Forester Towing Suitability

[taza]

Congrats purp


My Foz ('97 NA, 5MT) does struggle a bit with hills unloaded. I've only towed a few times (small trailer) & even with it empty noticed a change. Full & it was very sluggish, mind you that was very heavy, prob close to 1t. Cant imagine it would have made it to 100kmh lol

It will... done it


It takes roughly 18seconds for my Forester to get from 25km/hr to 100km/hr. Due to the unareodynamics of the roof basket and oversized tyres. Overtaking isn't possible in 5th, takes 17seconds to get from 110km/hr to 120km/hr. This is unloaded aswell except with myself in the car and half a tank of fuel. I tried this when I drove back to Geraldton today. lol

Try imagining towing a trailer and car loaded up on the highway too Alex.

[Donmac]

Just want to say thanks to all those who took the trouble to provide information, particularly FROG re the cooler. Now all I have to do is find a good second hand camper trailer, a couple of likely prospects on Gumtree today, and set off as a much wiser person when towing it.

[purp]

Congrats purp

Thanks! I'm a little frazzled right now from the changes to my sleeping patterns. That will be my excuse for typos or stupid questions for a while.

I've been informed by the minister for war and finance that I can't do "anything too silly" to the foz, as it is the "reliable nice looking family car" (replacing a two door hyundai accent), but I think a transmission cooler can't be classed as silly. A quick look around the net shows they are actually pretty cheap, especially compared to a gearbox...

I still have Izzy the "L" for weekend silliness in the mountains.

[Alex]

Try imagining towing a trailer and car loaded up on the highway too Alex.

done it, ive towed big loads with my l-series, three inch lift(and ea82) up greenmount hill to the tip. It struggled yes but not as much as youd think.

you just have to let the car do its thing i find. Often dropping a gear and revving it harder does nothing (it just revs harder and uses more fuel)

your 30l/100km proves you were over revving.

(i know its a bad comparison) but even my patrol which did have a 6cylinder 4.2l carby, 5inches of lift and 33in muddies didnt use that much towing over 2t.

im sticking up for the old ej20 because it isnt as gutless as everyone says it is, i can drive my lib into the ground and it still wont go over 10.5l/100km.

[taza]

i can drive my lib into the ground and it still wont go over 10.5l/100km.

Onroad and not towing I get no more than that even when revving the hell out of her and driving like a P-plater. lol

I have to say though Alex although its not quick it has done everything I have asked of it in the past 50,000km I have done in it. It may not of been able to do 100km/hr with head on 50km/hr wind while loaded up to the max and towing but it got me from A-B in comfort no worries.

[El_Freddo]

The 2.5 in the Forester will be fine as said. Subarino's turbo 2.0l did fine too. But I highly recommend not towing long distance with a 2.0l non turbo, although mines manual I did a 2500km trip in a week with a boat, the roof packed and the car full to the roof and upto the front seats.

You do realise that the idea of towing is to safely tow your load, not necessarily to tow your load at the speed limit.

Taza I think your driving style is abit funny hey

My driving style is more normal now, I take a bit more care of the drivetrain after the engine issues... I don't redline it every gear change either

I think I may have found your engine problem! Redlining doesn't necessarily get you places quicker, it can actually put you outside the power band area of the engine... but there are some times when you need to get there, but only some times. That said, it does feel good to give the EJ all the berries from time to time, especially if you've got an after market exhaust on it, other wise you're just wasting your time IMO.

Also, what most people miss in the understanding of how to tow is not how fast or how quick your car can get the extra load up to speed, its how safely your car can stop the extra load and how quickly that can happen...

Cheers

Bennie

[taza]

You do realise that the idea of towing is to safely tow your load, not necessarily to tow your load at the speed limit.

I think I may have found your engine problem! Redlining doesn't necessarily get you places quicker, it can actually put you outside the power band area of the engine... but there are some times when you need to get there, but only some times. That said, it does feel good to give the EJ all the berries from time to time, especially if you've got an after market exhaust on it, other wise you're just wasting your time IMO.

Also, what most people miss in the understanding of how to tow is not how fast or how quick your car can get the extra load up to speed, its how safely your car can stop the extra load and how quickly that can happen...

Your right there Bennie, we all completely miossed that point. Safety is the main concern but im more complaining about the lack of power when towing with my Forester. Its annoying when your on a flat straight yet can't even get upto 80km/hr...

I think it again was more areo dynamics. My car goes 3x as better with only roof racks on the roof. Plus when I towed my boat for 2500km I think the wind was catching in it because I had no cover on it aswell as the stuff on the roof thus unable to get upto speed.

