Forester Towing Suitability
Forester Towing Suitability
I have had several Forester's, current one an '06 XS auto, but have never towed anything other than the trailer to the local tip. I am contemplating purchasing a camper trailer either the pop top type or the fold out canvas type and would be interested to hear from anyone who has either of these and who camps/tows fairly regularly.
Mainly interested in how the vehicle handles the towing and any relevant comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Mainly interested in how the vehicle handles the towing and any relevant comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.
- thunder039
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- FROG
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Pretty sure you will need an auto oil cooler for that model as well as the tow bar. I will check tommorow.Donmac wrote:I have had several Forester's, current one an '06 XS auto, .
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I am also interested in what people have to say about this. I recently bought a 09 auto forester (as a family car, as our first was born 6 days ago). We have a camper trailer (the tent type) and have previously pulled it with the trusty old "L" without any trouble, but only on shorter trips and not all that loaded. I'll be getting the heavy duty tow bar (it didn't come with one) and have no really worries about the springs, but am very interested in what people think about transmission coolers!
- thunder039
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Have an 00 Auto Outback wich pulls my trailer around on local trips and a couple of costal runs. the trailer max weight is 750KG, I always select "Power" on the transmision so as to not load it up at low revs. No problems at all.
Now if i was to travel australia or take on the beach or dunes. I would fit an auto tranny fluid cooler as well as VLSD front and rear. BUT could buy a real 4WD for the same price would probably just buy a Toyota or Nissan. Now none of the above is going to happen so I will just leave my OB as is and go steady with a trailer on.
If I were to stay on road or hard packed roads with a trailer of max weight od 750kg the OB would be just fitted with an auto fluid cooler and driven around australia.
I believe the OB and Forrester share the same drive line.
Now if i was to travel australia or take on the beach or dunes. I would fit an auto tranny fluid cooler as well as VLSD front and rear. BUT could buy a real 4WD for the same price would probably just buy a Toyota or Nissan. Now none of the above is going to happen so I will just leave my OB as is and go steady with a trailer on.
If I were to stay on road or hard packed roads with a trailer of max weight od 750kg the OB would be just fitted with an auto fluid cooler and driven around australia.
I believe the OB and Forrester share the same drive line.
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Current
00 Outback with class, SOHC EJ25 auto 240,068ks
"B1" 90 Brumby with character 271,800K EA81 (But soon 5speed,103,000k EJ202)
"B2" wrecked and crushed
"B3" 89 Bush Bashing Brumby (BeeRumBee) Kept a Bucca
"B4" 89 Black Brumby (wam balam ) Kept at Kempsey
"B5" 92 Brumby (sold it)
"B6" 88 Beige Brumby
"W1" 83 wagon 308,000 AC and alot of rust repairs. (Wanda)
Brumby Trailer (Sulky)
LUV THAT BRUM !
RevMax Hobbies
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I towed a camper trailer around oz in my 01 gt foz. Towed fine. Trailer weighed about 1000kg I think and car fully loaded with cargo on a roof cage too. It's a pop top similar to the small jayco pop tops u see. Rear shock and springs were shagged after towing for 24 000km and the AC could not be run when climbing hills or it overheated. Incase anyone's interested we were getting 400km from the 70l tank and had to run high octane fuel or it pinged off its head.
Obviously your vehicle should tow much better than this.
Dave
Obviously your vehicle should tow much better than this.
Dave
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- Gannon
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One thing that if often overlooked, is trailer braking. How heavy is the camper trailer?
The 06 Forester is rated to tow 720kg unbraked and 1400kg braked.
This is more important than most people think. If you are towing more than you are rated for, and have an accident, there is a very good chance that your insurance will be voided, and if you injure or kill somebody, you will be criminally liable.
I own a canvas camper trailer that I towed for the first time with the Outback and although it towed ok, I found that after a couple of stop starts through town, the brakes were starting to fade a little. I will be buying an electric brake kit for it before we take it out again. Better be safe than sorry.
The 06 Forester is rated to tow 720kg unbraked and 1400kg braked.
This is more important than most people think. If you are towing more than you are rated for, and have an accident, there is a very good chance that your insurance will be voided, and if you injure or kill somebody, you will be criminally liable.
