towing with a converted van

[trev]

I have to bring my beetle to an event next week and I don't want to have to drive it there so I want to tow it. I suspected the van mightn't be up to pulling the beetle AND the trailer so I hooked it all up last night and took it for a spin over a large hill and back. A 6-mile round trip.

Well the experiment was a success: the van is no good at towing.
The poor old 1Y diesel (64BHP) is s-l-o-o-o-o-o-w and gets very hot going up the hill. I think the combination of high load and low air flow to the radiator. I'm going to try the beetle on an A-frame today to save the weight of the trailer to see how much difference it makes.

Do any of you tow with your converted vans? How do you fare out? I've got a belly-mounted radiator BTW. I'm getting my head around upgrading to TDI and 5-speed, I think I'll be working in a front-mount radiator while I'm at it.

[jp]

My bus towed Riches about 25 odd miles with no overheating issues though it was a cold day and the heaters were on full which would have definitely helped keep it cool. this was also done in 3rd gear as my g'box was fooked and kept popping out of 4th.

I certainly noticed with some of my Rad set-up's it would quickly overheat when under load up hills etc My latest set up with Jag XJ rad mounted underneath with big scoop will be fine towing I recon as it really does keep the engine cooler than when it was in the original donor car and that's been on the hottest days we've had this summer. It's not even come close to needing the fans to kick in even in traffic.


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1971 Devon Bay with 1800 Ford Turbo Diesel Engine (wip)
1983 VW Golf GTI Campaign
1979 Mini 1275 GT
2013 Scirocco TDI GT

[trev]

I towed the beetle 500+ km at the weekend on an A-frame. On the motorway at 50-55MPH it behaved itself impeccably. Through a few villages with steep hills it was very slow and the fans were on until I got out on faster roads again. TDI, 5-speed and a front-mounted fan are the way to go I think