How much have you towed?

[MaxVanagon]

How much have you towed with your standard Vanagon (and what was the engine 1.9, 2.1?)

I want to get a hitch and trailer for my 1.9 Vanagon. (Hitch recommendations based on your experience are welcome.) Not trying to tow 5,000 pounds.

The trailer I'm lookin at is limited as 1,990 pounds. That's the total weight of the trailer and the additional cargo.

Has anyone towed something like this? I ain't trying to go 70 mph or fill it up to the top, but that's the trailer capacity and i can't find a weight rating on my Vanagon for towing. I already have a hitch that says it can handle that trailer if I buy it but was lookin for some people with experience on their standard Vanagon without a super plus engine.

Thanks anyone out there who has something to say about what they done and what Vanagon they done it with.

[dart330]

Check out my thread of setting up the wiring for my RMW hitch. I towed a 2k pound trailer all over the Ozarks last summer.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=738436

70 mph no problem on the flats, 50 mph in 2nd gear in the hills. Stock 2.1L automatic. Trailer has electric brakes.

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Driving a 90 Carat since 2014

Previous Buses: 59 Westy, 60 Westy, 74 Bus, 82 Westy, 85 Westy, 87 Syncro
Checkout my Syncro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSWhLS7jLY

[DuncanS]

Yes, a 1.9 will tow that...................at half your normal speed until your 3/4 slider fails at which point speed drops to 0 as does the value of your tranny for a rebuild. Anything over probably 800# total weight will be risky for long term reliability. I've lost 2 trannys to towing and now have a super tranny. It doesn't have to be towing either. Heavy loads and hills will create the same failure.

[Sodo]

The main problem towing with a Vanagon is the age and (likely) neglect of the transaxle.

Yes there’s the 3rd/4th slider hub problem.
Your hub is likely cracked. They last about 125-175k miles.
They last awhile with one crack, less when theres 2 cracks.
Tow truck at 3 cracks.
Towing with an old vanagon is dicey, burns the candle brighter…
Unless it was recently rebuilt and you know it has a new (modern) hub.

Heres the other detail.
VW said not to change the gear oil and (likely) most owners complied.
There are no service items in the Bentley beyond 90,000 miles.
Many Vanagons are towards 200k, 2nd 3rd and Big engines, and owners are STILL complying.l

If owners would have maintained gear oil with normal prudence in the first 100k
(dump the break-in trash at 600 miles then thereafter every 30k),
And replace the hubs, bearings at 100-150k…. Vanagon transaxles would last “forever”.

The hub problem is a KNOWN problem, but people think you have to drive it until it's destroyed.
This is utter foolishness but it's a popular Vanagon custom.
You should rebuild somewhere around 125-150k while the trans is still quiet.

Aside from the broken hub problem, there is also a “Vanagon custom” of driving it until it "makes noise".
Which destroys whats left.
So even if you have a rebuilt - the parts were likely driven noisy and don’t have much life remaining.

Every mechanic knows what "noise" means but they keep mum when i comes to transaxles, as if transaxles are some black art, where a magician erases the effects of driving it around while a mechanical item 'makes noise'.
Thus it's OK to keep driving the car if it makes noise.
Foolish driving with engine noise, but no prob if it's the trans.
I did it, I was 'with the times'
def had my finger on the pulse of Vanagon mechanical tomfoolery.
I PAID the price.

Anyway back to your question.
The vans could probably tow back in the ‘80s.
And the few (very few) that were maintained probably could tow in the ‘90s and the ‘oughts.

But that horse has left the barn.

The only saving grace you have is the mention of the WBX which can’t beat the old man as hard as the feller who thinks “a big engine makes a tow vehicle”.

Just because someone towed with an old vanagon trans doesnt mean yours has sufficient headroom remaining.
Or the other feller either.
He’s not gonna call you up and tell you his tranny bit the dust he’s gonna keep mum.

But there are times you need to tow.
I’d use 1000lbs as a max, don’t go fast or far.
And certainly don’t tow unless you’ve been maintaining your antique and your magnet has been coming out clean.
Knowledge of your transaxle condition comes with maintenance.
If you have been maintaining it, you will know if its clean.

