Dan et al,

The myth of rear weight bias in a Vanagon dies hard!

have you ever weighed your van? I think you'll find that it is close to
50/50 weight distribution.

My 82 westy (ex diesel) at hwy weigh scale:

Rolled the front wheels on: 980 kg
Entire van: 1850 kg
Rear wheels: 870 kg

As is, that's a 53/47 weight distribution.

subtract "cargo" from front weight:

(approx. 50 litres of fuel, about 37 kg.
human, about 90 kg)

gives:

853 kg front
1723 kg all
870 kg rear (assumed the same)

which results in an approx. 50/50 distribution

Road and Track reported the 80 air cooled passenger van having a test weight
(with driver) of 1594 kg, 55/45 front/rear distribution.

Road and track reported the 83.5 1.9 litre wasserboxer powered passenger van
having a test weight (with driver) of 1650kg, and a weight distribution of
56/44 f/r.

Notice the wasserboxer has more forward weight bias! (who knows why?), the
I4 in a westy has more on the weight on the rear wheels, but still not a
rear weight bias like the old T1 or T2.

As others have mentioned, the lack of "compliance" of the Vanagon suspension
(compared to the torsion arm etc set-up of the T1/T2) also puts it at a
traction disadvantage when the ground becomes uneven, I have experienced
this on more than one occasion (i.e., secondary logging road/winter stream
bed, lots of river rock).

Alistair

> From: Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
> Reply-To: Dan Snow <dieselvanagon@HOTMAIL.COM>
> Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 21:19:53 -0800
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: A Snow Story (Whoa-vanagon!!!) and Lessons Learned
>
> Cast iron vs. Aluminum: We got more weight over our drive wheels...
>
>
>