Date:         Tue, 14 Jul 1998 06:50:27 -0700
Reply-To:     Shawn Wright <swright@MAIL.SLS.BC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Shawn Wright <swright@MAIL.SLS.BC.CA>
Subject:      Re: 2WD sand capabilities?
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
In-Reply-To:  <3.0.32.19980713083600.00b6c220@po-2.openmarket.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

I would be very cautious also - the only times I've had our 2WD Westy stuck
are in sand and once on hard packed, rutted snow.

The icy snow was no big deal, but the sand required another vehicle to pull us
out. I probably could have managed, but didn't feel like digging, and we were
with friends. The rear of a Westy can dig in amazingly fast if you stop in sand,
then try to start again, especially in reverse.

> Dear Patrick,
>
> I just went for an extensive stroll in the sand on Duxbury Beach MA this past
> weekend with my Syncro Westy with 27"x8.5" BFG All-Terrains. Even with the
> Syncro, the sand has a way of "getting you in a rut" at the most inopportune
> times. However, rocking  the vehicle between Reverse and Low easily got me
> out of two minor "incidents".
>
> The moral of the story is even  8.5" tires aren't optimal for such a heavy vehicle
> in the sand. More like it would be 9.5" floatation tires. However, I'm satisfied
> with the BFG's for now. I personally would never take a 2-wheel drive Westy on
> the beach  after my experience. (not looking for flames here -- I'm sure some of
> you have!)
>
> Cheers,
> MJS
>
>
> At 09:24 AM 7/11/98 -0800, Todd Francis wrote:
> >Patrick Foltz wrote:
> >>
> >> Anyone have any sand experience with a 2WD westfalia?  It's almost
> vacation
> >> time and I'd like to scoot out to Cape Fear where the trail is sand, mostly
> >> packed but with a few stretches of deep.  I'm thinking about a spare set of
> >> wheels with wide tires at low pressure, but hopefully someone has
> experience
> >> and can tell me if I'm wasting time or will be ok.
> >>
> >> thanks, patrick
> >
> >I have taken my 85 Westy down to Baja. It is only sand and rocks there.
> >I had to be very careful around the sand. I would get stuck in it very
> >easily with my stock size tires. These vehicls are very heavy compared
> >to the rubber they wear.
> >--
> >Todd Francis           Ridgefield, Washington USA
> >'86 Westy Syncro
> >'91 Tristar
>
>
>
> Michael J. Sullivan
> Director of Catalog Design
> Open Market, Inc.
>
>
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