Date:         Mon, 7 Dec 1998 11:48:12 +0100
Reply-To:     "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Organization: RRZE (Regionales Rechenzentrum Erlangen)
Subject:      Re: Synchro Wheels and Winch Bumpers
Comments: To: Pat Rabun <sally@ONRAMP.COM>
Comments: cc: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
In-Reply-To:  Msg <366ABBB8.72B42BF6@onramp.com> of 1998-12- 6 11:15:37 -0600
              from sally@ONRAMP.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Good Monday morning everybody,

On Sun, 1998-12-06 11:15:37 -0600, Pat Rabun wrote:

> ...
> 1. Does anyone make a bolt-on winch bumper for the synchro, or must this
> be custom fabricated?

Residing in Europe I can't really answer  your question, but ...  if you
need a custom fabricated bumper you may perhaps want to consider this:

The coolest set-up  for an electrical winch  I've  seen so far  was on a
Dutch Syncro  16".   The winch was  mounted right  above  the front skid
plate in that space where 2WD Vanagons use to have the spare wheel.  The
bumper only contained  the window for the  cable.  That way the winch is
pretty much dirt  protected, can not easily  be  stolen and your  Syncro
isn't suddenly half a foot longer.

And -- but that's  my personal opinion -- a  front mounted winch is more
for Jeeps, Toyotas,  SUVs ... a device  used more for boasting  than for
real work ...  A Vanagon  Syncro is more  or less the underachiever type
...   when you  see one  you won't  put   your money on  it  making that
4WD/high clearance passage ...  But more than once I've seen the jaws of
lookers-on drop  to the  ground  ...  :-).   A  "concealed"  winch would
probably add to the fun ...

Just my two pfennigs worth ...

Sincerely
 Rainer

'89 Caravelle GL Syncro 16"

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