Date:         Wed, 7 Jul 1999 01:31:05 EDT
Reply-To:     SyncroHead@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Davis <SyncroHead@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Towing a Vanagon
Comments: To: alain@intergate.bc.ca
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

In a message dated 7/6/99 4:59:24 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
alain@INTERGATE.BC.CA writes:

> I am getting ready to leave for the Queen Charlotte Islands in northern
>  BC and would like to know how the Westy can be towed. I have heard of a
>  4 by 4 piece of wood to put somewhere in the front... and that it could
>  not be towed for a long distance... Are my assumptions right? I have a
>  1991 westy with a manual transmission.

With my rearrangement and paraphrasing the Bentley manual says:

ALL VANAGONS: (My advice here. Bentley doesn't exactly say this, but they'd
probably agree)
"Towing" on a flatbed truck or flatbed trailer is the preferred method for
all Vanagons.

A. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:
1. Towing with only FRONT wheels on the ground:  Lock the wheels with an
external wheel lock device.  Do NOT rely on the steering column / ignition
switch lock.  No speed or distance recommendation is mentioned in Bentley.
2. Towing with only REAR wheels on the ground:  Tow van at up to 30 MPH for
up to 30 miles.  Use dollies to lift rear wheels if these limits must be
exceeded.
3. Towing with ALL FOUR wheels on the ground:  Tow van at up to 30 MPH for up
to 30 miles.  Driveshafts may be removed if these limits must be exceeded.

B. MANUAL TRANSMISSION ( two wheel drive):
1. Towing with only FRONT wheels on the ground:  Lock the wheels with an
external  wheel lock device.  Do NOT rely on the steering column / ignition
switch lock.  No speed or distance recommendation is mentioned in Bentley.
2. Towing with only REAR wheels on the ground:  Tow van at up to 50 MPH for
up to 50 miles.
3. Towing with ALL FOUR wheels on the ground:  Tow van for unlimited speed
for unlimited distance.  (Yes, the Bentley book actually says unlimited
speed.  I can just hear the phone call now: "Well, I was towing the Vanagon
behind the Blue Flame out here on the Bonneville Salt Flats and.....")

C. MANUAL TRANSMISSION ( Syncro, All Wheel Drive):
1. Towing with only FRONT wheels on the ground:  NEVER! (Unless I suppose
you've disassembled part of the drive train to prevent problems!)
2. Towing with only REAR wheels on the ground: NEVER! (Unless I suppose
you've disassembled part of the drive train to prevent problems!)
3. Towing with ALL FOUR wheels on the ground:  Tow van for unlimited speed
for unlimited distance.  (Yes, unlimited speed.  See comment above in C-3.)

My comments:
When towing with all for wheels on the ground, make sure the steering column
ignition switch lock is unlocked.