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Hauling a Thing 500 miles
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RENTEDCOW
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Joined: July 17, 2017
Posts: 21
Location: Ohio
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:25 am    Post subject: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

Hello everyone,

Getting ready for the Thing. Rushing to get the garage done in time. Next question. Any tips/suggestions for hauling a convertible Thing 500 miles?

I am thinking that if the weather is good, to keep the convertible top down.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Btw I will most definitely post photos of the trip.

Thanks again for all your future comments ! Alex from Ohio
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williamM
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:49 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

I towed one from Ventura ca to Quartzsite Az with nothing but a tow bar- and the hard top on. They tow like a Baja.- no worries- in neutral, brake off. good to go.

Past tradition was to tow boats with the canvas up. Works good till something starts flapping.
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ALANSD
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:57 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

tow bar worked great for me when I bought my Thing. Top down also. Best of luck for a safe trip!
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77kafer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:40 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

williamM wrote:
I towed one from Ventura ca to Quartzsite Az with nothing but a tow bar- no worries- in neutral, brake off. good to go.


you forgot ignition in the unlocked position
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"
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77kafer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 9:44 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

I towed one from Ft. Riley, KS to NYC, NY (for shipment to Germany), then picked it up in Bremerhaven Germany and towed it to Mannheim Germany with a towbar. No problem at all, even with a blow-out at speed on the left rear tire on the interstate.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"
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doublecanister
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

If your going to towbar or use a trailer,

My thing with the tow-bar and "top up" was good for 70--75 maybe 80mph, coming down the West Va mountains on a return trip once we hit some hi speeds but my truck was buffeting the wind on it, but no problems
and it was a short distance at that speed definitely not the whole trip!

I wouldn't go any faster, I've seen posts and stories of top giving way and ripping off. One I remember of a thing with a nice blue convertible top that got ripped to shreds by the flat bed tow truck driver.

One suggestion was if on a tow truck/flatbed or trailer to haul it backwards with the front window facing the rear so the wind wouldn't cause that.


But if using a tow bar, I've done a few Kubeltreffen trips most in the 1000 to 2000 mile round trip with a 95' F150 4x4 and a tow bar with an extension on the trailer hitch so I could do full hard right or left turns without the truck bumper hitting the THING.
I also had a big mud flap I made so rocks wouldn't eat the front end of the THING and I used cardboard & blue tape on the windshield and other surfaces to minimize rock chips.

Battery disconnected
Key ON
Steering wheel free to turn
Had a bungee on the steering wheel to the seat to minimize wobble,
not super tight.
Allowed me to back up a tad bit, BUT backing up can bend the tow bar so heed the warning (don't back up unless it's a dire emergency)
I tried to plan on every turn or gas station entry to be able to get in and out without backing up.
Transmission in neutral - I even removed my "hurst" shifter so the weight wouldn't cause it to go in gear on a bump. (checked it at every stop too).
Hooked up some temp trailer lights
Got a "Thing in tow" sign.
Safety chains on the THING and the truck in a X pattern, long enough to aid in turns but not drag the ground (bungees or tie wraps can support if too long).

I've got a post on setting this up (would need to search for it) but I posted up some photos on my first time.

Good luck and hope this helps. if I can find the post i'll add it.

T

PS: found my original link:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
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RENTEDCOW
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

Thanks everyone. With locked up brakes, and dry rot tires this Thing will be definitely be towed on a trailer.

Thanks Alex from Ohio
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Banker
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:57 am    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

RENTEDCOW: Did you get it home?
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77kafer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Hauling a Thing 500 miles Reply with quote

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=684415
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"
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