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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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 Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:56 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| Made a 600 mile trip yesterday, major weather the whole way. 40-50mph wind gusts, rain, white out snow and ice. At one point climbing a pass, it was so slick we were down to 15mph, 6k rpm and second gear just inching our way up the pass. Super sketch, tire chains and good tires are now on the build list. Also blew the right side high beam fuse in the middle of the snow storm. Installed the correct 55w lamps, dual beam lamps and tail lights outside Walmart late last night. |
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macjack
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2004
Posts: 357
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Yeesh. glad you made it safely. I heard many of the roads in Colorado were also treacherous in this storm.
_________________
87 TDI Syncro Westy
81 Westy (sold)
80 Rabbit Wolfsburg (rolled)
Bike as primary transportation |
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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7466
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| tates1882 wrote: |
| Made a 600 mile trip yesterday, major weather the whole way. 40-50mph wind gusts, rain, white out snow and ice. At one point climbing a pass, it was so slick we were down to 15mph, 6k rpm and second gear just inching our way up the pass. Super sketch, tire chains and good tires are now on the build list. Also blew the right side high beam fuse in the middle of the snow storm. Installed the correct 55w lamps, dual beam lamps and tail lights outside Walmart late last night. |
Any insights on how the high-top handled in the wind v. the tin top, or was the weather too extreme?
Glad you made it safely! What you describe sounds treacherous.
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- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| macjack wrote: |
| Yeesh. glad you made it safely. I heard many of the roads in Colorado were also treacherous in this storm. |
makes one appreciate 4x4 vehicals. 
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| jimf909 wrote: |
| tates1882 wrote: |
| Made a 600 mile trip yesterday, major weather the whole way. 40-50mph wind gusts, rain, white out snow and ice. At one point climbing a pass, it was so slick we were down to 15mph, 6k rpm and second gear just inching our way up the pass. Super sketch, tire chains and good tires are now on the build list. Also blew the right side high beam fuse in the middle of the snow storm. Installed the correct 55w lamps, dual beam lamps and tail lights outside Walmart late last night. |
Any insights on how the high-top handled in the wind v. the tin top, or was the weather too extreme?
Glad you made it safely! What you describe sounds treacherous. |
Thx. Hard to say, when we made the trip to get the naht we drove 7 hours through some massive wind but we were lightly loaded. That trip in the tintop was miserable so I wouldn't say the naht had that much of a difference in the handling.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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erste
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013
Posts: 1110
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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tates,
Loving this thread and your fast progress, keep the updates coming 
How's the aux power setup working out for you?
I think I'm going to copy it apart from the optima shore power thing. Looks like a solid setup and a really clean install. Nice work. |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| erste wrote: |
tates,
Loving this thread and your fast progress, keep the updates coming
How's the aux power setup working out for you?
I think I'm going to copy it apart from the optima shore power thing. Looks like a solid setup and a really clean install. Nice work. |
Thx, haven't had a chance to park the van for over 16 hours so I haven't had a chance to see how long the aux battery will last but so far so good. The arb fridge 12v plug in doesn't seat very well in a regular outlet, apparently that's why arb sells a specific outlet for their fridge.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Brrrrr!!!!
So far so good a little chilly when the temp drops into the teens but the window insulation makes a huge difference.
Developed a squeaking/grinding sound in the rear passenger side drivetrain, hopefully just a peice gravel from all the sanding.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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macjack
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2004
Posts: 357
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| tates1882 wrote: |
the window insulation makes a huge difference.
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That white thermal insulation on the outside of your windshield looks warm. Is that from GoWesty?
_________________
87 TDI Syncro Westy
81 Westy (sold)
80 Rabbit Wolfsburg (rolled)
Bike as primary transportation |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| macjack wrote: |
| tates1882 wrote: |
the window insulation makes a huge difference.
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That white thermal insulation on the outside of your windshield looks warm. Is that from GoWesty? |
from Just Kampers. They fit ok, the slider latches are in the way of the suction cup so those two pieces fit funky.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:20 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Finally decided to brave the 15 degree weather and install a Subaru charcoal canister, I'm hoping this the cure the P0441 cel. The po never connected a charcoal canister period, they had the purge control valve looped to itself. The mount is temp till the weather warms up some.
New tires are in the works, Nokian 225/55r17, I haven't quite decided on which model.
more later
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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h00drat
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2016
Posts: 881
Location: Hood River
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| h00drat wrote: |
Just got caught up on this one. What a great build! I'm a fan of the hightop.
Also funny to see all of the Idaho + Boise talk. I am from Boise as well. Living in Hood River now. Any of your Idaho guys traveling through to Portland aught to stop for a beer. |
Thanks. Funny the amount of people we have came across from Idaho. Next time we are headed that way we will have to swing in.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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erste
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013
Posts: 1110
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| Hey! I just want to say thanks again for posting the high res photos of your aux battery setup. It's one thing to read a wiring diagram, but having good photos of your install helped me out a lot. It's been going strong for two weeks now. |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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| erste wrote: |
| Hey! I just want to say thanks again for posting the high res photos of your aux battery setup. It's one thing to read a wiring diagram, but having good photos of your install helped me out a lot. It's been going strong for two weeks now. |
You're welcome. Glad you were able make it work.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Well headed out monday morning, finally have a clear spot in the weather and new nokian entyre 2.0 tires. Headed south through SLC for a quick meeting(the joys of owning ones own business) then south toward Tucson Arizona. We are gonna play down in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas for a couple weeks so if anyone has some sights that are worth seeing please post.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2017 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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For those on the fence on wether or not a hightop is worth it, heres what mine looks like loaded up.
50qt Arb fridge and water cans.
The upper bulkhead cabinet contains: 1-3'x2' folding table, 1 gci folding table, 2 full size folding camp chairs, sand mat, 2 fleece blankets, 5- 1# bottles of propane, mr buddy heater, small pillow, 6 disc golf, lawn darts, 12"x8"x8" storage containers of parts, 6"x6"x10" storage container, 8 seasons of big bang, book of movies, 2 50mm ammo cans, tarp, etool, 2 hatchets, and still room for more.
The upper bunk/storage area, still have two duffle bags that need loaded.
Rear area, the two boxes are kitchen and food.
Amazing the amount of stuff you can fit, once I get bumpers and swing aways the water, tools, and propane will ride outside.
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Day one in the books!!!! Twin falls, Idaho to muddy mountains 40 miles north of vegas via Saltlake. 17.4 mpg doing 70 mph with 3300 rpm only had to downshift to 3rd twice. Extremely happy with the Nokian tires, less noise, better fuel mileage, and way way more stable. The driver side rear brake is hanging up slightly so gonna have to pull the wheel this morning and take a peek before we head to the Hoover dam.
Still enjoying my coffee, the view, no snow, and of course the peace and quite only the desert has.
The view:
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Drivers side park brake is definitely hanging up. Gonna clean everything up really good and see what happens.
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88 Vanaru, ej22, naht |
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Winning the Vanagon Battle |
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Day two complete!!! Muddy mountains north of vegas to lake havasue city with a stop at Hoover dam. 21.5 mpg, 65 mph and no problems!!
Find the VW!
The view
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