Towing capacity of the 4th Gen?

OK so I'm looking to get a small boat to tow behind my Spec B. Towing weight is 1300lbs... Just looking to see if anyone else has towed something like that around, and/or should I look into getting electric brakes put on the trailer? I read anything over 1000lbs should get the brake assist... I'm assuming they'll be ok going underwater... I'm worried more about the stress pulling the boat out of the lake more so then the actual towing. and if I need to load the boat having the brakes hold so my whole car doesn't go in the drink. I also am considering a transmission cooler to go with the electric brakes. searched with no luck... I expect someone to post 3-4 links all about towing... and to you my friend, I top my hat off to you.

2700 pounds

Trans cooler for a manual trans??

This is off topic but my Legacy has what appears to be a rear tow hook, not an actual hitch but more something for pulling out of a ditch. Can anyone verify what this is?

Trans cooler for a manual trans??

 

No clue... I was just spitting out random things this morning when I wrote that... I don't actually remember what I wrote until I re-read it just now

This is off topic but my Legacy has what appears to be a rear tow hook, not an actual hitch but more something for pulling out of a ditch. Can anyone verify what this is?

A hook for attaching tie downs for vehicle transport.

The hook can also be used to pull your car out of a ditch.. that is if it ever gets stuck, theres also a cover panel on the front passenger side that removes and you can screw an "I" bolt into to pull the car also, hope this helps

OK so I'm looking to get a small boat to tow behind my Spec B. Towing weight is 1300lbs... Just looking to see if anyone else has towed something like that around, and/or should I look into getting electric brakes put on the trailer? ...I also am considering a transmission cooler to go with the electric brakes. searched with no luck... I expect someone to post 3-4 links all about towing... and to you my friend, I top my hat off to you.

 

I have a small boat and trailer. I would not be concerned about towing 1300lbs with a LGT and more than towing 1000lbs or 800lbs. It is not a lot of weight so much as it is TOWING something big behind you that if it gets out of control you are FUBAR. My 4500lb 5L durango would be FUBAR.

 

EDIT: towing 1300lbs alone not towing 1300lbs with a 200lbs of gear and 4 adults... Then all of a sudden brakes seem too small and heat up too fast is my guess

 

Brakes on the trailer on a trailer that light is not going to help you much (could get you into trouble). Surge brakes are fairly affordable but you will experience nightmares trying to move the trailer on a hill (try backing up an incline with the surge locked:lol: - oops you should not have pulled in that way)

 

Adding more brakes than that is expensive and sort-of silly on a light trailer. Really, go get that trailer without the boat on it, learn to drive around while you can see the trailer behind you and learn slow speed maneuvering and then do it with a load.

 

I have a little experience towing boats... I have trailered a 9000lb race sailboat across the country with my Durango that is half the weight (magnum v8, hd tow pkg, engine oil coolers, tranny coolers, hd brakes, etc)

The hook can also be used to pull your car out of a ditch.. that is if it ever gets stuck, theres also a cover panel on the front passenger side that removes and you can screw an "I" bolt into to pull the car also, hope this helps

Yeah I knew about the front one from my friends WRX. In my last car, Saturn Ion (and yes I did get stuck in a ditch ) it had what also appeared to be two tow hooks and when I hooked them up they just completely ripped so I just wanted to make sure this one was legit IF I ever had to use it. Thanks for the help.

I am pretty sure subaru doesn't recommend towing with any of the legacy sedans, seeing as how they dont offer a hitch for it specifically that is a big clue. If you have a warranty I would be aware of voiding it.

 

Check here a little past mid page to the left.

http://www.cars101.com/subwarr.html

i've towed lots of stuff with other cars just not the subaru. my roommates got a 20ft jetboat... it's a large boat to be towing behind a 4runner... but it works... so i'm well aware of my towing skills... I'm sure the Spec B would be fine towing 1300lbs... I just wanted to know if other people tow stuff with theirs and if they've had any problems with it.

 

I'm sure towing something would void my powertrain warranty, but I'd need to check with my stealership to see if they'd void it or not...

I tow an 18.5 ft center console with my forester when i need to and haven't had any problems. I did add the cooler though to be safe.

 

I am pretty sure that SOA would be the one voiding your warranty not the dealer they are merely the provider of services. It wouldn't be worth it to me the gearing just isn't right for towing at least in the 2.5i it isn't.

