Considering 13' - towable by VW?

[Roger C H]

Just because some fool does it, doesn't mean it's a good idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJF5L3KmgBw

[Maddy]

[quote]here is a (82 i think)rabbit that has the TDi motor in it.
Attachment 20523


That is one ugly little Rabbit - wonder how many of those were sold. I know my Golf is just a newer version of a Rabbit, but at least it's been redesigned.

That little Casita looks cute. I keep hoping there's a mistake somewhere and I'll find out that I can pull one. Oh well

[Dana T]

Here's a clip with a VW bug and the Eriba Puck:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWyMfbpmrd0

[Tom U]

That is one ugly little Rabbit - wonder how many of those were sold. I know my Golf is just a newer version of a Rabbit, but at least it's been redesigned.

That little Casita looks cute. I keep hoping there's a mistake somewhere and I'll find out that I can pull one. Oh well

The TV pictured is a Rabbit Diesel Pick-up Truck. It was designed as a real 1/2 ton Pick-up. Even so, the 1,000 pound cargo capacity had to include the passengers. That was okay because the bed was small. Also, very underpowered when loaded. With the proper hitch it would pull a small trailer - don't remember the gross weight recommendations - depended on the hitch. They built quite a few and I still see them occasionally.

I drove one for years, great truck. The operative word here is 'truck'. We owned a diesel rabbit sedan at the same time. The frame, transmission and suspension were not the same as the sedans. They were great then but are now VERY old and probably not very serviceable or reliable. They do not like cold weather. We let ours go for more reliable wheels.

[Ken C]

yahoo group scamper VW user, more photos Here

[Andrew Gibbens]

I wonder if other brands of cars are different for U.S. vs Euro models?

(Have been away on holiday, so have only just seen this)

Nearly all tow vehicles will have substantially higher (like, two or three times higher) tow ratings in Europe compared to the US.

Some reasons are:
- many manufacturers don't sell their bigger models in Europe, so they don't have the incentive to persuade customers to buy a bigger model by giving poor tow ratings to the smaller models;
- Europeans tow with much lower hitch weights (like 4-7% of trailer weight, compared to 10-14% in the US) so that a maximum European tow rating weight trailer probably doesn't have any more hitch weight than the much-lighter maximum US tow rating weight trailer;
- Europeans tow slower, closer to the point where sway starts and expect to be paying more attention than US tow-ers;
- Europeans tow (mostly) for shorter trip distances and over smaller mountains;
- Europeans drive 'harder' (more stop/start and cornering) so their European-market vehicles nearly always have stiffer suspension and better brakes, which probably increases their towing ability;
- many popular European cars have diesel engines whose high torque makes for excellent towing.

So the comparison is between 'apples and pears' - they're different.

However one old chesnut can be laid to rest, that monocoques (unibodies) aren't strong enough for towing - most European cars are rated to tow about their own kerb weight and towbars never get ripped off even in accidents, so body strength isn't an issue.

Andrew

[GeorgeR]

I believe that towing capacity has more to do with perception of sizes than actual physical differences in towing vehicles. Bob Lutz’ from GM view of the auxiliary little tiny 4 cylinder engine to provide additional charge for the upcoming GM savior, Chevy Volt is 1.4l. During my time in Europe I drive my Opel Astra II with the teeny, little, not auxiliary 1.4l 90 horsepower engine.

George.

[Raya]

Thanks, Andrew, for the European perspective. I had a feeling that there were a number of factors, including that the "same" car in the European market might be different under the skin. I appreciate your posting the information.

Raya

[curtis c]

puck for sale on ebay. looks a bit rough but you could have it fixed fast if you got it cheap. its in Washington tho. freight shipping is not as bad as you would think. what about taking a little cargo trailer and "building" your own interior?
also found these http://www.letsgoaero.com/WhatsNew.asp#10 and i know that little joe makes one that is half the height of the normal one. http://www.weiscrafttrailers.com/roughneck.html

[Andrew Gibbens]

I had a feeling that there were a number of factors, including that the "same" car in the European market might be different under the skin.

Yes, but by far the biggest difference is in the tow-ers heads. Both Americans and Europeans regularly do things that the other 'knows' is not just stupidly dangerous, but actually physically impossible (eg, Merkans towing over 80mph and Yurpeens towing big trailers with little cars).

The surprising thing is that the laws of gravity and physics are actually the same in both continents......

