The 2wd Vanagons get stuck much more easily than the old loaf buses did.
With the same size tires but more weight and more of it over the front
wheels there is just no comparison. However, 2wd Vanagons do pretty well
compared to many other vehicles since they have good ground clearance
and 50% or more weight over the drive wheels. Empty 2wd pickups can't do
much since most of the weight is over the front wheels and the rear
wheels often just spin. Syncro Vanagons can go places 2wd Vanagons can
only dream of. If you carry a small compressor you greatly expand the
capabilities of any Vanagon. Lowering the tire pressure to 20-25 psi
lets them cross slow soft stuff much easier but you need to pump right
back up.

Mark

Michael Elliott wrote:

> 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. Not dunes or beaches. No swamps. Regular
> street tires, stock size.
>
> Generally-speaking. Anecdotal is good. The more colorful the better.
>
> As in, "Vanagons get stuck more easily than any other 2wd vehicle ever
> made," or "I've taken my 2wd Vanagon places that my brother's 1963
> Plymouth Belvedere station wagon couldn't go."
>
> --
>
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> Carlsbad, CA
> KG6RCR
>