2013 Subaru as Tow Vehicle

IMHO...since the OP has to ask, think a newbie to towing

Most of he advice are from old salts with +tens of thousands of miles
underneath their belt towing and would NOT have much problem manhandling
the trailers they advise this OP to go ahead and get

I say, follow their TV's specifications and manual recommendations (not
really, as if you don't follow those recommendations and have an issue
needing warranty...expect them to deny if they find out what you have
done)

Buddies parents fit the profile of the OP...except they were lurkers
here and will not post. He' in his 90's now and still towing with
their 'bigger' TV because of what happened when they followed some
very misleading advice found here...where I sent them to read up and
learn...my mistake in not telling them to take the advice with a grain
of salt...

Can someone help me do the math on tow capacity? pg3

Benk wrote:

APT wrote:


I'm not sure why people are making this more complicated. While I am not as familiar with the generation of Suburban he has as the GMT800, I cannot see how the 3/4 ton chassis, 7.4L big block gasser will be unhappy with 7k pounds behind it unless it is severely abused. Lots of newer 8.1L Burbs towing 10k RVs with 1400 pounds of TW. Plenty of payload (at least 2000 pounds), plenty of power (at least 400 lb-ft), drinking lots of fuel along the way.

Get a new receiver for $200 if needed to handle >1k TW.


Kinda sorta agree and the issue is that anyone having to ask, needs a
very conservative answer till they can make up their own minds on their
risk management position (gambling)

Newbies can get into much trouble so easily and get very bad advice, IMHO

An example is my buddies father. 88 years old at that time (a few years
ago)

Literally dirt poor all his life, but made a decent living and mortgaged
their 40 acre orchard many times to send my buddy first for his masters
and finally his Phd

Paid it off and decided to retire at 88 years old.

Very private folks. Kind as the day is long. Looooong suffering, but
did not complain at all

Checked out this portal and went with the advice provided here on towing
metrics....manly 'sure you can' and 'been doing it for a long time
with no issues'

Shortly after they bought that Highlander and the trailer that folks
here advised (they will NOT post, as are very quiet and unassuming, just
lurked for a few months while I helped sell their property)

Their Highlander is first gen, so a CUV based on a car platform, which
is a Camry. Second gen Highlander is now based on their mini van, the
Sienna

They had an incident and called my buddy. Who called for a quick session
on towing. This is the guy who beat my 2 seater up in the mountains
and on the track...regularly. So he is no dummy both on paper and
in practical worldly matters. But he is NOT touchy feely mechanically
in big stuff (he is bio-chem researcher, so his stuff is laboratory
level stuff)

He went out to trade vehicles and drove his parents setup. He too had
an incident that they won't tell me what, but do know that they finally
asked detailed questions and it had to do with an out of control sway
that their TV could NOT manhandle. Knowing how great a driver that
my buddy is, says severe sway even he could not manage.

To this day, they will NOT discuss as they are embarrassed in what they
did. They still have the same trailer and visit elderly friends all
along the Calif Central Valley and foothills. He is well over 90 now


So to provide advice based on what I can and/or have done pushing
the limits or exceeding the limits is ill advised for a newbie having
to ask this type of question....I have to sleep at night