Here is my home-made setup.  Loaded alot of firewood, cooler, kayaks,
tents.  Still had 6 agultish folks and a dog. Two Yakima racks and a CListed
cargo carrier. Works for me.
http://picasaweb.google.com/sandwichhead/LaborDayNewRack?feat=directlink
Michael in San Antonio
91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
73 Beetle

On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 6:09 PM, Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@gmail.com>wrote:

> Does anybody have personal experience with one on a Vanagon ('87 GL Auto,
> in
> my case) and can give the benefits of their experience
> (recommendations/warnings)? With five people (and sometimes two dogs) I'm
> trying to figure some way to spread out the load without resorting to a
> mini-trailer.
>
>
>
> I pull the middle seats out and load that space and the hatch space. The
> kids go on the rear bench and the wife and I are up front. I try to secure
> everything as well as I can, but my concern is that in an accident somebody
> stands a high risk of being crushed by something that breaks loose. I
> realize that in a sufficiently violent accident it probably won't make much
> difference, but that's no reason not to do what I can.
>
>
>
> I think I'd actually prefer the trailer, but I'm concerned at this point
> that I'm pushing the weight limit of the vehicle. I should load it up and
> actually go weigh it, of course, and then I'll know. Anybody made that or a
> similar run into the mountains with a stock 2.1, a full load and a small
> trailer?
>
>
>
> We're looking at a trip from SoCal to Durango via Cottonwood, AZ around the
> first week of July with the full load of camping gear (but not the dogs).
> It'd be nice to use the A/C but that may be asking too much. : /
>
>
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
>
> Cya,
>
> Robert
>