Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 17:41:32 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: syncro rollover angle
In-Reply-To: <199804302109.RAA29407@fifth.interport.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Steepest angle for me was getting the driver front wheel to slip into a 1+
foot rut on a very muddy logging road and the rest of the wheels on the
level - sort of! Now I was really scared! I immediatly stopped the truck
(Syncro Double Cab) to look things over before I rolled over. The rear
passanger wheel was 6" off the ground and the driver door would touch the
ground when I opened it! Also I don't think it would have taken much more
to roll it, so it was quite the think to get it out. At this point I think
a conservative 30 deg is what the angle of the dangle was... So to get
unstuck I locked the rear wheels and SLOWLY went in reverse as the driver
rear wheel was 2' from the rut and I didn't what that to go in... this made
things worse but better! The passanger front wheel soon joined the driver
side front wheel in the rut. I think if it wasn't for the two people
sitting in the box to keep the high end down it would have been game over
for the truck. With the two front wheels in the rut is was just a matter
of reversing out of the situation... NEVER NEVER again!!!
At 17:12 4/30/98 -0400, Derek Drew wrote:
>>More serious point, any ideas on side rollover abilities? Getting into more
>
>I have a side angle indicator in the car. I think I ordered it from Desert
>Rat or one of those four wheel drive vendors. I get real nervous and
>careful when it reads 15 degrees. Generally, I stop the vehicle when it
>reads 20 degrees and I begin building up a road surface on the downhill
>side so that I cannot exceed 20 degrees. I think that to get a definitive
>answer, we have to rig up a system to protect the van, and then
>purposefully see the angle at which it really begins to go over. I have in
>mind a test involving stretch 'em straps going back to a tree--or a test
>with a big pile of mattresses on the side on which the van will wish to fall.
>
>Jim Davis and I have had correspondence on this issue, but we have not yet
>solved it.
>
>Generally speaking, the point at which you become afraid is much, much
>earlier than the point at which the van will actually go over. So I believe
>my 20 degree rule is probably much too cautious. On the other hand, 20
>degrees is enought to scare the f--k out of you if you try it yourself.
>
>The value of the indicator is that you can tell yourself that things are OK
>if you have not yet exceeded the 20 degrees. This level of confidence is
>quite calming and valuable.
>
>Front to back I am not so scared. The worst time was once with Dennis
>Haynes when we were trying to drive my van up a steeplet hill. As I recall,
>we were all quite horrified that the van was sitting with the rear hatch
>near parallel the ground behind us--near vertically in the air, kind of
>like a dog on its hind legs--and we had everybody come and stand on the
>front bumper and very gently backed it down. I felt very folish for taking
>such a risk.
>
>>climbing than I used to, going for the mountain goat feel. Odd when the only
>>view you have coming off a steep bit is dirt to the top of the window.
>>Visions on standing it on it's nose. Be nice to traverse a bit every now
>>and then but I am scared sh*#less of rollover. Had some high tilts, and van
>>felt very steady, but it's a hell of a thing to 'work up to'. Worry about
>>differences between pass/drivers side due to the cabinets etc.
>>
>>Also have to cut off the tail pipe a bit, getting beaten badly. Think a
>
>The first thing I do with a new muffler is to sawzall the end of the
>tailpipe off. The tailpipe extender is definitely the ticket. If you design
>up something that will withstand the heat of the exhaust pipe without
>melting let me know.
>
>>nice right angle piece of rad hose up the rear a ways might help in water.
>>Shudder to think what will happen if I stall in deep water and it flows back
>>into the cat.
>
>Very real problem.
>
>>bye, Tim
>>
>_____________________________________________________
>Derek Drew New York, NY & Washington DC
>ConsumerSearch
>drew@interport.net
>212-580-6486 (W)
>212-580-4459 (H)
>
>
-- David Marshall, Quesnel BC, david@volkswagen.org --
-- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KQ --
-- 85 1.8L VW Cabrio, 88 1.6L VW Syncro Double Cab --
-- Volkswagen Homepage http://www.volkswagen.org --
-- USE DAVID@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG WHEN SENDIGN EMAIL --
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