Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 1998 10:33:53 -0700
Reply-To:     Craig Standley <cstand@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Craig Standley <cstand@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject:      Re: vanagon off-road capable?
Comments: To: Alistair Bell <albell@uvic.ca>
Comments: cc: Vanagon List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
In-Reply-To:  <199807221647.JAA137166@uvaix7e1.comp.UVic.CA>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I'm getting all kinds of responses like yours.  I guess I better be a
little more careful when I'm out camping.  I've been driving like I had my
old '74.  I have noticed the extra mass when I'm out bouncng around, the
bus felt much more lithe, if I can use that word for a 4500 pound vehicle.
The Vanagon kind of wallows around.

fortunately I haven't spent any time under my Vanagon (knocking on wood
now) so I didn't realize the suspension was that different.  I'm changing
the oil this weekend, I'll have to crawl up further under it and check
everything out.  I need to try and get the heater cables tightenend up,
they are a bit stretched out and when I try to defrost the windshield the
heat comes out on my feet.

Craig

------------------------------------------------------------------
Craig Standley                             cstand@u.washington.edu
University of Washington     http://weber.u.washington.edu/~cstand
Physics
------------------------------------------------------------------

On Wed, 22 Jul 1998, Alistair Bell wrote:

>
> ----------
>
> >Now that I think about it, maybe the drivetrain isn't the same.  I assumed
> >it was because the motor is, but the tranny could be different (although I
> >imagine that for cost reasons it isn't).
> >
>
>
> Hi Craig,
>
> the drivetrain is not the same. Vanagons have  A-arms and coil springs up
> front and trailing arms and coils in the rear. The old torsion bars and
> trailing arms on the loaf contribute (in my opinion) to better off-road
> ability. I'm really quite disappointed in my '82's ability compared to my
> '72, but love everything else about it. There is no doubt that a syncro
> westy would be the answer.
>
>
> Alistair
>