[NachaLuva]

Thanks! I'm a little frazzled right now from the changes to my sleeping patterns. That will be my excuse for typos or stupid questions for a while.

Hope the lil one settles down so you both can "unfrazzle" lol

I've been informed by the minister for war and finance that I can't do "anything too silly" to the foz, as it is the "reliable nice looking family car" (replacing a two door hyundai accent), but I think a transmission cooler can't be classed as silly. A quick look around the net shows they are actually pretty cheap, especially compared to a gearbox...

I still have Izzy the "L" for weekend silliness in the mountains.

You can classify it as insurance not just for the auto but for getting where you're going reliably. You dont want the auto breaking down with a little bubba.

I think I may have found your engine problem! Redlining doesn't necessarily get you places quicker, it can actually put you outside the power band area of the engine... but there are some times when you need to get there, but only some times.

totally agree. If you wanna regularly redline then get a rotary. Otherwise you're out of the power band & needlessly damaging the engine

That said, it does feel good to give the EJ all the berries from time to time, especially if you've got an after market exhaust on it, other wise you're just wasting your time IMO.

I used to love redlining through every gear in my RX3, but hate doing that in the Foz. In Robe when I had to nudge past 5000rpm to make it up a long soft dune I actually patted her on the dash & apologised lol. Poor girl

[El_Freddo]

If you wanna regularly redline then get a rotary.

And invert the redline buzzer, then watch your wallet get really thin really quick! Rotaries are awesome though!

I used to love redlining through every gear in my RX3, but hate doing that in the Foz. In Robe when I had to nudge past 5000rpm to make it up a long soft dune I actually patted her on the dash & apologised lol. Poor girl

After some coercion from a couple of us! The foz loved it - you know it! Get a 2 and 1/4 inch cat back with some sweet mufflers and she'll sound tops Go on, you know you want to!!

Cheers

Bennie

[taza]

I used to love redlining through every gear in my RX3, but hate doing that in the Foz. In Robe when I had to nudge past 5000rpm to make it up a long soft dune I actually patted her on the dash & apologised lol. Poor girl

haha, that just cracked me up for a few mins. lol
Sounds like something James May would say!!

The foz loved it - you know it! Get a 2 and 1/4 inch cat back with some sweet mufflers and she'll sound tops Go on, you know you want to!!

I did that, went the whole hog with a new exhaust. Got sick of it after 2 weeks and am now back to stock, was just too loud for everyday driving but it did sound bloody good... Really good just way too loud and abit droney on long trips.

I also lost 40mm of clearance at the front under the sumpguard too so it wasn't worth the loss in clearance. Biggest waste of money I have ever spent

[NachaLuva]

After some coercion from a couple of us! The foz loved it - you know it! Get a 2 and 1/4 inch cat back with some sweet mufflers and she'll sound tops Go on, you know you want to!!

Sure I want to but my wallet doesnt...we've had many arguments recently

haha, that just cracked me up for a few mins. lol
Sounds like something James May would say!!

Oh no not James May lol

I did that, went the whole hog with a new exhaust. Got sick of it after 2 weeks and am now back to stock, was just too loud for everyday driving but it did sound bloody good... Really good just way too loud and abit droney on long trips.

I also lost 40mm of clearance at the front under the sumpguard too so it wasn't worth the loss in clearance. Biggest waste of money I have ever spent

Shame you had to take it off. Apart from the increase in noise lol, did you notice an increase in power?

[taza]

Oh no not James May lol

Haha, oh yes. rofl

Shame you had to take it off. Apart from the increase in noise lol, did you notice an increase in power?

It was embarrassing it was that loud but anyway. I couldn't even hear my stereo and it cause me to speed lots because it sounded amazing when you put your foot down. But too loud when idling or in heavy traffic and I attracted the cops abit too.
Actaully a small loss in low end power, maybe because it was a 2.5" pipe not 2" 1/4'.

[Ziggy]

If the gross mass of the camper trailer or van exceeds 750kg, in Aus. you must have braking on the towed vehicle.

That could be hydraulic over-ride (not the best idea for slippery inclines) or electric.

....

I've done two long country and outback trips towing a CT of about 800kg with an '08 MT Forester and it did fine. Optimum max speed on the blacktop was 95 kph actual and av. fuel used was 12% more than not towing.

The balance of the load of the CT is critical to how much sag the towbar creates at the vehicle rear. My model does well and a levelling hitch isn't needed. On dirt roads like the Oodnadatta in good condition you can hardly tell you're towing.

..

IIRC Subaru made a light and heavy towbar for some Foresters so check the label for the max towing weight.

Good luck.