A big hairy magnet is trashed bearings.
It’s over.
Don’t even drive it much less tow.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[csebern]

I use my 1987 Syncro Doka to tow all the time. Purchased new and used as a service vehicle for the Swedish National power provider Vattenfall. The original 112hp DJ engine was done and has been replaced by a 2.1L MV engine when it got to the states. The transaxle was rebuilt at the same time. The car trailer is aluminum and I’ve put a 3500lb car on it. It’s slow but it works. I don’t have a trailer brake controller but I will be installing one soon. I also have a Subaru EJ253 that’s going in soon as well.

[Abscate]

That last picture is a tort lawyers wet dream. That’s grossly overloaded for that vehicle.
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.ssS!

[DuncanS]

Sodo x ∞. I bought an '87 brand new and towed boats 'n stuff to the Vineyard for several years for the August rental. Weight 1700#. Then towed a 17' Boston Whaler on a heavy trailer with a 70HP motor. Guestimated at 1700#. did this for maybe 10 times with a total of perhaps 3000 miles. THEN, a new car with less than 50k on the clock had the first of my 2 STDS. Sudden Tranny Death Syndrome. Now, 30 plus years later with 150/250 on the odometer and an unknown tranny..................Make sure you have triple A. My new Matt Steedle transmission with the best 3/4 slider will never see over 800#. It replaced a noisy '91 Tintop with 175k and a mag plug that had a serious afro growing on it.

Duncan

[candyman]

Brakes

[dart330]

Sorry I misinterpreted "standard" as "stock" not manual transmission.

I would say a lot depends on the terrain and vehicle. Are you towing in flat desert or heading up into the mountains? Is it a light passenger model or a fully loaded westy? Is this around town or extended highway driving?

The owner's manual for my 90 clearly states the vehicle is rated for class 1 towing.

Braked trailer 2,000 lb
Unbraked trailer 1,320 lb
Tongue load 165 lb
_________________
Driving a 90 Carat since 2014

Previous Buses: 59 Westy, 60 Westy, 74 Bus, 82 Westy, 85 Westy, 87 Syncro
Checkout my Syncro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSWhLS7jLY

[4Gears4Tires]

[DuncanS]

Abscate wrote:

Do not get killed, do not kill others.

[danfromsyr]

Because

[danfromsyr]

my answer is probably too much for too far

that transaxle did end up with 4th gear going out about 5years later.
unsure if it was related, this tow was ~1000miles in 3rd gear..

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[old_man]

I have a TDI. It will tow. I also have a straight cut 4th gear and a DMF clutch.

Just take it slow on the hills. Don't accelerate too hard.

[csebern]

So many experts…

I guess the tort lawyer would be shocked once he opened the VW Owners Manual and did a little bit of reading only to find that the T3 Syncro has a tow rating of “2000 kg. 2500kg with special certificate(see dealer)”.

Also, I’ve spent the last 25 years as an automotive engineer (ME/EE) in the automotive world (Ford, BMW & Google). I would never do anything unsafe and I can assure you that this vehicle tows just fine. While the last picture does look a little strange, it’s an optical illusion. It sits flat and there is no issue doing anything of that weight or size. It works great.

I have been towing things for 35 years. Been across the U.S. and Europe multiple times with various loads/configurations. I have never had an issue. Keep a safe distance and drive safely and you’ll be fine. If you have questions ask the right people. I routinely move full-size cars around my local area with ease. And no, I would not put the 3500lb. car on the trailer and go down the highway without a trailer brake controller.

[PDXWesty]

Too much??

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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[csebern]

[DuncanS]

Next time I'm in a campground, I'm going to back up the the biggest trailer they have and take a pic. Or maybe a semi trailer without the tractor?

Anybody know how to Photo Shop this?

[4Gears4Tires]

[Syncronoid]

My driftboat setup. Sadly, that hotel and town burned to the ground last summer.

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'90 Syncro Westy w/GW2.5L