According to Click and Clack, the Tappet Bros. on NPR Radio, one of their
car talk puzzlers claims all you have to do to get up a steep hill is pull
the coil wire and roll the starter in 1st gear(sorry automatic owners) for
vw buses.  My old 71 bus climbed a real steep 3 block long hill in
Chattanoogga TN years ago inorder to be able to coast down the last four
blocks to a 24 hr. gas station.  Didn't have to pull the coil wire with an
empty tank.  BTW, the starter lasted another 2 years after that and the
battery never did fail. My 79 van wasn't as good at this  in part due to
higher gear ratio.  Haven't tried it on Vanagon yet.

Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
-----Original Message-----
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Monday, July 19, 1999 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: Diff locks on 2WD Vanagons

>Poor man's "limited slip" differential:  Partial application of the
>parking brake when one wheel slips!  Keep the lock button depressed and
>pull until wheel stops spinning.  Modulate the amount of brake applied
>and with a little practice you can make it up any hill a limited slip or
>locking 2WD can.  If it is really steep or icy, use the same technique
>backing up the hill--effectively front wheel drive.
>
>Works great, costs nothing.
>
>> On Mon, 19 Jul 1999, C&S Gibbs. Alaska. USA. wrote:
>>
>> > Hi All,
>> >
>> > Been thinking about the possibility of fitting a diff lock to my *2WD
88
>> > Westie*.  Why, well for the odd occasion that I cannot get up the local
>> > hills in the wintertime (6 months of the year).
>
>--
>Stuart MacMillan
>Manager, Case Program
>800-909-8244 ext 208
>
>Getting your share of the Net yet?
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