Towing with Subaru Outback

[norems]

I have a subaru outback, towing capacity is 2700lbs, working backwards, what would be the heaviest dry weight of a trailer I can safely tow

[Old-Biscuit]

Dryweight is not the factor one should be using

GVWR of the trailer should be used.....needs to be less then your towing capacity

And with a 2700# towing capacity.....a trailer having a GVWR of 2000# MAX

[tuffr2]

Probably a small pop-up would be best. Maybe a T@B but probably a small(ish) pop-up. Something in the 1,400lb dry range. You want towing to be easy...not difficult.

[radar]

Your max you can tow is 2700 lbs. But that is just one metric. You also need to make sure that you are under weight on

- Tow vehicle GVWR when loaded with people and trailer attached.
- Front gross axle weight of the car
- rear gross axle weight of the car
- hitch weight limit of the car
- GVWR of the trailer.

- if the trailer has electric brakes make sure you install a brake controller and use them.

Also, don’t get anything with a large cross section up front as that makes it real tough to tow. As another poster said maybe a T@B320. (I’m not sure how much they weigh but I really like them)

I don’t know anything about your car but would recommend a conversation with a knowledgeable service manager and ask if he knows any weak points on the car. For example, is the transmission prone to heating up etc. If so ask him if there is something that can be done about it, like a transmission cooler etc.

If your max tow rating is 2700 then that’s what you can pull as long as all the other things I listed are within spec. As a previous poster said though, don’t look at dry weights, try to calculate the loaded weight. Don’t forget to include stuff like

Water,
Battery
Propane
Maybe a partially full grey and black tank
Beer .

All JMHO.

Good luck and hope you find something that works.

[tuffr2]

I just looked up the weight of a T@B 320. It is too heavy IMHO at 1,945 dry. That being the case I would recommend a small pop-up. Some of these small pop-ups are nice. Two big beds at either end, stove and table and small fridge.

[radar]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I just looked up the weight of a T@B 320. It is too heavy IMHO at 1,945 dry. That being the case I would recommend a small pop-up. Some of these small pop-ups are nice. Two big beds at either end, stove and table and small fridge.

Aww mannn. I thought they were a little lighter. Probably closer to 2500 by the time it’s loaded. It would be all the way there and who knows about all the other weights. We have a T@B400 and we come out around 3400 ish fully loaded with water and beer. Not a lot of places to put stuff in these little trailers. A few kitchen cabinets and the fridge (you know, for the beer .

There are other Teardrop trailers out there that are lighter though. There you used to be a Facebook group that was all about teardrops. Not sure what it’s called but they may have some ideas.

Hope you find something and go camping.

[Skip426]

Welcome to iRV2

First , thanks for taking the time to ask about what you can safely tow .

As " radar " has posted there is more to the towing equation than dry weight .

You have to know how the max tow weight was calculated ; most times it's only with a 150 lb driver in the car . So everything in the car has to be deducted from max tow .

[kdauto]

If it's an Outback with a CVT, I wouldn't tow much. It'll cost you tranny at some point in time, and they are very expensive, even though a lot of them are covered under a special campaign.

1500lbs, something that doesn't catch the wind too much, and very easy going up hills. That's the max I would trust the drivetrain for.

[carybosse]

I would never consider towing with a CVT at this point.

[tuffr2]

Agree with - I would not tow anything with a CVT car. I have a CVT car now and will have the CVT maintained by the book. I have never babied a tranny like this one. They are great for fuel economy but again if I wanted to tow something I would get a tranny that shifts.

[Redfour5]

Originally Posted by norems

I have a subaru outback, towing capacity is 2700lbs, working backwards, what would be the heaviest dry weight of a trailer I can safely tow

I towed a "loaded" 1800 lb pop up with a 2004 and 2007 Forester manual transmission. I put a lot of miles on that set up, but realistically, that is about all you can safely do with that Outback. Now, they make some very light but not cheap travel trailers you could tow but watch your wants vs your NEEDS AND, tongue weight is your most critical factor in the set up. It was difficult finding a pop up that would allow me to tow. I also have not heard good things about that new transmission as it relates to towing. It is designed for a specific purpose weight etc.

I'd also get a seven pin set up for trailer brakes. Subaru used to be run by engineers and then a marketing puke got hold of it and sold a bunch of Subarus, but beat the engineers into submission with a CQI whip. It hurt the towing capabilities as was evidenced by me on the difference between the 2004 and 2007 versions same gen underneath as they altered product to meet the needs of soccer moms vs toughness.

[Mighty_J]

Originally Posted by kdauto

If it's an Outback with a CVT, I wouldn't tow much. It'll cost you tranny at some point in time, and they are very expensive, even though a lot of them are covered under a special campaign.

1500lbs, something that doesn't catch the wind too much, and very easy going up hills. That's the max I would trust the drivetrain for.

I’d second this. I owned a 2011 Subaru outback. I loved everything about that vehicle, except the CVT. All I ever towed was a 4x4 utility trailer with some camping equipment in it and maybe a kayak. Total weight no more than 12 or 1500 pounds. I had the CVT replaced twice in 6 years. Subaru did pay for both of them, but the third one began making the same whining noise the other two made so I traded it in very quickly!

The service manager told me to think of the hitch more for bike racks and then occasional short-distance towing. Perhaps newer ones are better.

[Redfour5]

I towed a 1900 lb pop up for 13 years with Foresters. It towed great including multiple times up the Ike gauntlet in Colorado. I had the old manual transmission.

I did have two a 2004 and then a 2007. Once the marketing puke got hold of the company, the engineering and tech started going down hill. Although supposedly identical, the differences between the two were night and day. A retired engineer is the one who talked about what was going on...

The final nail in the coffin from his opinion was that transmission. Before that they did things like change the power torque ratio on the Foresters killing my upper end mph on grades and the springs forcing me to put STi pinks on my 2007 to get rid of sag I never had on the 2004. So, then I had to "slam" my 07 but it still did OK as the engine wasn't messed up...yet... They even changed the turn to turn ratio on the steering.

But I must admit, the marketing puke CEO did sell a bunch more than the engineers... They just took the guts out of em.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by Mighty_J

I’d second this. I owned a 2011 Subaru outback. I loved everything about that vehicle, except the CVT. All I ever towed was a 4x4 utility trailer with some camping equipment in it and maybe a kayak. Total weight no more than 12 or 1500 pounds. I had the CVT replaced twice in 6 years. Subaru did pay for both of them, but the third one began making the same whining noise the other two made so I traded it in very quickly!

The service manager told me to think of the hitch more for bike racks and then occasional short-distance towing. Perhaps newer ones are better.

I agree with the Svc. mgr. , the Outback’s are just not designed to be towing trlrs. around. 1. The CVT 2. Unibody frame
I love our Outback but it is what it is, you can’t tow with it and it can’t be towed.