Light weight towing with an outback?

[jerryeveretts]

I am thinking of buying a small trailer like one made for a Jet Ski,
and modifying in with my welder to hold 4 Kayaks and 4 bicycles. would
imagine the trailer would weight no more than 150lbs, plus 4 kayaks at
around 50lbs each, and 4 bikes at around 35lbs each comes to around
490lbs add a gear box at up to 100lbs and it would be at the most about
600lbs fully loaded. This is really not too much to tow, do you expect
this would be fine on a 98 Legacy Outback? Should I put a tranny cooler
on it?

Jerry

 

[Monique Y. Mudama]

I am thinking of buying a small trailer like one made for a Jet Ski,
and modifying in with my welder to hold 4 Kayaks and 4 bicycles.
would imagine the trailer would weight no more than 150lbs, plus 4
kayaks at around 50lbs each, and 4 bikes at around 35lbs each comes
to around 490lbs add a gear box at up to 100lbs and it would be at
the most about 600lbs fully loaded. This is really not too much to
tow, do you expect this would be fine on a 98 Legacy Outback? Should
I put a tranny cooler on it?

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

 

[jerryeveretts]

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

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

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
www.usmb.net 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

 

[Sylvain Roy]

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

 

[Edward Hayes]

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.

 

[Ralph E Lindberg]

I am thinking of buying a small trailer like one made for a Jet Ski,
and modifying in with my welder to hold 4 Kayaks and 4 bicycles. would
imagine the trailer would weight no more than 150lbs, plus 4 kayaks at
around 50lbs each, and 4 bikes at around 35lbs each comes to around
490lbs add a gear box at up to 100lbs and it would be at the most about
600lbs fully loaded. This is really not too much to tow, do you expect
this would be fine on a 98 Legacy Outback? Should I put a tranny cooler
on it?

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

--

 

[hippo]

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

 

[Victor Roberts]

I am thinking of buying a small trailer like one made for a Jet Ski,
and modifying in with my welder to hold 4 Kayaks and 4 bicycles. would
imagine the trailer would weight no more than 150lbs, plus 4 kayaks at
around 50lbs each, and 4 bikes at around 35lbs each comes to around
490lbs add a gear box at up to 100lbs and it would be at the most about
600lbs fully loaded. This is really not too much to tow, do you expect
this would be fine on a 98 Legacy Outback? Should I put a tranny cooler
on it?

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.

 

[Victor Roberts]

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 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.

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.

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

 

[jerryeveretts]

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.

Guess I should have clarified Chrysler AUTOMATIC transmissions.

 

[Kevin Hall]

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.

KH