I own a canvas camper trailer that I towed for the first time with the Outback and although it towed ok, I found that after a couple of stop starts through town, the brakes were starting to fade a little. I will be buying an electric brake kit for it before we take it out again. Better be safe than sorry.
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- Brumby Kid
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Grandparents have an 08 landcruiser, they tow a proper (large) caravan.
They have just had to put in airbags in the rear to keep it level.
Depending on the size and weight your going to be towing, keep that in mind.
Cheers Cam
They have just had to put in airbags in the rear to keep it level.
Depending on the size and weight your going to be towing, keep that in mind.
Cheers Cam
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- El_Freddo
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IMO always get one with a tow hitch - this way you know you'll be right in pretty much any conditions and when it comes to selling (if you ever do) you can add this as a feature of the tow pack.purp wrote:but am very interested in what people think about transmission coolers!
Plus the money to put one on is less than that to rebuild a fried auto!
If you DIY I'd put it before the line that heads in to the radiator, this allows the air to cool the hot fluid and the radiator coolant to keep the trans fluid at or nearest to optimum operating temp
Cheers
Bennie
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.
I averaged 18l per 100km and got upto around 25-30l per 100km with head on wind sitting in 3rd to 4th gear, you can forget even getting upto 100km in under a few minutes. lol
The 2.5l engine pulls quite abit better than the 2.0l though so you shoud be fine. Around town and small trips is easy though.
I can't even manage to hold 110km/hr up a slight incline with just the car, that shows how gutless the 2.0l n/a is in the 1st gen Foresters
Taza
I averaged 18l per 100km and got upto around 25-30l per 100km with head on wind sitting in 3rd to 4th gear, you can forget even getting upto 100km in under a few minutes. lol
The 2.5l engine pulls quite abit better than the 2.0l though so you shoud be fine. Around town and small trips is easy though.
I can't even manage to hold 110km/hr up a slight incline with just the car, that shows how gutless the 2.0l n/a is in the 1st gen Foresters
Taza
It'll tow piece of piss, even with the 2.0l motor.
I don't understand all this sooking with the 2.0l, I've never towed with mine in my liberty (as it's a road cruiser) but I have no doubt it would tow a tonne easy.
Taza I think your driving style is abit funny hey
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I don't understand all this sooking with the 2.0l, I've never towed with mine in my liberty (as it's a road cruiser) but I have no doubt it would tow a tonne easy.
Taza I think your driving style is abit funny hey
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Its fine for a city run about but with running oversized tyres and a roof basket with lights and PVC pipe rod holder makes it not very areo dynamic and struggle abit. After driving a stock standard foz the same as mine it goes much better, just my big tyres and unareoynamics makes a big difference. Plus your lib would be a few times more areo dynamic and possibly lighter than my foz.Alex wrote:It'll tow piece of piss, even with the 2.0l motor.
I don't understand all this sooking with the 2.0l, I've never towed with mine in my liberty (as it's a road cruiser) but I have no doubt it would tow a tonne easy.
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
- thunder039
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I know what you mean. But for a 2.0l they aren't too bad, it has suprised me many time where is has suddenly found power especially offroad. These days you ind 2.0l engines in little hatchbacks no small wagons.thunder039 wrote:i can vouch for taza. my 1st gen N/A foz struggles when towing. i tow a trailer with 2 bikes and the car full of camping with tent, food, beer, ice etc and i had to use low range in the end to get up the road were i was camping!
I did however tow a boat offroad in sand and do a beach launch with the car, I managed without any trouble.
- thunder039
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- FROG
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Subaru says you should definately fit a transmission cooler to 97-08 Forester AutosFROG wrote:Pretty sure you will need an auto oil cooler for that model as well as the tow bar. I will check tommorow.
and so do I
For what they are worth why risk transmission damage ?
just my 2c
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Congrats purppurp wrote:I am also interested in what people have to say about this. I recently bought a 09 auto forester (as a family car, as our first was born 6 days ago). We have a camper trailer (the tent type) and have previously pulled it with the trusty old "L" without any trouble, but only on shorter trips and not all that loaded. I'll be getting the heavy duty tow bar (it didn't come with one) and have no really worries about the springs, but am very interested in what people think about transmission coolers!
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
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