Making a camping trailer from a Vanagon body...ideas

[j_dirge]

[Xtremjeepn]

[PDXWesty]

Let's go!

_________________
89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[fredn]

You guys should get a room if you want to put tongue weight on each others axles.
_________________
1982 Air Cooled Vanagon Carat Weekender Interior

[Steelhead]

[j_dirge]

How about we bring this back to the topic?

I asked the question about "Where to put axle" because its the one we've asked on custom trailer builds (other applications).
We were lucky in our effort because we could bolt down dual axles and try it out.. move them. Some trial and error.
That won't be so easy on a Vanagon body trailer.

I put down the numbers since they are roughly the "conventional wisdom" in towing with respect to Vanagons (at least the ones I have followed, in my efforts as I explored modifying my Vanagon for heavy-duty towing.)

1000lbs upper limit of trailer weight
100-150lbs upper limit of tongue weight for the Vanagon stock suspension
10-15% tongue weight, general rule of thumb


You have to start somewhere.. like the weight of a Vanagon carcass with rear wheels on OEM control arms. (likely more than 1000lbs?)
With axle at the rear.. that makes for unreasonable tongue weight due to weight distribution, IMO.
So now you're chopping the carcass.. but where and how much? How to do it and place the wheels/axle in an optimal location given the Vanagon-based trailer body

That is where I wanted the conversation to go.(with apologies to the board)

You are right.. More factors in.. Correct where wrong. Discuss. Expand.
And I'll stay out of it.

Now is an excellent opportunity to help the OP, (and others interested), in those aspects of designing/building trailers.


My example was provided to illustrate how ridiculous one can go, if one chooses.
3000lbs all up.. 275lbs tongue weight. It certainly was not optimal towing.
I decided that my vanagon as heavy duty-tow-rig was not going to happen.


Hope this discussion gets back on track.. Am signing off for a week+.. of much needed R&R.
_________________
-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

[0to60in6min]

I like the idea... it's absolutely cool from some of the pics.. nice..

but...

the weight... oh Lord the the weight.. what kind of engine will I need to pull that sexy monster?

[Bruce Wayne]

I have toyed with the idea of converting the whole van to a trailer if the motor goes in mine. yank the blown motor,tranny,gas tank etc. any dead weight basically. leave the aux battery setup,stereo,solar panel etc.

[0cean]

[backyard_cnc]

I am following this thread with interest as I have a 86 tintop that I would like to eventually cut up and make some sort of matching trailer for my westy, a style yet to be determined. I read these statements about max tongue weight of 150 or 200 lbs but no thought to how the van is loaded. I suspect that with a suitable frame mounted hitch higher static weights might be possible especially when you consider that 2 chubby people in the back seat would likely load the rear of the van more than 150 lbs of tongue weight. I have towed a variety of trailers with cars, vans and several motorcycles. My custom built teardrop towed with a Honda Goldwing weighed over 400 lbs loaded and it towed the best with between 70~80lbs of hitch weight and was very stable to speeds in excess of 90mph! Honda does not recommend towing at all! I put approx 20,000 miles on this set-up totally trouble free. I did many experiments with adjusting the tongue weight simply by loading the trailer different. Power aspects aside I personally feel that if a 900lb motorcyle can safely move nearly half its total weight in trailer than surely a 4 wheeled van can safely tow at least 1500 ~2000lbs assuming correct hitch equipment and proper loading and of course excellent brakes. Yes you are gonna be slower on hills but I say build it and try it. Thats what I intend to do.


Gerald

[pedrokrusher]

A eurovan would be more suitable to make a trailor out of it, simply because of the lower rear floor, and I would choose the rear two doors over the rear hatch door.

For the vanagon trailor idea, to make it more usefull in my opinion, you would need to chop off the whole floor out, and make a flat frame. Then weld the rear light valance to the tailgate to make it all open in one piece.
_________________
Pedro
1989 vanagon Karmann Gipsy #652, TDI AFN
1991 vanagon westfalia conversion TDI ALH Silverfox
ex-1989 vanagon syncro passenger Syncrofox (Sold)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=598791&highlight=
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=493964&highlight=speed+aap+trans
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=496589&highlight=carrier+bars
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=506025

[hans j]

[backyard_cnc]

Crosswinds aside, I have learned from towing a large trailer (relative to the tow vehicle) with a motorcycle that tongue weights closer to 20% make for a more stable, less "tail wagging", towing experience. The location of load weight within the trailer not only affects the tongue weight but also plays a factor in the overall feel of the tow. I did many high speed experiments to determine how to load my trailer so that if I pull out to pass at 85mph I didn't have to worry about speed wobbles. While observing safety sometimes you just have to try it out and experiment to see what is possible. Lots of highway tractors with just 425hp towing tens of thousands of pounds so surely your just about 100hp should be able to manage a few thousand if set up correctly.


Gerald

[goffoz]

[AdrianC]

[furrylittleotter]

I really like the idea for the looks but in my opinion it is a very poor candidate. At best, I would cut out the entire chassis and rocker, all the way to the top of the wheel wells and mount the now greatly lightened body on a flatbed utility trailer, this would allow the rear door to open to a flat bed, which is very appealing.

Otherwise you will have a trailer with the axles too far rearward, an uneven floor and it will weigh a ton.

As for carrying spares...replace wear items and do regular maintenance and they are not needed, stow some under seat if you really want to bring some. Disabling a trailer to abandon and keep your van running is not logical.

[goffoz]

[karrol.pl]

Hello, this is my project Camping Vanagon. It was created in 2013, the interior of Westfalia. The color matched to my syncro.

[Jake de Villiers]

very nice! How much does it weigh? Do you know the tongue weight, too?
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[karrol.pl]

The whole without luggage, water, gas and battery 720kg.

Do you know the tongue weight, too?

If I understand the question is pressure on the ball of about 120kg, depending on how much you have luggage in the trunk.


If there is anyone interested, here are photos from the construction trailer

https://picasaweb.google.com/109053278306825383844/ProjektVagonVanagon?authkey=Gv1sRgCO7ioYbUmI2oxQE

Sorry for my bad language:)