Light weight towing with an outback?

On 2006-04-10, jerryeveretts penned:

My WRX manual came with a towing capacity guide ... I would imagine your car did, too ...

It did, and the guide says #2000, BUT, there are some cars you don't want to tow with no matter what it is rated at, a Chrysler Mini Van, for instance, if you tow within the allowed weight, you will still cook your transmission. I was really asking if these cars can hold up to light towing, or are they too delicate no matter what they rate them at.

Jerry

I can't imagine it being a serious problem but some of the guys at

have trailers full of fire wood AND stuffed the inside with wood! crazy. You didn't mention your area/climate, but if you live in a very hot climate and will be towing often at speed - yeah, an oil cooler AND additional tranny cooling might be a good idea. As much because of drag at highway speeds as well as weight. I wouldn't think a dozen trips a season would matter - maybe just decrease the tranny fluid and coolant and oil service intervals to the 'severe' interval as listed in the manual.

Carl

Hi I dont no about a 98 subi but i cant tell you that i tow a folding tent (1500pounds ) , what i just did was to put some synthetic oil in my trans and motor. the only bug i got it's the clima shut it off ( i was in the white mountaine ) whit a full load car and the folding tent. P.S. sory for the writhing am french

hope that helping

"jerryeveretts" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...

I regularly towed an 1600 pound boat including launching down & up a steep boat ramp with my 2000 Forester. I live in FL so all towing was on the flat but, never a problem if you use common sense.

The 99 was rated at 2000 lbs, if you want to see the 98 rating you will have to go to

and click on the tow ratings link and then the link to contact them and it will cost you $4

Several things to recall, the 2000 lbs requires trailer brakes, and assumes the car only has the driver.

My swag (I tow a lot, just not with the Sub any more) is no tranny cooler, maybe trailer brakes, be careful and don't be stupid

jerryeveretts wrote: At that weight everything should be ok but the way I look at it, a trans cooler is a whole lot cheaper than an a/t reubild if something *did* happen! (99 OBW with trans cooler) Cheers

I tow a 14' sailboat with my '97 OBW and have towed a small U-Haul trailer for 180 miles on the Mass Turnpike. My gas mileage was terrible but the car still runs fine. I expect the answer depends upon your climate, the speed and distance you intend to travel, the air resistance of the trailer and its cargo (the U-Haul had much more resistance than my boat), and the typical incline.

-- Vic Roberts Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

I had a '88 Plymouth Grand Voyager with the 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission. (This is a combination that Chrysler took off the market shortly after

1988 stating that the engine was "too small" for the longer, 7-passenger Grand Voyager.)

I used the Grand Voyager to tow the sailboat mentioned above for hundreds of miles on the Interstate, to tow a pop-up camping trailer 100 miles and perhaps 1500 feet up into the Adirondacks, and to tow a small utility trailer with a Sunfish sailboat 240 miles on the Interstate to Cape Cod and back.

The car finally died from body rust. The engine and transmission were fine.

-- Vic Roberts Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

Guess I should have clarified Chrysler AUTOMATIC transmissions.

Trailering weights quoted by Suby and other manufacturers these days are pretty conservative. Our 1970 MGB-GT is rated for 1,600 lbs, and it is a much smaller car than our Forester; 1800cc engine, and vehicle weight of roughly 2,400 lbs.

I've towed our 12' by 6' enclosed race trailer ( empty) with our Forester with no ill effects, and that is 1000 lbs unladen.

Tranny coolers are a great idea if your car is an automatic and you will be towing in hilly or very warm country.