Date:         Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:37:31 -0400
Reply-To:     Michael Townsend <townsend@RTP.ERICSSON.SE>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Townsend <townsend@RTP.ERICSSON.SE>
Subject:      Re: Towing Hitch Solution!!! (LONG)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi,

I too would like to share my positive impression of Dennis' hitch.  I waited
6 months to save up the money and then for Dennis to make a production run.
It was worth the wait -- including the 15 minutes that it took me to unpack
it from the fanatical packing job!  I have a 90 Carat with the plastic
bumpers, so cutting the small slots with a cutting wheel on my drill was
very easy.  I am slower, so I took more than an hour to get the bumper lined
up on the hitch.  (The instructions for the plastic-bumper version have you
mount the bumper to the hitch first, then put it on the van.)  You have to
follow the directions carefully about lining up the bumper on the hitch --
and I got it pretty good but not perfect.  (I recommend a pair of sawhorses
to work on.)   I am still thrilled with the way this bumper looks and
performs.  It also appears to protect my muffler, too!  The 2 inch box is
really 2.25 inch, for tolerance I guess.  Therefore, there is a little
"rattle" unless you want to put 20 coats of spray paint on you drawbar.

Another happy customer,
Michael Townsend

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Shane <s.shane@POBOX.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 1:24 PM
Subject: Towing Hitch Solution!!! (LONG)


>Greetings Volks, A few weeks back I ordered one of Dennis Haynes'
>(dhaynes57@email.msn.com) towing hitches for my 87 Westy.  For those of you
>whom are interested, I would like to share my experience.

snip>>
>After chatting with Dennis, I ordered one up and in about two weeks it
>arrived.  Dennis did a fantastic job packing it, (I mean it was borderline
>fanatical!) and even though it was delivered through the mail, it had not a
>single scratch. (GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION)  This sucker was a brick!  It was
>heavy, solid and very well made, and even came with a flat black finish
that
>makes the hitch almost invisible on the Van.
>
>Installation was simple and other than a few slots that need to be cut in
>the bumper (if you want to reinstall it after installing the hitch) nothing
>required any fancy tools or fancy brains.  You literally just unbolt the
tow
>hooks, slide the hitch in and bolt it into place.  It took my sorry ass
>about an hour to do. (and I'm slow)  The bumper on the other hand may take
a
>little longer, but I want to make sure it is done right since removing two
>small portions are in order.