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#1
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Cow-catchers for the VW Transporter
To All:
Basic message is that they don't work. The Transporter body and frame are too light to handle the impact. So what works? A 'Termite Bar,' which is the African version of a cow-catcher. (Sometimes called 'Safari Bars.') Why does it work? Because it consists of a complete crash-cage made of welded steel tubing that extends all the way back to the rear axel. In effect, it REPLACES the existing frame, using the torsion bars as the hard-points, extending up to the roof-mounted cargo carrier (and sunroof). The purpose of the Safari Bar is to keep from running into termite mounds concealed in the grass. A termite mound is about as hard as a good grade of concrete, easily capable of wiping out a VW at any speed. Even so, Safari Bars are only good up to maybe 20mph. Even that's enough to leave you and the passengers plastered all over the windscreen but you can usually limp the vehicle back to camp. But forget a cow-catcher that will actually work with real cows when you're doing anything more a walking pace. Basic physics sez you'll lose. ------------------------------------------------------ So what works in Baja? Sleep on it. Only drive during the day. Or wait for the Three Gold Stars to blow by and try to ride drag. But if you feel you've absolutely positively gotta do Dago to Finistierra in 24 hours (about 940 miles) The best method is to start early -- 0300 or so and try to get to Catavina about dawn. (You won't -- not in a Type II -- but go ahead and try :-) You've only got a couple of sections of open range between the border and El Rosario; you can maintain a pretty good average.) If you keep it rolling you'll hit La Paz about dark. If you're heading for the Cape, the fly country between La Paz & Todos Santos is mostly fenced, but try to keep a truck in front of you. From Todos Santos down to the Cape is only another hour or so and there's only two sections of unfenced range. If you take the other route out of La Paz (to del Cabo), good luck. Bob Hoover (1965 bus; lotsa time south of the Line) |
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#3
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> wrote in message oups.com... > To All: > > Basic message is that they don't work. The Transporter body and frame > are too light to handle the impact. > > So what works? > > A 'Termite Bar,' which is the African version of a cow-catcher. > (Sometimes called 'Safari Bars.') > > Why does it work? Because it consists of a complete crash-cage made of > welded steel tubing that extends all the way back to the rear axel. In > effect, it REPLACES the existing frame, using the torsion bars as the > hard-points, extending up to the roof-mounted cargo carrier (and > sunroof). > > The purpose of the Safari Bar is to keep from running into termite > mounds concealed in the grass. A termite mound is about as hard as a > good grade of concrete, easily capable of wiping out a VW at any speed. > Even so, Safari Bars are only good up to maybe 20mph. Even that's > enough to leave you and the passengers plastered all over the > windscreen but you can usually limp the vehicle back to camp. > > But forget a cow-catcher that will actually work with real cows when > you're doing anything more a walking pace. Basic physics sez you'll > lose. > > ------------------------------------------------------ > > So what works in Baja? > > Sleep on it. Only drive during the day. Or wait for the Three Gold > Stars to blow by and try to ride drag. > > But if you feel you've absolutely positively gotta do Dago to > Finistierra in 24 hours (about 940 miles) The best method is to start > early -- 0300 or so and try to get to Catavina about dawn. (You won't > -- not in a Type II -- but go ahead and try :-) You've only got a > couple of sections of open range between the border and El Rosario; you > can maintain a pretty good average.) If you keep it rolling you'll hit > La Paz about dark. If you're heading for the Cape, the fly country > between La Paz & Todos Santos is mostly fenced, but try to keep a truck > in front of you. From Todos Santos down to the Cape is only another > hour or so and there's only two sections of unfenced range. If you > take the other route out of La Paz (to del Cabo), good luck. > Bob Hoover > (1965 bus; lotsa time south of the Line) > Do you mean something like this...? http://public.fotki.com/PMS/vw_event.../mvc-527s.html jim |
#4
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wrote: > > > Do you mean something like this...? > > http://public.fotki.com/PMS/vw_event.../mvc-527s.html > -------------------------------------------------------- No. Safari bars extend about 1m forward of the body, extend under the behicle where they attach to the front torsion-bar mounting points then extend up and back to attach to the internal craash-cage, entering the bodywork near the parking lights and at the roof line. If the cow-cather, 'roo-bar, safari-bar or whatever is actually meant to deflect animals it must have at least four bars extending up & aft for the point of the 'beak', with cross-bars to prevent the animal from impacting the windscreen. What is shown in the photo is nothing more than a dress-up item intended for the kiddie-trade. If you were serious about protecting a Transporter, up until about 1972 Volkswagen offered re-enforced bumpers, headlight grills, skid-plate and and other components as an 'off-pavement package,' a dealer-installed kit that was well worth the extra $300 or so. -Bob Hoover |
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