Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 08:40:29 -0800
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject: Re: how much can my camper weigh?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The problem with trailers is stopping with the extra load! Vanagon
brakes are marginal under normal circumstances, and an empty westy
weighs in at about 3500 lbs. You are asking for trouble if you add
another 1400-2000 lbs--it would be like having Vanagon brakes on a Ford
Excursion!
You could consider a trailer with electric brakes, but asking the drive
train to move 5000+ lbs is also above and beyond what these components
were designed for, the clutch in particular.
Keep in mind too that if you overload the rating on the hitch and have
an accident, you will be at fault, and probably be ticketed for
negligent driving or worse.
One summer I towed an 800 lb boat with my '84 Westy on a few short trips
out of Seattle. Never went over 50 mph, had to first gear most hills,
and left plenty of space to the car in front of me. Not fun to drive,
and I had to replace the clutch that fall.
My advice is to reconsider the tent trailers or give up the Vanagon and
get a truck to pull the trailer you want.
"Michael B. Harrnacker" wrote:
>
> I've got a 89 Vanagon Weekender with a hitch that
> attaches to the bumper and the frame. I figure this
> hitch will tow more than the 1000lbs rated for just a
> bumper hitch. My question is: how much more do
> people think this hitch could handle?
>
> My wife and I are looking to get a 12' or 13'
> fiberglass camper (Eriba Puck, Scamp, Casita, Burro,
> or Boler), but some of these campers run into
> 1400-1600lbs. I'm worried that once I add a few
> hundred pounds of camping gear, plus wife and the dogs
> and I'll be asking too much of the hitch and the van
> in general.
>
> What do people think? What should my maximum weight
> for a camper be? Also, we're not interested in a
> pop-up camper so lets just leave those out of the
> discussion.
>
> Mike Harrnacker
> Federal Way, Wa
> 89 Weekender
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Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext 208
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