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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester Towing with a Forester
97 messages, Last post on Apr 21, 2008 at 6:24 AM
You are in the Subaru Forester Forum. Your Host is kcram
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From what everyone has told me, if you have a brake controller in the car that controlls the brakes in the T B 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 T B I looked at. However, it's really chilly when the nights get cold.
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Replying to: kayakingsue (Oct 07, 2007 2:51 pm) As for the rear suspension, the easiest thing to do is to move anything inside the trailer to the rear to reduce the tounge weight. You may be able to get some custom upgraded springs for the rear which would help. -mike |
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Replying to: paisan (Oct 07, 2007 6:01 pm) -Frank
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I imagine that I will load up the storage at the rear of the trailer itself to cut the load on the back of the Subaru. A simple and effective method, thank you. The battery might end up being moved as well to help. The self-leveling suspension would be lovely but not an option for me. What would be an optimum hitch weight on the tongue, does anyone have an idea? It's common knowledge, I'm sure, but I don't know it. Thank you, everyone, for your help. Fred
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Hey where's Bob, our resident towing expert and champion of all things towing related 
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Replying to: p0926 (Oct 09, 2007 3:15 pm) On my peformance boat trailer I run about 600lb tounge on a 10,000lb trailer and this works out well to keep it balanced. -mike
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Replying to: paisan (Oct 09, 2007 6:55 pm) I'm curious. How does one actually determine the tongue weight? tidester, host SUVs and Smart Shopper
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Replying to: tidester (Oct 09, 2007 9:08 pm) You could beef up the suspension if you wanted but, for example, the load leveling struts (standard in Australia only available in auto LL Beans in U.S.) will run you around 800 bucks for parts alone in the U.S. At a dealer, count on another 3 to 400 for labor. You will need a seven pin hook up for electric brakes but Subaru's already have a four pin built in (look in your spare tire well/see the rubber grommet in the bottom?) and installers say they are easy to convert to 7 pin. Tongue weight is figured by looking at what the manufacturer says tongue weight is, and then adding the battery weight and the propane tank weight. So, generally, you are looking for around a 150 lb tongue weight to stay under the Subaru 200 lb rating. Don't worry about a few pounds over. And Subaru North American tow ratings are low compared to other countries. Many are convinced it is fear of lawyers as to why. In Australia they are rated at 3200 lbs for example and around 240 lbs tongue weight (remember load leveling struts are standard down under except for the absolute 2.0 base model. Forester's are still the highest rated (at 2400 lbs)relative to size/engine in the U.S. A manual transmission is preferable IMHO and with the turbo, you will have NO problems going anywhere. You don't need to add a tranny cooler with a manual either. But you will need to change out tranny fluids more often. I tow an 1800 to 1900 lb pop up with electric brakes and between my two Foresters (I have an 07 Premium Package manual now) I have put close to 20K in trips over mountains hills and dales. I've seen T Bs on many a Subaru.
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Replying to: p0926 (Oct 09, 2007 12:31 pm) 
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Replying to: kavoom (Oct 10, 2007 3:38 am) There is no such thing as a "conversion" from 4-pin to 7-pin, at least not easily. For a 7-pin you'd need to put in a brake controller and brake controller connections to the rear where the 7-pin connection goes. It's not plug-and-play so to speak. Tongue weight is figured by looking at what the manufacturer says tongue weight is, and then adding the battery weight and the propane tank weight. So, generally, you are looking for around a 150 lb tongue weight to stay under the Subaru 200 lb rating. Don't worry about a few pounds over. That's actually incorrect. Tounge weight is actually calculated by putting a scale under the tounge at the hitch-height with a fully loaded trailer. You can use a bathroom scale but make sure to put a rod or something so that it's at the correct heigh of where it will be when hitched. -mike
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