On 27 Jun 2005 at 18:05, Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM> wrote:

> 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.

This is a good point - I removed the spoiler a few years ago on my '88, as I'd scraped
it so many times it was barely hanging on. Now I also need to shave the bottom edge
of the fiberglass bumper, as the part that sticks below the metal is cracked badly,
and should probably just be cut off. One good thing about the spoiler is the early
warning it gives you from the noise. But now I generally know when I'm going to hit,
and just drive accordingly, either slow down and take it at an angle, or speed up and
pray! Only once has the latter got me in trouble, where I had to cross a log culvert,
and some of the logs were rotten and collapsed, leaving the front of the van resting
on the spare tire and lurching to an abrupt halt...
Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D
'88 Westy 2.1L, soon to be 1.6TD 5 speed
 (see progress at http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels)
'82 Diesel Westy