watch the temp gauge, if it goes above
the middle, let off, slow down, turn on the heater.)
Oh, yes, we came back thru Kansas in 105 F heat, with the
heater on and no AC.
So, as you can see, I'm uhm. well, not advisable. And your
'87 Vanagon should do ok under 1800 lbs, take it easy, and
realize that such use borders on abuse, in my case frank
abuse.
Russ
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