Date:         Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:31:18 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon weights
In-Reply-To:  <037701d351cd$bb534b20$31f9e160$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

It's also pretty heavy out at the very tip of the front with all the steel
crash protection structures.
Edward

On Mon, Oct 30, 2017 at 6:23 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yes, overhang is large since the wheelbase is so short. Vanagon is 181"
> long
> with a 97" wheelbase, leaving 84" (7 feet!) extending past the center of
> the
> wheels, or 46%. I measured about 39" in the rear and 45" in front.
>
> Contrast that to a more modern van design, like the EVC. It's 204" long
> with
> 131" wheelbase leaving 73" overhanging, or 36%. But, the engine is over the
> front wheels, and the Vanagon engine is behind the rear wheels.  This leads
> to a fair amount of front/rear body rocking on uneven terrain (like speed
> bumps).
>
> Stuart
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Dennis Haynes
> Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2017 8:07 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Vanagon weights
>
> As some may recall I recently acquired a vehicle weighing system. Scales
> for
> all 4 wheels going go the wireless display. Recently I did a suspension
> upgrade on an 88 Westy using Schwenk Springs and T3 front bushings and
> stuff. The owner was nice enough to pretty much have it emptied for me as I
> was doing a lot of interior electrical work. It does have a house battery
> under the driver's seat. To my surprise the van weighed in at 970 pounds
> all
> 4 corners. 3,880 pounds. Adding weight, My 190 pounds going in and walking
> around, it was amazing to see how the weight gets distributed to at least 3
> wheels. Adding shim to the left rear to take out that sagging look also
> took
> weight off the left front and threw some 200 pounds on the right front. As
> I
> always thought one should not just shim one corner. Now I know. What really
> surprises me is the front-rear balance. On empty 2WD the front has actually
> been heavier than the rear. Explains the lack of snow performance.
>
> Dennis
>