Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Just when I think I've seen it all. . .
Forum Index -> Other VW Vehicles/Volksrods Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Nate M.
Samba Member


Joined: August 11, 2003
Posts: 1306
Location: Anacortes, WA U.S.A.
Nate M. is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:17 am    Post subject: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

This comes in. . .

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It's a "push trailer' built out of a 70s Beetle. What is a pusher trailer you ask?? It's f*ckin' scary that's what, but more on that later. It's used to push an all electric vehicle down the road allowing it to (a) not use battery power (think redneck hybrid) and (b) when on cruise control, the regenerative brakes charge-up the vehicle as you are pushed.

The reason i say it's f*ckin' scary is because you have a VW motor and trans (in 4th gear) held at WOT behind you with no dead-man switch. To stop the car, you have to now brake not only the car you are pushing, but also against a motor at WOT. It's a ready-made law suit on wheels.

Just buy a hybrid if you must. . .
_________________
Regards,

Nate M.

Squarsche build
Heavy Metal Affliction feature

For heaven's sake, put a type4 and a Porsche 5-speed in there. . . It's the right thing to do!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Letterman7
Samba Member


Joined: March 14, 2004
Posts: 3198
Location: Downingtown, PA
Letterman7 is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 1:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Darwin award winner. How does it "push" when going into a corner? That's just a PITT maneuver... won't be long before he hits your evening news about killing himself and/or someone else with it. Don't you have DMV regulations out there?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Bama Dave
Samba Member


Joined: April 19, 2015
Posts: 963
Location: Alabama
Bama Dave is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 1:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

WTF? Shocked Stay far, far away from that rig.
_________________
David Richerson

1970 Beetle
1971 Super
1972 Baja


hellthorne wrote:
First off, I know i made stupid decisions that led to my predicament, so while you are welcome to tell me that I am an idiot for doing the things I did, please know that I am already aware of this.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
sixfootdan
Samba Smartass


Joined: February 13, 2002
Posts: 4848
Location: \Lo*ca"tion\, n. 1. The act or process of locating.
sixfootdan is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:34 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Scary for me cause it's in my neck of the woods!
_________________
Schrodinger's cat walked into a bar and it didn't.


GO SEAHAWKS!!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Air-Cooled Head
Samba Member


Joined: October 15, 2002
Posts: 4070
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Air-Cooled Head is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Nate M. wrote:

What is a pusher trailer you ask?? It's used to push an all electric vehicle down the road allowing it to (a) not use battery power (think redneck hybrid) and (b) when on cruise control, the regenerative brakes charge-up the vehicle as you are pushed.

The reason i say it's f*ckin' scary is because you have a VW motor and trans (in 4th gear) held at WOT behind you with no dead-man switch. To stop the car, you have to now brake not only the car you are pushing, but also against a motor at WOT. It's a ready-made law suit on wheels.

Just buy a hybrid if you must. . .


First, wouldn't the weight of pulling the trailer drag down the batteries (thereby defeating the purpose)
And how is the transition from battery-powered to trailer-powered accomplished? Manually (like stop, get out, start the trailer)?
What happens at stop signs? How does the trailer get to 4th gear, WOT, from the driver's seat?

Lastly, what does the owner want you to do to it? Laughing
_________________
Everything known to man has been written.
Readers are Leaders!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
eyetzr Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 09, 2013
Posts: 1423
Location: Toronto, Ontario. Canada
eyetzr is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

I think Nate should strap it to the back of the Squarsh. May help with the top end, or a good starter pusher. Add a quick disconnect when you get up to speed. Rolling Eyes
_________________
I think he meant "rare", as in "not well-done"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Mal evolent
Samba Member


Joined: March 31, 2009
Posts: 2912
Location: San Antonio, Nuevo Mexico
Mal evolent is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:28 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

put a 6 kw generator on a trailer, AC to the charging point, same end result.
_________________
73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
EVfun
Samba Member


Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5446
Location: Seattle
EVfun is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 5:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

A pusher trailer usually is not set with a wired throttle. Most of then have a cruise control system set up in the pushed vehicle, so they hold a speed and cut off if the driver brakes.

I think they are still a bit unsafe because being pushed through a trailer hitch is less than stable, but I didn't want to leave out the idea that they where without control.

At the front end (EV side) if the vehicle is in neutral it will just coast. If it is an EV with regen braking (most every factory EV, but few home built EVs) then leaving it in "drive" will result in coasting level regen and braking will provide regen based on the EVs designed hydraulic regenn split.
_________________
Wildthings wrote:
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Miked914
Samba Member


Joined: August 18, 2009
Posts: 127
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Miked914 is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:51 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This guys been doing this for years, EV944 + VW Rabbit Pusher
_________________
Mike D.
'68 Fastback w/T4
'74 Porsche 914-6 3.0 Hot Rod
'73 TinTop Westy
'13 VW Sportwagon TDI
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
ach60 Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: May 14, 2001
Posts: 4139
Location: Santa Maria
ach60 is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 7:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Miked914 wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This guys been doing this for years, EV944 + VW Rabbit Pusher


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_bus#/media/File:2009_60%27_New_Flyer_DE60LFR_Hybrid.JPG

Articulated city busses have the engine in the rear(trailer), which is what we are seeing here.
But the idea of not having any control of that engine is what scares me.
_________________
Good Luck
Al
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger Gallery Classifieds Feedback
MacLeod Willy
Samba Member


Joined: February 18, 2014
Posts: 933
Location: Ontario Canada
MacLeod Willy is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

[quote="Air-Cooled Head"]
Nate M. wrote:


And how is the transition from battery-powered to trailer-powered accomplished? Manually (like stop, get out, start the trailer)?
What happens at stop signs? How does the trailer get to 4th gear, WOT, from the driver's seat?

Lastly, what does the owner want you to do to it? Laughing


I would say he puts an alligator clip to the coil and pull starts it till he gets pushed, the hope for good brakes to stop it when all hell brakes loose.

That is effin scary even for my nerves!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Daftendirekte
Samba Member


Joined: July 26, 2010
Posts: 20
Location: Salem, Oregon
Daftendirekte is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2023 2:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Zombie thread!

So, actually dude does have control of the coil, or did in late 2017 when I encountered this outfit in Los Angeles.

It's light-activated. You notice the 4-pin trailer wiring harness? SO when it gets current, two things happen. One, the coil on the engine gets it's power. I don't recall it being on a separate circuit, though in hindsight seems like pulling coil-driving current out of a circuit fused for lights seems not quite right.

The second thing is an air brake solenoid that works on the clutch arm, which bump starts the engine in 4th gear.

As he described it, it's for freeway cruising only and he DOES have control over the engine running via his light switch.



ach60 wrote:
Miked914 wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This guys been doing this for years, EV944 + VW Rabbit Pusher


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_bus#/media/File:2009_60%27_New_Flyer_DE60LFR_Hybrid.JPG

Articulated city busses have the engine in the rear(trailer), which is what we are seeing here.
But the idea of not having any control of that engine is what scares me.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Facebook Instagram Gallery Classifieds Feedback
oprn
Samba Member


Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12633
Location: Western Canada
oprn is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Cool concept! Especially for a VW Bus in the mountain passes. As for it not being legal... I highly doubt any laws have ever been invented that cover that one!

Anyone who thinks it was built and used without any control from the tow vehicle is not firing on all cylinders mentally. You could not even get out of the driveway with it rigged like that!

I can see this working pretty well with an auto stick or better yet a fully automatic transaxle.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
NJ John
Samba Member


Joined: September 21, 2007
Posts: 2175
Location: HdG, MD & NJ
NJ John is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:52 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Back in 1975. My father’s wrecker jumped the timing chain while at the track. We pushed the wrecker with the stock car racecar in tow. The racecar did the pushing. And somehow me at 9 years old was sitting on the floor of the loud racecar, while my teenage neighbor worked the gas. It got us to my uncle’s, who lived a lot closer to the track than we did.
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Dusty1
Samba Member


Joined: April 16, 2004
Posts: 1366

Dusty1 is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Got a Prius already. I want one of those.

Hold my beer and watch this!! Laughing Laughing Laughing

.
.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Classifieds Feedback
DeathBySnuSnu
Samba Member


Joined: August 25, 2012
Posts: 1180
Location: MS
DeathBySnuSnu is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:55 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Dusty1 wrote:
Got a Prius already. I want one of those.

Hold my beer and watch this!! Laughing Laughing Laughing

.
.


A couple years ago a stumbled across a group or forum that did this. Just by the shear quantity of pictures it must have been on Facebook.
But the was a lot of chat about set up, what car the use, ect, building a pusher.
Search for it if you are interested. It seemed as if pushing was common knowledge.
_________________
modok wrote:
And look at the SHAPE of the curves, just smooth, like gods own slingshot. .
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Gallery Classifieds Feedback
scottyrocks
Samba Member


Joined: August 19, 2016
Posts: 2645
Location: Long Island, NY
scottyrocks is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:38 am    Post subject: Re: Just when I think I've seen it all. . . Reply with quote

Pardon my lack of imagination, but how the heck does that thing go anywhere without turning into a giant tank-slapper?

It reminds me of trying to drive backwards with a trailer hooked up.
_________________
“If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch'
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Other VW Vehicles/Volksrods All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.