Andrew

[Maddy]

puck for sale on ebay. looks a bit rough but you could have it fixed fast if you got it cheap. its in Washington tho. freight shipping is not as bad as you would think. what about taking a little cargo trailer and "building" your own interior?
also found these http://www.letsgoaero.com/WhatsNew.asp#10 and i know that little joe makes one that is half the height of the normal one. http://www.weiscrafttrailers.com/roughneck.html

Curtis,
Thanks for the input, but I think I would have full-flown claustrophobia in either one of those really little ones. The Puck is really the smallest I can imagine myself in.
I actually have a line on one that has been re-furbed - will have to see what happens with that - but I keep on looking for a Puck that doesn't need much work, if any at all. If I had lots of time and money, I would have one rebuilt, but I have neither, so I have to stay with a "ready to go" item.
Besides, if my house doesn't sell, it's all moot anyway, or at least put off for a while.
I'm going with the flow - waiting to see what my life will do.

[Maddy]

[quote]yahoo group scamper VW user, more photos Here


Attachment 20684


These photos with a VW pulling a camper (different makes) IS MAKING ME NUTS! Who are these people, and how can I get in touch with them. I want to know what happened on the rest of the trip to the camper and their car. Also, did you see the sign on the side of the road "Continental Divide". Now he had to pull that thing up bigger mountains than the ones I will encounter. Or was this shot set up? I am definitely going to try to contact this person on yahoo. But I'v also going to try to contact some of the others I've seen. Curiosity has got me by the throat.

[Roger C H]

Don't get excited about 'Continental Divides." Portage Wisconsin is actually near one. It is where the early explorers "portaged" from the Fox River, Great Lake, Atlantic Ocean watershed to the Wisconsin River, Mississippi River, Caribbean Sea. LOL

Why does this question of tow ratings keep coming up? There are multiple threads covering this subject. The gist of the thing is not what a car CAN tow, but what it is ALLOWED to tow BY LAW.
Your life as you know it would end if you had an accident with an overloaded tow and someone got killed or seriously injured. We are talking financial ruin as well as a possibility of a stay in the stripy hole.

[Maddy]

Don't get excited about 'Continental Divides." Portage Wisconsin is actually near one. It is where the early explorers "portaged" from the Fox River, Great Lake, Atlantic Ocean watershed to the Wisconsin River, Mississippi River, Caribbean Sea. LOL

Why does this question of tow ratings keep coming up? There are multiple threads covering this subject. The gist of the thing is not what a car CAN tow, but what it is ALLOWED to tow BY LAW.
Your life as you know it would end if you had an accident with an overloaded tow and someone got killed or seriously injured. We are talking financial ruin as well as a possibility of a stay in the stripy hole.

Roger, RELAX! Did you see the jester emoticon I put in. I'm just curious that's all. CHILL!!! I even said "was this set up?" I'm not going to wipe out all of the other american travelers out there in one fell swoop. I'm responsible and careful, but I'm still allowed to be curious.

[Ken C]

If you cant find that yahoo groups scamper to chat with let me know and I can hunt down his username for you. He didn't post very long ago, it was about his trailer restoration. It's my understanding that most of the trailers you see being towed by VW's have no bathroom and mostly empty thus lightweight. But I have have not sat down and ran any weight numbers. You would have to ask each owner about their setup. Take care.

[Ken C]

You also asked about tongue weight. I found this a neat way to measure here.

EDIT: i cant get the forum to accept the link. Anyway if interested, go to flickr search user ddaytony
it's under his Collections>RV-MISC>measure tounge

[Greg N]

A trailer being pulled towed by a car or truck that is a few hundred pound over the GVW is not a huge issue, there are more pressing problems out there on the freeways.
I have went through 3 company cars traveling all over CA, from Nor Cal to the Mexican Border, I have seen all sorts of strange towing configurations, drive I-5 N-S and you will realize a mini cooper or a VW towing a scamp is really not that big of a deal.

Greg

[Maddy]

If you cant find that yahoo groups scamper to chat with let me know and I can hunt down his username for you. He didn't post very long ago, it was about his trailer restoration. It's my understanding that most of the trailers you see being towed by VW's have no bathroom and mostly empty thus lightweight. But I have have not sat down and ran any weight numbers. You would have to ask each owner about their setup. Take care.

Ken, I did email him re: what his configuration was in the trailer; or if he took anything out to lighten the weight. I asked about the "Continental Divide" road sign, specifically where he was and also whether that was a set up picture. Asked him to tell me anything pertinent about the trip with the VW and Scamp. (Roger: just curiosity)

I talked to the Casita company about whether things could be removed to make it lighter. I don't need all the cabinets, benches etc. I can use an Aerobed. But they weren't too thrilled with the idea. Maybe it's the frame that lends a lot of weight. Don't know, but again, I think I need a Puck or something that, like you said, has been stripped down.

Thanks.

[Ken C]

looks like the same TDI VW here at devils post pile. I don't remember where this photo came from.

[CindyL]

We saw a new Beetle towing an Alpine today at the VW Fest in Effingham, IL. Here's pix:

CindyL