Possible transaxle issues in Southern Utah (Resolved)

[VeeDubn]

[pbrown]

We made it home thanks to a truck and trailer from U-Haul. Now the transaxle build starts.

Thanks All,
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Patrick Brown

1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF

[bobhill8]

I have used that exact UHaul trailer to haul two different westys. They ride smooth and easy. You won't have any issues with normal driving.
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1986 Westy
1971 Squareback

[vanis13]

[MsTaboo]

[DanHoug]

the trailer likely has inertia brakes but if they are electric and the truck does not have a controller, the Bluetooth brake controllers do work if you have the round 7 pin RV light socket vs installing a controller.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[MarkWard]

I had a wreck flat towing a VW scirocco. Hit a detour on new pavement in the rain. It basically jackknifed and I was looking the direction I was coming from. Tow bar looked like a pretzel. The Scirocco ended up against the side of the tow vehicle. Freak alignment of bad luck. Had nightmares for 6 months. That’s why I own a car trailer with brakes.

[Sodo]

Second time towing is better than first time towing.
Genuine expertise is better than trying to read internet suggestions.

With luck your U-haul technician will be experienced, and not a ‘compliance hire’. Even so, there’s not much experience available anymore.

Front trailer axle at center of the van assures that it has tongue weight.
The truck is empty, so exceeding 10% tongue weight is desirable, to load the rear axle even heavier.

Your biggest concern will be downhills. If you have any trouble on a downhill, move van farther forward.

I highly doubt (all the way) forward is any problem, it might be the simplest answer.
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'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[dobryan]

FWIW, The Vanagon is almost 50/50 weight distribution unless you have a lot of gear hanging off the back.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[vanis13]

The trailer can be nice.

Alternately, you can get the Harbor Freight tow bar attached easily and flat tow the van. Saves you the trailer cost (you still need the truck) and you get to have the tow bar for future.

I did this exact thing from exactly SLC home to Albuquerque.takimg 4 days camping along the way.

I felt like an RVr towing a popup ;-p
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83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace

www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make

[MarkWard]

I haven’t towed with a U-Haul trailer, but have a 2 axle car trailer. I have towed a Vanagon face first. But, it is more important to know the tongue weight and the limit of the tow vehicle. That determines the best overall balance.

You’re probably concerned about the trailer fishtailing on you. And yes, to light a tongue weight contributes to that.

[Abscate]

[pbrown]

We’re renting this trailer.

https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Auto-Transport-Rental/AT/

Should I load the van on back first? I’m concerned about keeping the weight to the front of the trailer.
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Patrick Brown

1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF

[MarkWard]

Sounds prudent. A lot of the clutch advice was likely wishful thinking. Part of traveling in an old VW is learning to listen to them. They are communicating all the time.

I’m always interested in the killer stereos some install. I don’t understand how they can blast music and listen to the van communicating. I have a stereo but never use it underway and when camped, on 1 so as not disturb others.

Sorry your trip got shortened. Good news is you have a story out of it. While uneventful trips are hard to recall, you never forget a breakdown.

[pbrown]

We made it back to SLC. Transaxle is bad. We’ll be renting a U-Haul trailer and truck and heading back to Seattle in the morning.

New symptoms- popping out of 4th gear on highway. Trouble getting to reverse.

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Patrick Brown

1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF

[pbrown]

We’re making adjustments to our schedule so that we can be in Salt Lake City on Thursday.

VW Upfitters is going to take a look.

https://www.vw-upfitters.com/
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Patrick Brown

1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF

[AndyBees]

Besides the OE springs on the Clutch and Brake pedals, I added an extra spring on both pedals for my conversion. Maybe I should have made that clear.

I removed the entire assembly, cleaned, polished, and lubed all moving and stationary parts due to not rebounding adequately for the sensitive Clutch and Brake Switches needed for the Cruise Control of the TDI conversion. Additional springs did help.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.

[MarkWard]

My point was it easy to loose the pedal and can be frustrating to get it back when you haven’t done one before.

[crazyvwvanman]

[AndyBees]

Yeah, Mark my '84 has an extra spring on it. I installed it when doing the conversion project to make sure the clutch switch consistently worked properly per adjustment (cruise control circuit). (Brake pedal too)

We spent a lot of time trying to bleed the air out. I finally determined that it was sucking air on the rebound. Maybe the extra spring contributed to that scenario.

At home, in my garage, I use a power bleeder.

Edited for clarification.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.