Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 22:57:50 -0700
Reply-To: Bruce Ralphs <bar@ISLANDNET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Bruce Ralphs <bar@ISLANDNET.COM>
Subject: Re: Things I have to Do Before I drive to Alaska....
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Hey Scott, we used to rent ours out. Based in Victoria BC. A couple
from France took it all the way to Inuvik and back after criss-crossing
BC in three weeks! Put about 10k kms on it. Made it just fine
overall...except it did seize a water pump in North BC on the way back.
I believe this was just coincidental..but annoying and expensive...a $600
towing job (450kms away from anywhere and had to be towed on a Sunday)
All for an $85 water pump which I had to bus up North.
It came back EXTREMELY dusty but that was propbably due to the Dempster
highway which is mostly gravel. They weren't to take it on that but they
did and claimed a 'language barrier misunderstanding'! I still wonder if
they hadn't gone on the Dempster would the pump have seized? They
certainly would have made it back before it seized based on mileage.
Every cabinet bolt on the van was lose with some of the nuts rolling
around in the cupboards. The power steering pump had lost 2 out of its 4
bolts and was leaking and the resevior empty...due to vibration again.
Amazing they didn't notice the howling coming from the power steering
which seemed to survive. The top of the engine had about 2" of
accumulated dust. The Alaska hiway was just fine aparently.
Any advise...well maybe. I haven't done the trip and want to but I did
have to deal with our unhappy baby when it came back so I'll approach it
from that side.
I noticed the cross member underneath in front of the rear wheels, the
jack/suspension points that hang down in front of the rear wheels on
either side and the whell wells looked as though they'd been gravel
blasted...which indeed they had. I would apply some of the rubbery
undercoating that sprays on prior to the trip and have both front mud
flaps. A front bra is a must. Very little chip damage other than those
areas...a few on the leading edge of the rear wells. The windshield
didn't get a chip!
Bring tools (obvious) but actually check the tightness of various bolts
you can reach at some point. Keep the engine area sprayed clean.
Bring bug spray and make sure your screens are intact. I cleaned about 2
pounds of dead mosquitos out of the upper bed.
Be prepared and allow time for a time-consuming delay...
I may be being overboard but it's certainly what I'd do. I am sure some
abuse came because it was a 'rental' which an owner wouldn't ignore or
do. We, as owners, might drive slower on gravel areas, avoid potholes
and washboards, etc... We'd probably even wash our van regularly.
Anyhow, for what it's worth,
GOOD LUCK, Bruce
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Bruce Ralphs, Victoria, BC '85 Westy, 141K
250-727-7617 '91 Passat, 95K
250-727-7685 fax '83 GTI, 256K
