Date:         Wed, 26 Apr 1995 12:43:17 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         eugp@uclink3.berkeley.edu (Eugene C. Palmer)
Subject:      Re: towing

>I was wondering if anybody had any experience with towing any VW bus or
>truck.  I am seriously considering buying an old 1958 split window
>doublecab.  It is in pretty rough shape at the moment.  I am currently at
>college, and would like to tow it home (about 600 miles away).  Where could
>I get a tow bar cheap? (uhaul?)  How much strain would the VW put on the
>tow vehicle?  What would I have to check before leaving so something like a
>wheel doesn't fall off?  Would there be a problem of the wind blowing the
>VW around?  I would have to traverse the 5 mile mackinaw bridge, which is
>usually extremly windy.  Also, as a side note, I was wondering what parts
>place or catolog is a good source of parts for the older bus's.  Thanks for
>any help.
>sincerely,
>derek harris
>

Ah, yes, some experience, some of this is not relevent to your needs, but
here's my story:

I once had to tow my '63 back to the Bay Area from Oregon.  Broke an exhaust
valve at 75 mph, pulled over in seconds.  Hitched to the nearest town, got a
ride to the airport.  Took a taxi to U-Haul, picked up a van and tow dolly
for the incredible price of $250 for the trip to Berkeley.  I guess the cost
back is lot less than the cost out because that same trip would have been
about $750 the other direction.  Drove the van/dolly out to the highway
about 12 miles down the road and were back at the van within 1 1/2 hr.  We
were sitting pretty.  Went to push the van up the ramp for the front wheel
tow.  Had the two women pushing and me in the drivers seat, umph, clanka,
roll back, not quite enough umph.  I went to push and sweetie takes the
drivers seat, she asks " is there anything I need to do?"  I respond "no,
just keep it straight, the bumper will stop it"  Umph, up we go, pushing
hard, clanka clanka clanka WHAM.  Huh?  Look up front, gee guess the
"bumper" didn't stop it, it's only about 2" high and angled at that, me push
too hard and she didn't hit brake like I told her to.  We rolled the thing
right off the front of the dolly and were now in for two more hours of hard
fight to get it back on the dolly.  Ugh.  Finally a transportation truck
stopped with a large enough jack to pick it up high enough for all five of
us to, without the road wheels on, toss it back onto the dolly.  Drove ten
miles without the road wheels, then put them back on one at a time and
headed on our way feeling very stupid.  We were there, but added on three
hours with this mishap.  The rest of the drive was cake, with
air-conditioned cab, auto-trans, even the wind wasn't really noticable.

Moral of the story; hit the brake at the top of the ramp.

U-haul requires the use of a good strong tow vehicle for their dollys, they
wouldn't let us use anything smaller than their 14' van.


Story number two:

I helped a friend drive a van and his split window bug back to the east
coast from SF one winter.  We set on our way in the dead on winter when
trucks were belching dark diesel clouds and freezing up bad on the highway,
it was 25 below through Wyoming.  After the midwest as we were headed for
Chicago, we were signalled by a passing car to look back at the bug.  We
pulled over and ran back to find the engine ON FIRE!  Well, by now it was
mostly out, but the case was red hot and you could see the innards from a
big hole in the top of the case.  Got a bad burn by picking up a shard of
steel, a rod I think, oops.  The gas tank was empty.  It had popped into
gear and was driving the engine, fuel pump and all for probably hundreds of
miles.

Moral of the story;  disconnect the shift linkage, make sure it's in neutral
and will stay there.

For a front wheel tow dolly you understand that the old bus will still have
it's reduction gears running, and the differential gears as well, make sure
it's properly lubed, and even drain and replace the oil if it's been sitting
around.  After the '63 got back from Oregon, the trans never felt the same,
I'm sure some damage was done in the tow.  Ideally, but unlikely, use a tow
with the whole car up on the truck.  It is conceivable that you might want
to rip the reduction gears apart and remove the top gear from the drive
shaft for the tow, leaving only the stub axle running, no brakes or other
innards.  Alot of work, but it will familiarize you with a part of your new
bus you will need to understand. 

Sincerely,
Eugene
'71, but I've had '63, '65, '67