Mike--

I think what the Vanangon offers you over the mid-60s station wagon is
ground clearance. I've taken my bus down many dirt and rutted roads in Wyoming,
Colorado, here in SoCal with no problems.

I've never had any real problems with traction, although I haven't traveled
on pure sand and wouldn't want to. Once on a wet red clay "highway" in Wyoming
 there was some slipperly side to side going on. And without question if I
had to  stop I probably wouldn't have got going again. But that was a kind of
extreme  condition I would have avoided if I had the choice--or rather the
knowledge of  what I was in for.

But with slow going and using common sense to navigate large ruts or holes  I
think the Vanagon performs really well on a dirt camping road or reasonably
maintained fire road. Again, mostly because of the ground clearance.

I guess you lose a bit of ground clearance if you have the later model
Vanagon with the front spoiler. Mud flaps I suppose could get in the way of
clearance in certain situations. Although My mud flaps have never been an issue  for
me.

BTW, I've always run stock tires.

Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA

In a message dated 6/27/2005 1:36:50 PM Pacific Standard Time,
j.michael.elliott@GMAIL.COM writes:

Compared  with other 2wd vehicles, like full-size pickup trucks, and
mid-60's station  wagons . . . how dirt road worthy is the 2wd Vanagon?
How good is the  traction? I'm talking about rutted sand and gravel roads
out here, not mud  or streams