2013 Subaru as Tow Vehicle

lawrosa wrote:
one of these 11 ft models are a good choice. Low tongue weight..

Cant use a WD with these all aluminum frames..

http://www.livinlite.com/camplite-models.php


My choice would be this for the optional bed pop out..

http://www.livinlite.com/camplite11fk-overview.php

these aren't the type of trailer i was talking about.'
i think these will be too heavy for the Suburu.
remember, the OP has a 4 CYLINDER engine, NOT a v-6.
not sure why the OP thought that buying a car with a 4 cyl. engine, would be a good tow vehicle.:h

i was talking about Livin'Lite's other line:

Livinlite tent campers

carringb wrote:
Putting that motor under high load continuously is a sure way to earn yourself new head gaskets much sooner than normal.

Well, it is a 2.5, so he's gonna need 'em eventually anyway!

I would also be concerned about towing w/ the CVT that this vehicle probably is equipped with. I don't know how a CVT would manage heat while towing, but I would definitely want to look into it first.

one of these 11 ft models are a good choice. Low tongue weight..

Cant use a WD with these all aluminum frames..

http://www.livinlite.com/camplite-models.php


My choice would be this for the optional bed pop out..

http://www.livinlite.com/camplite11fk-overview.php

Shadow Catcher wrote:
We have a Subaru Outback 3.6L H6 and tow a 1800# teardrop trailer.
This is the second Subaru we have used to tow with.
Trailer MUST have brakes, period no question!
If it is an automatic, a transmission cooler is a really good idea.
I know of a good number of folks using Subaru's to tow with and no problems.
We did a one month trip out west and had to watch engine temps (Time to turn of the AC) and had one problem smoking the TV brakes coming down Tioga pass, 6,000 foot drop, even with trailer brakes.

Shadow Catcher, did you downshift when coming down from the pass? I have observed that most brake overheating can be avoided by shifting to a gear that's low enough to hold back the rig pretty well, with only an occasional brief stab of the brakes. Any time one must ride the brakes an extended amount of time, they get really hot. Some passes call for a downshift to 2nd or even 1st, depending on the rig.

A 13' Scamp or Casita would work. In real world use the 15's and 16's tend to be too heavy on the hitch; your Subaru will only take 200 lb hitch weight. Other than that, the 16's don't pull much harder than the 13's so if you really could keep the hitch weight down and if you kept to 55 mph or less, you'd probably get by ok with occasional towing of a 16. Of the three, Scamp is lightest on the hitch.

Along the same vein, you could also consider the Weiscraft Ponderosa or Little Joe. These have even less frontal area than the previously mentioned brands, because the body is only 5' wide. They are still built, I believe, in Colorado.

Or you could look at pop up trailers. The A-frame trailers made by Aliner and Chalet would keep you in hard-sides (no canvas) and only take a minute or less to set up. But again you must choose a model with a low hitch weight. The ones made by Forest River and Jayco are all too heavy on the hitch, I think.

There are people who tow with Subarus, but heat is the enemy of longevity, so extra transmission and/or engine cooling is good insurance against premature breakdown.

Yes, a good welding shop might be able to fabricate a heavier hitch for your Subaru, allowing more weight. But it is costly (I got a price a couple years ago from Can-Am of $1900 to modify a VW Jetta) and your drive train's performance in the mountains will already be marginal, so why push it.

P.S.-- You will never get one single, definitive answer on your question. Everyone has had a different set of experiences and has formed different opinions. I once towed a 13' egg from Michigan to Colorado and back, with a '84 Dodge Omni 2.2L 4 cylinder and 5 speed stick shift (1000 lb tow rating). No trailer brakes. We had a nice trip, without incident. Can it be done? YES. Would I advise doing it again today? NO. ;) I was overloaded. But in the end, you will believe what you want to believe and will make up your own mind.

Every vehicle towing a trailer has limitations as to what it can tow. Yours just has LOWER limitations than most. Get information from your dealer about the towing capabilities of your Suburu and stay within those weights (looking at tongue weight when fully loaded and trailer weight when fully loaded). Do NOT get hung up on those brochure weights as they are always empty weights and your trailer would weigh much more when loaded. The weight of the tongue and everything else being CARRIED by the Suburu is the more important of the two numbers since it related to safety issues and the GVWR of your vehicle. Trailer weight is LESS important but it can effect the warranty on your vehicle. The factory assigns a weight they will allow to be towed based on power, braking, engine cooling, axle strength etc and if you exceed this they COULD decide not to honor the warranty for items related to weight.
Brand has nothing to do with whether it can be a good tow vehicle or not, it's all about the particulars of both the trailer and the tow vehicle and how well they are matched. ALL of that information should be available from the dealership.
Good luck / Skip

We have a Subaru Outback 3.6L H6 and tow a 1800# teardrop trailer.
This is the second Subaru we have used to tow with.
Trailer MUST have brakes, period no question!
If it is an automatic, a transmission cooler is a really good idea.
I know of a good number of folks using Subaru's to tow with and no problems.
We did a one month trip out west and had to watch engine temps (Time to turn of the AC) and had one problem smoking the TV brakes coming down Tioga pass, 6,000 foot drop, even with trailer brakes.

bottom line is that you were lied to by the saleman, BIG SURPRISE!:R

the only thing towable would be an ultralight popup trailer.

Putting that motor under high load continuously is a sure way to earn yourself new head gaskets much sooner than normal.

I've owned Subaru's nearly continuously since 1981
I like Subaru's
I've towed with Subaru's

Subaru rates yours at 2400 or 2700 lbs (Forester vrs Outback)

Personally I wouldn't go over 2000 lbs LOADED (not dry weight). Given that the dry weight of the 16 ft Scamp is 1700 to 2000 lbs, and the loaded is more like 2500 to 3000.....

Well, do the math

PS CanAm is infamous for lying about tow capability, has been for years.