Excerpts of a post that I made a few months ago:

I have just completed a trip from Orlando, Florida to Northern Michigan in
my wife's '87 Syncro GL. (around 179,000 miles on it)
I needed to move my family of 7 on this trip and I needed to haul a few
things. When I was near the end of the trip, I decided to run across some
scales and find out just how much I was hauling.

Front axle: 2500#,
Rear: 3000#,
U-haul 6x12 trailer: 5000#.
Total: 10,500 # !

I used a "loop" mounted trailer hitch of my own fabrication and added
(welded) a brace on each side from the loop to the bumper horn.  The trailer
has surge brakes that helped considerably, but overall, the tow was good.
Stable below 75 mph once I got the tongue weight right.  Easy enough to stop
with a little caution, and  no flexing on the hitch.  I did check the stock
mounting bolts frequently with that much weight, but found no problems.

I can outline the braces or take pix for those interested.

I know that this sounds like BS, but I assure you that it is true.

Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Brennan" <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: da'lan hitch

> I could go on a picture by picture issue (first two are trailers, not
> cars, and though large, may not be much more than 1500 pounds.) The 4th
> one is a relatively small boat and again maybe within stretching
> distance of the towing capacity of the Vanagons....
> http://homepage.mac.com/kimbrennan
>
> The ATV (Polaris Ranger 6x6) is about 1500 pounds, so I've been a bit
> over the towing capacity of my Passenger Syncro (due to the extra
> weight of the trailer itself). This is a trailer without auxilliary
> brakes.
>
> Towing with the original 2.1 was VERY slow (I could get up to 50-60 mph
> in a couple of minutes) but if there was any sort of grade it I was
> usually down in 2nd gear pretty quickly.

  It just doesn't have the
> wheels, brakes, engine or transmission set up for heavy duty towing and
> though you can get away with it...you're rolling the dice each time you
> tow that M1-Abrams around...
>