Towing

I'd not worry...make sure your tires are aired up and don't try to set any land speed records and you should be fine.

Don't think you will have any trouble. If it lugs just go to a lower gear.

Doug

you're towing capacity (for a 2001 Forester) is 2000 lbs. You're perfectly fine. At the very WORST your 6.0 and trailer weigh 1100 pounds...that is if you've added a bunch of steel and extended your trailer tongue 8' I weighed mine when my 6.0 was on it and my trailer is a rediculously large portion of that 1100 lb equation.

YOu will have no problems with the Forester!

I haul my 17 around with an Impreza (ok it's got 208BHP) but it's lighter!

You will hardly notive the drop in MPG; I find mine is similar as driveing without towing as I go slower with the boat on the back

The Suburu will be fine. What condition is the trailer in? Tires, wheels, bearings, etc.? Nothing cuts a trip short like a frozen trailer axle.

t

Yes, be careful to downshift (as Doug mentioned) when the engine "loads" up (on a grade). The 5th gear in your transmission is less than 1:1, smaller than the lower gears and very easy to overheat, under a load, and be destroyed. Most automatic transmissions vehicles recommend not using overdrive for towing anything, regardless of the vehicles towing capacity. The same thing will hold true for a manual transmission vehicle. Speaking from personal experience.

Thanks for everyone's input. As for the trailer- I just spent serious cash to replace the tongue, the tires/rims and springs so they had better be ok!
I sort of consider it this way- as Jake said.. the entire wieght of the trailer/boat probably doesn't exceed 1000lbs. Then I think of 3 "big" dudes in the back seat (not comfy, but car should handle it ok) and it is almost equivalent.

Replacing tires/rims and springs is great. But don't foreget to check bearings. Lockup would be a bitch on the road!!

Doug

replaced the bearings also.. so all should be good.

I've just towed my new Spitfire 350 miles home with a 2.0 litre Legacy - no problem. I've also towed a Dart Hawk F18 on a heavy tilt trailer - also no problem.

I have a 165hp six cylinder car that pulls 800lbs without a problem. There is not a lot of torque but it works well over a long haul. I think you will find 65mph to be the ideal speed for engine. 70 isn't a problem but the engine seems to work easier at only 5mph less.

Your biggest concern will be negotiating the kamikaze traffic on Hwy. 98 unless you head straight north to I-10 from Navarre.

Then, if you're coming south on I-75 you will have to check your rear view mirror for almost as much time as you spend looking out the windshield. Since the inside lane is going 80-85mph and the outside is bumper to bumper tractor/trailers you will have to use the middle lane which can be exciting because the middle will be populated by the frustrated tourists from the inside lane and frustrated truckers from the outside lane

I drive 98 a lot so am familiar with it. I am not interested in driving my trailer at 80 mph!
What highway is the toll road everyone talks about as the best way to get down there?

if you want to save on gas, take the tramp off.

going down to tradewinds we had an F18 and an I20 double stacked and while the truck pulled them just fine, the wind resistance killed our gas milage.

I own a 2000 Impreza wagon, 2.2L 5spd 142hp 149lb-ft

I have been towing my previous Nacra 5.7 on many long trips (300-500milles) without any problems.

The catamaran will induce a lot of drag so the car will not be fuel efficient. I was able to shift in 5th gear on the highway or on really good roads but as soon as it becomes hills I remained in 4th gear. I was doing 200-250 milles per tank

Things to look for:
Tongue weight: I found that a tongue weight of 10% is really more stable with my setup but I usually keep it to 5% to prevent to overload my rear suspension.

Trailer side:
Grease these wheels bearing, A visual inspection will tell you if the are in good shape.
Torque these wheel nuts
Put the recommended air pressure in the tires, under inflated tires will overheat
CARRY A SPARE
Inspect carefully the trailer electrical system.

Finally on long trips, binding straps will stretch and wear out. You have to stop on a regular basis to inspect and tighten everything

Charles Leblanc
Nacra 5.2

No kidding!!!

We used to call it the 1-10-100 mile rule. Check the trailer at 1 mile, 10 miles and every 100 miles. Check the temp of the bearings, too.

I use that too.

Usually works just fine (except I had a bearing seize this year Grr......).

How do you check the temp of the bearings? Just feel? (owww)

Has anyone mentioned lug nuts? Lost a few on the way back from the Keys last time.

Yeah - just feel the hubs in the center of the wheel. They'll probably be slightly 'warm' but shouldn't be hot and should be pretty equal in temperature.

My brother just dragged a Hobie Tiger from one side of Australia to the other and then back again in a Suby Forrester and it ran fine (7000 mile return trip). Fuel economy wasn't great though.

Just another tip - You have looked at your tyres, bearings etc which is great. Also look at your trailer springs and "U" bolts. I have seen several break (usually caused by rust) on long trips over the years which is silly because they are really cheap and easy to replace.

Michael

Just put your finger on the wheel hub cap when you fill up with fuel. If it is just warm that is ok. If it is so hot you can't keep your finger there then it is time to replace the bearings NOW because they will fall apart very soon.

Reaper

I pulled a Nacra 5.5SL AND a Hobie 16 (on the same trailer) across the USA last spring and the only problem I had was the learning curve on tire pressure with the trailer tires.

Got to the Nevada border, after starting just outside San Fran and experienced a rhythmical thumping that sounded like the concrete expansion joints but it wasn't. It was the result of the tire pressure being uneven. They weren't spinning at the same speed and one had to jump every so often. When I stopped at a tire repair station they also pointed out that my tires on the trailer weren't rated for High Speed. I will never own another trailer without replacing the tires that come with it with High Speed tires. What a difference. Also I learned that it is important to buy and use a good tire pressure gauge (like the professional truck drivers use)not the pencil-like ones they sell at the counter of the auto parts store. I had no problems from that point on with tire pressure or bearing temp or anything.

As a side note, I learned the other day that, for the most part, the trucks sold today come with large passenger car tires. NOT truck tires. I use my truck occasionally with some heavy loads and I don't want to exceed the weight limitations on the tires that come with the truck. Just something to watch for.

Greg

Interesting. We have been trailering boats for 40 years, and we have never heard of high-speed trailer tires. Who tows a trailer at low speeds?

Just out of curiosity, I just took a look at the tyres on all three of my trailers and they're all 'R' rated (low speed) BUT I've never experienced a problem towing at 70-80mph (completely illegal) or even on several occasions at 100mph plus (really, really, completely utterly illegal)

I've never been aware of high speed rated tyres for trailers. In any case I think 'R' rating for tyres is 'up to 106mph'

You could have tires that are designed to work on golf carts and the like that are not intended for highway speeds...like this .

John,
Those trailer tires are smaller than your car tires and they go around a whole lot faster, more contact with the road, more friction, more heat. I'd be careful and keep your speed down, especially on a hot day or you'll melt those suckers. I always go a little slower on a hot summer day and stop to check the bearings and the tires.

And make sure you lug wrench fits the lugs on your trailer, sometimes they are different.

100mph? Come on, you lose a tire at that speed and all that will be left of your boat will be splinters. It'll probably fly off into the oncoming traffic and cause a pile up. Do you really want to be the guy they show on the news in the back of the police car surrounded by wreaked cars?

100 in a car with good tires and good suspension is one thing, but towing your trailer? Come on think about it.

I was towing my utility trailer and it wasnt tongue heavy enough, and I got going to fast down a hill and it started fishtailing and jerking the back end of my car back and forth, it scared the Sh*t out of me.

Your Subaru will be fine!

Here's my Rig:

Seems like you would get a lot of "tail wagging the dog" action with that tilt trailer.