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Towing with a Forester

97 messages,  Last post on Apr 21, 2008 at 6:24 AM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Towing, Wagon

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#11 of 97 Re: Towing with a Forester [kavoom] by paisan Aug 03, 2007 (3:37 pm)
Replying to: kavoom (Aug 03, 2007 2:56 am) Don't single out Subaru on this. Until this year and only this year on 2500 series pickups was there a brake controller on the pickups. Yet all the Pickups and SUVs come with a 7-pin connector and require braking above roughly 1500lbs.   You have to get someone to install the brake controller anyway, they don't charge a lot more to get the 7pin connector also wired in.   -mike
#12 of 97 What size if the 2008 Forester hitch mount? by brett2007 Aug 19, 2007 (2:06 am)
Out of curiosity, what is the size of the opening on the Forester's trailer hitch? I currently have a hitch-mounted bike rack for my Liberty which I think requires a 2" hitch mount.   Is it 2 inches?   Thanks Replies to this message: kavoom (Aug 21, 2007 2:59 am)
#13 of 97 Re: What size if the 2008 Forester hitch mount? [brett2007] by kavoom Aug 21, 2007 (2:59 am)
Replying to: brett2007 (Aug 19, 2007 2:06 am) Nope, it's the smaller 1 1/4 inch I think made for Class I and II hitches...   There are not as many choices for items like what you are looking for, but they are out there and there are also reducers for the 2 inch openings.
#14 of 97 Re: Towing with a Forester [rsholland] by dt63944 Aug 23, 2007 (5:49 pm)
Replying to: rsholland (Aug 01, 2007 6:47 pm) It's amazing the number of people, even trailer dealers, who don't see the need for trailer brakes. I tow a 1000# tractor with my Forester and the trailer doesn't have brakes and I consider it an unsafe situation. My new trailer is going to have hydraulic (surge) brakes so the others in my family can use it with their vehicles. Electric brakes are a pain because the vehicles using them require wiring. Hydraulics don't rely on electric controllers. BTW, I recommend Triton trailers, they've got a very versatile line at fair prices. Replies to this message: rsholland (Aug 23, 2007 7:17 pm) paisan (Aug 24, 2007 5:10 pm)
#15 of 97 Re: Towing with a Forester [dt63944] by rsholland Aug 23, 2007 (7:17 pm)
Replying to: dt63944 (Aug 23, 2007 5:49 pm) It's amazing the number of people, even trailer dealers, who don't see the need for trailer brakes.   Yep. That's been a long-time hot-button issue with me. The vehicle makers (Subaru!) don't make it any easier either, as they bury that trailer brake info in the owner's manual. I've even requested that Subaru offer an dashboard-integrated electric trailer brake control, like what Ford and GM offer on their HD pickups.   It would be great if Subaru took a leadership role here, but they don't seem to care.   Bob Replies to this message: paisan (Aug 24, 2007 5:10 pm)
#16 of 97 Re: Towing with a Forester [rsholland] by paisan Aug 24, 2007 (5:10 pm)
Replying to: rsholland (Aug 23, 2007 7:17 pm) Good luck finding surge brakes. Most states only allow them on boat trailers, and even then most of the boat trailers are going to Electric over Hydrolic.   I was looking for surge brakes for my car-hauler flatbed trailer and could not find them anywhere on the east coast.   Electric over hydrolic or straight electric are superior in that there is no tounge smacking into the ball giving your car a push from the trailer as it comes forward.   As for an integrated controller, it's a lot of hardware to include when 95% of the vehicles out there don't tow. They other problem is that some trailer brake systems are incompatible with the factory brake controllers. For instance the GM factory controller cannot control Electric over Hydrolic used on a lot of boat trailers.   I have surge hydrolics on my cigarette boat trailer with disc (just had them converted from drums) on 2 of my 3 axles. I love them now, they are running vented discs that are found on the front of 3500 series GMC trucks so it's nice because rotors and pads are easy to find when I have to replace em   -mike
#17 of 97 Newbie at towing with Forester XT by xtop Oct 07, 2007 (9:43 am)
Hello: We just purchased a TB travel trailer. It's GVWR is 1939 lbs. it does have mechanical surge brakes. I have been looking around to see if there is any way to beef up the rear suspension on the Forester without luck. I imagine it's not a common request. I am also looking at the 7-pin trailer electrical plug installation. I have ordered a Subaru specific T-connector and adapter for the 7-pin. We already had a Hidden Hitch class II installed for bike racks and the like so that is done. We haven't actually picked the trailer up yet as the electrics must be installed next week. Are there any suggestions relevant to towing with the 2004 Forester XT with manual transmission? I would love to hear any experiences with this vehicle towing. We live in the Colorado mountains but most travel would be to lower elevation. Thanks and best regards to all, Fred Replies to this message: kayakingsue (Oct 07, 2007 1:11 pm)
#18 of 97 Re: Newbie at towing with Forester XT [xtop] by kayakingsue Oct 07, 2007 (1:11 pm)
Replying to: xtop (Oct 07, 2007 9:43 am) When I first asked about towing with my 2007 Forester someone said that it wasn't what the car could pull, it was what it could STOP. With that in mind, several other people said what I needed was a Prodegy Brake Controller that would connect the car's brakes to the trailer's brakes so they'd activate when you hit the brake pedal. I had one installed for $170.00 in Longmont at Big Boys' Toys; talk with them about where in the car's cab they are going to put the little box because the first time they installed it I couldn't move my right leg from the gas to the brake without knocking against it! I've driven my tent pop-up to the west coast and back and have had no trouble with the brakes. The car needed to be shifted down into THIRD on some of the hills, however, and my car's newer than yours and my trailer is lighter, so don't load the TB with very much.
#19 of 97 Thanks for the information by xtop Oct 07, 2007 (2:28 pm)
The trailer has its own brakes actuated through the tongue. I'm hoping that's sufficient. I would love to hear if it's not. The 2004 and 2007 Foresters are essentially identical mechanically. What model Forester is yours? Ours is the turbocharged model. I see yours is a manual shift. We don't plan on loading it too heavy as there don't seem to be any kits to increase the load carrying capacity of the rear suspension. We travel pretty light most of the time. We go looking for wildlife as I am a photographer and my wife and I love animals. Did you adjust the headlights for night driving? It sounds like you're having fun with your trailer. Fred
#20 of 97 Forester towing misc. by kayakingsue Oct 07, 2007 (2:51 pm)
From what everyone has told me, if you have a brake controller in the car that controlls the brakes in the TB you will be fine. The issue with me was the Subaru sold me their hitch set-up as though it would be sufficient for anything the Forester was rated for, but it was not and I had to retro-fit the brake controller and then buy something extra to accommodate the trailer's ball hitch.   My Forester is the cheapest model, so you may have more soup than I do, which will make climbing those hills much nicer.   I was a camp-host in Oregon so I could kayak more frequently. I missed my Colorado sunshine, but I had a wonderful time, the the kayaking was fabulous. I like my tent trailer because it has more room when both beds are extended, although it had the same floor space as the TB I looked at. However, it's really chilly when the nights get cold.

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