Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » New Toad (I hope) (Selecting a new toad... A 2016 VW Beetle)
| New Toad (I hope) [message #363309] |
Wed, 07 April 2021 12:34  |
Rodknu
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2020
Location: Montana
Karma: 0
|
Junior Member |
|
|
At the risk of having myself appear to be the Village Idiot...
I keyed off Matt Colie's post saying that most of those who tow are on this net vice the "other" forum. I purchased my current 75 Eleganza II in Dec 2020. My previous GMC I owned for 12 years back in the eighties and early 90/s. We occasionally towed a jeep with it just fine. For the last ten years we have been traveling and "wintering over" in Newmar Diesel Pushers always towing our daily drive.
Now that we have downsized to the GMC, I decided to outfit a toad for the GMC because our non Covid lifestyle was to spend five months or so down south in CA living in our RV. So, a few weeks ago I bought a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle with a 5 speed manual tranny for the express purpose of towing it behind the GMC. I expressly selected the Beetle because its weight is only slightly over 2900 lbs, we had owned one in the past and enjoyed it as a fun car. I installed one of Blaines great through the bumper hitches on the coach in the last few days and have ordered the Blue Ox Towing Bracket for the Beetle and expect it to arrive in two weeks when I will then install it on the Beetle. As you can tell the cost of this project has mounted up..
So, the reason for this post is to see if anyone else has ventured down this road and whether anyone else is towing such a Toad. My coach still has the 455 engine with a 307 final drive which I will change to a 3.42 or 3.55 or a 3.70 if I feel that is necessary. Total original miles on the coach is about 49K and it has not been overhauled. The coach was renovated by Cinnabar in 1998 and is beautiful, rebuilt carb, HEI ignition, rebuilt front end and new brakes around (of course, 22 years ago). Then used very VERY little by the owner for 22 years (6,891 miles) and was stored in a modern garage all this time. Because of the Montana winter, I have not driven the coach except for the 100 or so miles to deliver it home but expect to be out there on the road soon. New tires, new alcoa wheels (recalls), new hitch, new batteries, new oil new fan clutch, etc.
I welcome any comments, criticism, advice, or "other"... I am just trying to assure myself I am not going down some road to disaster.
Thanks,
Rod
1975 Eleganza II, 455, 3.07
2016 VW Beetle
Thompson Falls, Montana
Bandit
MONTANA
|
|
|
|
| Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363310 is a reply to message #363309] |
Wed, 07 April 2021 12:51  |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I see them being towd. Usually on a tow dolly, but if you are 4 down, that is even better.
I would still recommend a gear change. it is nice to have a car in tow, but even 2900 pounds, is still a drag. I tow 3500 pound car with a 3.21 gearing, and it is better, but not ideal at all. a 3.42 minimum would be my opinion. gearing behind a 455 will get you lots of different opinions. I would also recommend installing a temp gauge in the pan of the tranny, and a tru cool 40,000 gvw tranny cooler.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
|
|
|
|
| Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363311 is a reply to message #363309] |
Wed, 07 April 2021 14:36 |
Scott Nutter
Messages: 782
Registered: January 2015
Location: Houston/San Diego
Karma: 4
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
Scott.
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, Dave Lenzi super duty mid axle disc brakes, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
|
|
|
|
| [GMCnet] Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363313 is a reply to message #363311] |
Wed, 07 April 2021 15:07 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Several of the GMC CASCADERS tow late beetles 4 down, as well as VW
"Things". Most change final drive gearing.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon
On Wed, Apr 7, 2021, 12:37 PM Scott Nutter wrote:
> I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it
> being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
> Scott.
> --
> Scott Nutter
> 1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final
> drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
> installed MSD Atomic EFI
> Houston, Texas
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
|
|
|
|
| [GMCnet] Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363314 is a reply to message #363313] |
Wed, 07 April 2021 16:47 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Towing with a dolly can present issues when you encounter a siuation where
you need to back up some.
With 4 down, one can push back even in a turn limitd amount.
There are lot of exits and hidden parking places that trap you.
As far as Lower gears, if you do not want to tax the transmission, 3.70 is
the way to go.
We find that we provide 20 of the 3.70 versus 1 of the 3.55.
People tow definitely do better with lower ratio as you speed drops, you
get out of the torque curve.
On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 1:07 PM James Hupy wrote:
> Several of the GMC CASCADERS tow late beetles 4 down, as well as VW
> "Things". Most change final drive gearing.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Wed, Apr 7, 2021, 12:37 PM Scott Nutter wrote:
>
>> I would also check the VW manual to see if there are limitations on it
>> being towed 4 wheels down. Just incase.
>> Scott.
>> --
>> Scott Nutter
>> 1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21
> final
>> drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
>> installed MSD Atomic EFI
>> Houston, Texas
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
|
|
|
|
| Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363343 is a reply to message #363309] |
Thu, 08 April 2021 23:16 |
Rodknu
Messages: 5
Registered: December 2020
Location: Montana
Karma: 0
|
Junior Member |
|
|
Thanks to those of you who replied... all good comments...
I bet I will be shopping for an upgraded final drive....
Bandit
MONTANA
|
|
|
|
| Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363375 is a reply to message #363309] |
Mon, 12 April 2021 07:45 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
|
Senior Member |
|
|
My 23' had the stock 3.07. Neither the Kia Soul or the hotrod Ranger made any difference to it except ~~ half a mile per gallon.Wwith proper cooling it walked over Monteagle and US 23 into Silva. My 26' has a 3.7 final, and looks like it will haul anything you put back there.The PO hauled a trailer full of Harleys without problems in N Ca. I'm not a great fan of new beetles, I like the hatchback better but it lacks the 'cute' factor. Mechanicals are essentially the same, and rock reliable if you keep them up at all.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
|
|
|
|
| Re: New Toad (I hope) [message #363456 is a reply to message #363375] |
Fri, 16 April 2021 13:12 |
LNelson
Messages: 335
Registered: December 2008
Location: Springfield, MO
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I still tow a Suzuki Samuari. I call it my trailer because I load it with stuff, sometimes a canoe on the roof rack, but for sure with many plastic boxes filled with specific items for the "camping" experience. With the Sammy I am starting with only 2,100#. I have a plain old cheapo tow bar, no fancy Blue Ox (which I DO use for my Jeep Wrangler which I also tow four wheels down). I do not use a Brake Buddy for the Sammy but I do for the Wrangler. I use magnetic lights and I am good to go. On the Sammy, there is a "stop and run the engine every 200 miles" restriction. My Samuarai guru in Marshalltown IA told me to simply remove the rear driveshaft and drive it in 4WD high as a front wheel drive vehicle. This is what I do, I unlock the hubs for towing and carry the driveshaft in the vehicle. I could re-install it in 10 minutes should I want to "climb a rock".
Larry Nelson Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Wed Oct 02 19:28:32 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.02337 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
