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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7477
Location: WA/ID
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 Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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| Vanuber wrote: |
| Thanks for all the encouragement guys. My mind is now at ease about a measly 800lbs. Next stop... What hitch to buy? Liking the Burley product. |
Do you want to keep the stock bumper or add new bumpers? The Burely options all work as does the RMW twin peaks bumper.
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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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Vanuber
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2020
Posts: 411
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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| jimf909 wrote: |
| Do you want to keep the stock bumper or add new bumpers? The Burely options all work as does the RMW twin peaks bumper. |
I want to keep the whole van as stock as possible with concealed modifications - so stock bumpers. I think the Burley hitch is the least intrusive I've seen - that is after cutting that notch in the bumper! But looks the most "stock" in the end.
Re: the RMW twin peaks... I've read the powder coat finish on those and the GW bumpers do not hold up very well. What's your experience?
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'85 Westfalia 1.9L
'72 BMW R75/5
'71 BMW R75/5
'02 Subaru Forester 2.5L |
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jismay
Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2010
Posts: 219
Location: Norco, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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I'm happy enough with the weathering of the bumper on mine.
About 2 years ago my van got hit on the rear corner while in my driveway and the bumper wing got bent. Haven't had any peeling of the powdercoat. There IS wear/rusting/etc on the top side, but thats about it after I think 4 years on the van. I just fitted the matching front bumper and no complaints with that wither so far.
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1970 Squareback with 1915cc dual 40idf
1979 Beetle Convertible
1980 Vanagon Westfalia
1989 VW Cabriolet |
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swissarmychainsaw
Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2019
Posts: 279
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 2:26 pm Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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I second the concern about brakes.
I can overheat my brakes frighteningly easily coming down the mountains here (near the Sierras).
I would not be afraid to tow, but trailer brakes would be awesome, and really being thoughtful about descents.
IMHO it does not leave a lot of room for emergency braking.
I don't understand why these are engineered the way they are. |
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2325
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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I'm always surprised how few US trailers have any brakes at all. Even small utility trailers in the EU tend to have mechanical over-run brakes at the very least - as the max speed for trailers without brakes is so low, and tends to be enforced!
_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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jismay
Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2010
Posts: 219
Location: Norco, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Towing 800 lbs with 1.9L WBX |
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California towing laws don't require trailer brakes for anything under 2000lbs!
Whats more scary is the number of RVs flat-towing Jeeps, etc and knowing that a good number of those don't have supplemental brakes installed.
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1970 Squareback with 1915cc dual 40idf
1979 Beetle Convertible
1980 Vanagon Westfalia
1989 VW Cabriolet |
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