For what it's worth (not much), I discovered a neat trick when I moved cross
country last time. I was towing a big car (I would be removed from the list
if I told you what kind) on a car carrier with the u-haul. Every few
minutes, the combination of speed and bumps would start a horrific harmonic
swerving phenomenon. I mean scary, like the van swaying from side to side
and the trailer fishtailing. By divine intervention, I found that the way to
break the harmonic was to let go of the steering wheel. When I tried to
fight the harmonic or outsmart it, it would continue or even grow worse. But
if I let go or barely touched the wheel, the delayed reaction of the caster
of the u-haul's front wheels would somehow kill the harmonic and it would
settle down. So I drove from Michigan to Berkeley with a very light touch on
the steering wheel. I have no idea if this is what happened here, but if it
helps someone someday...

Don't ask me about how I attached a towbar to the rear bumper brackets of my
Vanagon, locked the steering straight ahead, and towed it backwards with a
borrowed chevy truck through downtown Oakland after midnight. Tires
squeeling as I went around corners, no lights. I guess the cops had bigger
fish to fry that night.

Daniel Snow
PhD Student
UC Berkeley

'82 Vanagon Diesel
'78 Puch Maxi Luxe Moped
'72 Motobecane Mobylette Moped
'01 Xootr Scooter

>From: Aristotle Sagan <killer_jupiter@HOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Aristotle Sagan <killer_jupiter@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Help, I dropped my vanagon and I can't get  up
>Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 11:13:12 -0700
>
>Well, I can't be of any help, but I hope when you DO get back to Ohio, you
>will flesh this story out a bit. A lot can be learned from the accidents of
>others.
>
>Info that would be useful is what were you towing with?, how did you lose
>control?, is everyone alright?, that sort of thing.
>
>Best of luck,
>tim o'brien
>(who once towed an 81 Westy with a 92 Toyota PU 150 miles)(P.S. a big no
>no)
>
>>From: Wassily Smyrnow <jarsofclay@AMERITECH.NET>
>>Reply-To: Wassily Smyrnow <jarsofclay@AMERITECH.NET>
>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 10:57:05 -0400
>>
>>Help..Help..
>>We were towing our 84' Vanagon with broken torque converter, from CT to
>>OH,
>>  using a U-Haul tow dolly.
>>The vehicles lost control and tipped onto sides.  Our Vanagon now sits at
>>a
>>towing garage near Bloomsburg, PA... new transmission, and engine
>>installed
>>in Oct. 2000.  the towing bill from the accident is $600 and we are 5
>>hours
>>away in OH with no means of bringing it back.  Is there anyone on that
>>interstate 80 area who could help us and at the same time help themselves
>>(win -win).
>>I can send pictures and give exact location of garage.    Any help is
>>apprediated greatly!  e-mail   us  please
>>jarsofclay@ameritech.net
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp