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T3 kombi's any good off road?
Andy - January 3rd, 2011 at 10:31 PM

Not serious 4WD stuff, just rough dirt roads etc.

I have always enjoyed driving my VW's off road, and have always been comfortable going a long way off road, particularly in the Bay window bus, bad rutted roads, muddy roads, creek crossings etc. Often ending up in camp grounds you only see 4WD's in.
This is a stock bus mind you, so nothing too serious of course.

Just wonder if an aircooled T3 can venture as far off road?

MickH - January 3rd, 2011 at 10:49 PM

Yeh....just get a Syncro!!!!:smilegrin: or a buggy...surely there's room at your place for a buggy,they''re only little:starhit:

Andy - January 3rd, 2011 at 11:59 PM

Synchro? I hear they are just for posers who don't know how to drive :rolleyes:
Besides real VW's don't need water :yes:
I think I need to limit my sights to what's already crammed into the back yard and stashed with family members for now.....
Seriously looking into a T3 rear end s a camper trailer option also :yes:

11CAB - January 4th, 2011 at 05:01 AM

T3 2wd doesnt seem to be anywhere near as good offroad as the T2.

matberry - January 4th, 2011 at 07:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 11CAB
T3 2wd doesnt seem to be anywhere near as good offroad as the T2.


x2, speaking from experience....... :)

Kombi Dad - January 4th, 2011 at 08:46 AM

I use my T3, 1982 air cooled, in some pretty rough places. I will admit that I have raised it to the height of a syncro and fitted a locking diff. Only thing it doesn't like is soft sand. I have been bogged twice which isn't too bad for a distance of 300,000 kms. I ran Cooper 225X14's on it for about 200,000ks but they are no longer available. I now run 195X14's Maxxis MT 753's on standard rims which seem to do the trick. They are a little noisy on tar but seem to work very well for the places I go.

Ian

Andy - January 4th, 2011 at 11:50 PM

Cheers for the info,
So the T2 will need to do the adventurous trips :)

matberry - January 5th, 2011 at 08:30 AM

Fair point from Kombidad regards to sand, that's where I've had good comparisons, they are bad in sand, but also even in a side of the road irregular drive or gutter they lift/spin a rear wheel way before a bay would. I believe a T4 is more capable than a T3 off road !!

helbus - January 5th, 2011 at 08:43 PM

We did some pretty adventurous off road in our T2 bay bus. The only limit was hard slippery clay, as we only had road tyres. Creeks and rocks and dry was no problem. Our bus is a pretty poser with mags now, and only sees marked dirt roads, no more goat tracks now.

Andy - January 5th, 2011 at 10:10 PM

Just another good reason to keep both :)

Kombi Dad - January 6th, 2011 at 08:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
Fair point from Kombidad regards to sand, that's where I've had good comparisons, they are bad in sand, but also even in a side of the road irregular drive or gutter they lift/spin a rear wheel way before a bay would. I believe a T4 is more capable than a T3 off road !!


This is very true. It is the reason that I fitted the locker. One wheel would lift and spin very easily.

Andy - January 6th, 2011 at 08:38 PM

Sounds like the extra weight is up the front in a T3. Depending on how you load up a T2 it will usually lift the front wheels not the back.
Probably the tank helps with that. Balancing the weight probabl helps the ride but not off road ability. Probably stiffer suspensing makes it even worse off road.
As Mick said, just get a Synchro.

Kombi Dad, other than wheels and diff, is yours mostly stock?
If so, do you still run EFI, nd how do you find keeping it on the road, parts etc still easy to find?

Kombi Dad - January 7th, 2011 at 09:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
Kombi Dad, other than wheels and diff, is yours mostly stock?
If so, do you still run EFI, nd how do you find keeping it on the road, parts etc still easy to find?


Mechanically, it is pretty much stock standard EFI apart from that mentioned. I have not had issues with parts. I get all my bits as required from Volksparts here in Bungendore. I have fitted an original VW electronic ignition that was sourced through Volksparts from Europe. They were fitted over there but not here.

I have fitted a dual battery system, a oil temp guage and dual swing out jerry can holders on the rear though one of them is now converted to a spare wheel carrier.

My only minor gripe is the fuel economy. At best I can get 12 l/100 but generally average 15. This is towing the tradies trailer for camping. This is the main reason I am swapping out the 2l EFI for a 2l turbo diesel this year. Economy of the diesel will be somewhere down near 7l/100 which means I will get almost twice the range. A few times on the Kimberley run I had to use the jerry cans to get from one roadhouse to the next. The diesel will also give better torque which should be a benefit when towing the trailer in the scrub.

Nick out at Volksparts is importing a couple of the 2l TDs with the matching diesel gearboxes. We are converting his later T3 Trakka syncro to sort out any harness issues before we tackle mine. Should be an interesting year.

I am installing modified Toyoto CV boots as suggested in the Off Road section. I do go through a few boots owing to the height of the vehicle. One thought is to sit the TD engine lower as per a syncro when we install it. This would save torn boots. The CVs don't mind the angle of the drive shafts. I don't seem to have issues with them, just the boots.

Andy - January 7th, 2011 at 11:12 PM

Fuel economy sounds about the same as my 2L baywindow van (stock, carby)
It's genearlly loaded to the hilt and has big roof racks etc that add to the drag, no trailer though

The diesel sounds like a big job to install, you'd be better getting a later T3 with the radiaor and hoses aleay there.
I thought the factory diesel was 1.6L?
I hope it all goes well though.

I'd love to see some one fit a subaru diesel one day also.

Kombi Dad - January 8th, 2011 at 07:36 AM

I am told that some were 2l. Certainly the ones being imported are 2l.

The job may not be as large as one would think as engine and gearbox use the same mounts as what is there now. Gearshift may have to be changed. The mounts for the radiator are already there in my vehicle. Just need to cut a whole for the grill and mount that up. The radiator hoses aren't an issue as I can source those easily enough. My major concern is the wiring loom but a little patience should see that sorted.

I thought of a later vehicle but after 300,000kms a vehicle seems to grow on you. Besides, it gives me plenty to do in retirement.

Andy - January 9th, 2011 at 10:03 PM

Cool, I do hope it goes well.

I knew of a 1600 diesel (mid 80's from memory) that was getting around, guy brought it out from UK, only one I have seen in the flesh. He loved the bus but said it was a lot slower than the petrol's (1.9L)

Type3Sicko - January 12th, 2011 at 03:43 AM

You have a PM Andy

Scottkombi - January 12th, 2011 at 11:27 AM

There was a bloke with a T3 2wd Discoverer camper that did a full lap of Oz in it with no trouble even on real nasty rutted roads other than fan belts breaking and the odd CV boot and quite a few shock absorbers. The T3's have better ground clearance stock than a T4 and I've even seen a T4 syncro struggle severely where a bay 2wd kombi went.

The T3 syncro will go anywhere, especially those with factory diff-locks. Mine even got through a track over Christmas that drowned a 80 series landcruiser. I had to tow the poor bugger out.

The T3's only came with 1.6L turbo and no turbo diesels - they gave good MPG but hopeless MPH. The common conversion is to a 1.9L turbo diesel from a golf. The 2L turbo diesel is found in the latest T5.

Scott

Andy - January 13th, 2011 at 11:23 PM

I thought the 2L golf motors did not fit under the engine lid?
I guess kombi Dad will find out! Oh, what are you doing with the original motor :)

Kombi Dad - January 14th, 2011 at 07:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
I thought the 2L golf motors did not fit under the engine lid?
I guess kombi Dad will find out! Oh, what are you doing with the original motor :)


What you need is the mounting bits off the 1.6l engine and then the 2l will fit at a slant under the lid. Will require the diesel lid though to clear the fuel pump, at least I think it is the fuel pump from memory. Nick from Volksparts has sourced the necessary 1.6l bits to mount the engine accordingly. The 2l mounted upright will not clear the lid.

Not sure about the original engine as Nick may want it for another vehicle. I will let you know when all this happens later this year.

Andy - January 14th, 2011 at 09:10 PM

Cool, I have seen a 2L mounted upright in a dual cap ute and a van before, for what I hear they go very nicely. Will be gret if the deck height inside does not change.

Yea, let me know on the motor, I have a dead motor (split crank and damaged case) and a motor in poor condition, so have not looked into re-building yet, need to sort the body and interior first. The decide if I go auto or manual, so will be ages before I get to the motor :)
I am short EFI bits though, but that will be the last thing I look into.

andywazr - February 17th, 2011 at 08:51 PM

i,ve travelled aust in 2 different bays and a 1900 wc t3 an the t3 handled the rough stuff just as well if not better
and with more comfort