I put an aftermarket ("Hidden Hitch") hitch on my '05 Legacy 2.5i immediately after I bought it new in '05. I tow a little 4'x8' folding trailer that I bought as a kit from Harbor Freight. Almost makes up for the fact that my rear seats don't fold down (Damn, you, Subaru!!)

 

Anyway, I don't tow anything particularly heavy, but it's nice for towing my motorcycle, or big bulky stuff like furniture, or bags of lawn much, etc.

 

I was stunned that Subaru didn't offer a hitch for this. I understand that the towing capacity is pretty light, but come on...it's a Subaru!

I haved towed a trailer with my motorcycle on it, and currently tow a jetski with my 2.5i. No issues with warranty. They haven't said a thing. I wouldn't tow anything bigger due to the power and suspension constraints on the vehicle.

 

I have to say I already blew out one of the rear struts, replaced both rears with Bilsteind HD's. Now I can't prove whether this was from towing or just crappy parts considering the issues I have had with my Subaru lately. Blew out both head gaskets, and was covered under warranty.

on an '08?! both headgaskets... jeesh can't wait for something catastrophic to happen to my car... my luck it'll be right after I install the trailer hitch... and then they don't cover the warranty because of it! arseholes!

The dealer can decide if the repair is covered under warranty... pretty sure that's how it works... and I don't have a 2.5i... i have a Spec B.

Well that's good you have a Spec B... I merely was just stating what I have towed with mine. If I can tow and do what I do, you should have no problem towing small trailers. I wouldn't trust anything bigger.

 

As far as warranty goes, yes it is up to the dealer, but if you just talk to the guy in the service department they are usually pretty cool. If not go to another Subaru dealer. I had all the heat shielding removed from my exhaust, a leaking flex hose on the headers, trailer hitch, and a Valentine One in the windshield. They had no problem covering it under warranty. Didn't ask questions. Granted it wasn't my fault the gaskets blew, but they could have argued about it.

I was referring to FLegacy... or something... I was under the impression people thought I had a 2.5i because everyone was talking about them haha... I used to have one... but I traded it in for the spec b... IMO i should have kept the 2.5i and got an E46 M3 instead... OH well... now I get a boat.

Towing things is generally not a problem, but I certainly would recommend having surge brakes.

 

As for backing a trailer with surge brakes uphill - some surge brakes has a lock that can be put in to allow for that.

 

Anyway - since the dynamics are different you should keep a lower speed when towing. And that isn't only because you can suffer from brake problems but also dynamic oscillation, which can cause really scary moments.

I never mentioned you having a 2.5i I was just comparing the gearing between the legacy and forester. I don't know if the spec b has lower gearing or not but the 2.5i gearing does not feel like it would be good for towing.

I admit the 2.5i isn't the best vehicle to tow with, but I gotta do what I can with what I got. The car can do it and luckily in Texas we don't have mountains, just rolling hills. The 4EAT under tow does stay in high 3rd most of the time. That is why I let it rest once I get where I need to be. I take a trip to the lake once a year so I figured it wouldn't do much to car. Every other time I live 2 miles from the bay so there is no harm done.

Well over in euorpe its a diffent ball game. The subaru dealer sells OEM hitches

http://www.subaru.se/tillbehor.aspx?model=3&year=14&cat=5&articleNo=MX105EAJ710

so would a 2.5GT be able to tow a sports car..let's say something that is about 2700-2800 pounds? would the 5EAT be able to withstand such weight?

so would a 2.5GT be able to tow a sports car..let's say something that is about 2700-2800 pounds? would the 5EAT be able to withstand such weight?

 

Depends on how you drive. Towing something heavy will cause the dynamics to change - and you have to use the right trailer too to avoid extreme weight transfers to the towing vehicle.

so would a 2.5GT be able to tow a sports car..let's say something that is about 2700-2800 pounds? would the 5EAT be able to withstand such weight?

 

The towing capacity is listed at 2700 lbs, but that would include the weight of the trailer. Maybe you could go a little heavier, but it depends on how much risk you want to take.

 

A class II hitch is rated for 3500 lbs, and those are the standard hitches you find, so there's another upper limit. Also, you'd want to get a transmission cooler for your 5EAT.