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Old 12-31-2012, 09:53 AM   #41
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Francesca,
this is a good example of your egg watched by all system. Not only good for stolen but could also pull double duty. Members along Bobbie's driving route could offer to help out in case they have trouble on the road. It might have some other good uses too.
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Old 12-31-2012, 10:26 AM   #42
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I have rarely hit snow or rain as long as I am flexible about when I leave (which I am.) On 101 I always hit rain so unless it is snowing I'd choose 5.

Chains, hmm, I'd better look for what I did with the Subaru chains just in case. I hope they aren't in Fresno.

Good advice on checking tongue weight and putting some of the load in the trailer.

I probably could block where the water was getting in but since it got in I can't leave the trailer sitting until late spring or it will be full of mold. It can dry out in my garage. It's going to be a royal pain when I arrive as 1) I didn't intend on bringing the trailer back so I only have immediate room for one car in the garage and 2) the Thule box will no longer fit into the garage ON the car, and 3) someone tried to jimmy the indoor lock on my garage so now it won't open (have to leave the garage and enter the house from the street until I fix it. So I'll unload the dogs on the street (take them inside, that is) and then back the trailer in and unhitch it, and the remove the Thule box, and finally go park at my neighbor's (three car garage, both kids now gone.) Hoping this won't be at 11 o'clock at night.
We set the tongue to 170 lbs on ours to meet 8% for Car, have snow tires on the car they are great! Waited a little long this year and it snowed prior to parking trailer in storage, but just a little. We planned on some winter camping, then decided it was better to stick to summer for now. The door hinges have to be removed and reinstalled so the door fits proper that is one of my winter projects. Our trip was uneventful hope yours goes as well.
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Old 12-31-2012, 10:49 AM   #43
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Subaru says just to use "chains" on the front wheels. (So says the manual.) They do say to go slowly with the chains.

I was thinking they must mean cable chains. That's what I had for the old Subie though I never used them, either.
Bobbie, that's good to know. Every year they seem to change what they put in the manual regarding chains. I only carry one pair for emergency use and the one time they were used they were put on the front.
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Old 12-31-2012, 01:03 PM   #44
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We set the tongue to 170 lbs on ours to meet 8% for Car, have snow tires on the car they are great! Waited a little long this year and it snowed prior to parking trailer in storage, but just a little. We planned on some winter camping, then decided it was better to stick to summer for now. The door hinges have to be removed and reinstalled so the door fits proper that is one of my winter projects. Our trip was uneventful hope yours goes as well.
I wish I could do snow tires but unless I want to drive on them year round I'd have to carry the other tires with me to put back on when I get there. I am off to buy chains soon (hope they have what I need.) Trailer may or may not stay here, still deciding now that I know I can get the wet stuff out and probably close off the leak. Then I can decide based on the weather report when I'm ready to leave.
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Old 01-04-2013, 09:52 AM   #45
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Final report: I checked all tires, carried chains, loaded smart. Left on the 2nd and had sun and dry roads all the way to Roseburg. There had been early morning ice on roads but I left way after that. Biggest problem the first day was the sun in my eyes (its so low in the sky this time of year that it was always on the windshield.)

Day 2: still bare and dry roads. That was never a problem. Saw lots of snow piled up from plows from about Ashland to Shasta, but none on the road, no ice, either. But I did run into a problem on Day 2- my tail lights quit working. Not the signals, which I'd messed with before I left, but the running lights. Both sides (don't they go back as one wire? Which one?)

To solve that I did all the night driving with the hazard lights blinking so that I'd at least be visible. That seemed to work just fine as far as traffic went, but it was a pain in the neck in the car as those things blink audibly. But it worked. If those had also stopped working I'd have had to stop somewhere so I'm glad I thought of the hazard lights.

Subaru towed the trailer just fine, no sway, and handled the hills fine (once an awhile in 3rd, usually in 4th) and the downgrades (in 4th). I got about 16 mpg towing from Central Point to Red Bluff, and 20 from there to Fresno (no more hills.)

Got home and had to do some fast loading and unloading- I hadn't left both sides of the garage clear so had to put the trailer in my garage, then unload the Thule box and remove it so that the car would fit my neighbor's garage (height only 6 1/2 feet, old door on old building.) So today's first big job is clearing room in my own garage for my car. Eventually I'll have to trade spots as the "trailer side" is longer (a stairwell takes space on the car side) and I need the extra space to work on the trailer.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice. I'm glad I was aware of potential problems, and had looked up the info on how to use chains on the Subaru. I'm more glad that I didn't need the info!

Saw quite a few fifth wheels and a few travel trailers, plus some utility trailers. I think a lot of people took advantage of the dry weather as I did.
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Old 01-04-2013, 12:21 PM   #46
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Glad you made it safely! Good luck with the work you are planning on the trailer.
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Old 01-04-2013, 12:25 PM   #47
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Glad to hear you made it just fine.
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Old 01-04-2013, 09:24 PM   #48
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Glad to hear you made it just fine.
Me two or three!
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Old 01-04-2013, 11:09 PM   #49
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I don't drive fast to start with so that's easy.

I'm hoping the Les Schwab people have an answer to chains that are okay on a Forester. The manual says not to use "chains" as there is not room for them in the wheel well. I'd like to at least carry something useful in an emergency. Though, knock on wood, in 30 years of going back and forth to California in December and January, I've never had to put them on. But lots of times it says carry chains, and I've always had them on board (four vehicles worth of unused chains!)
If you get the chains from Les Schwab and don't use them, they will buy them back. There may be a time limit. With 4wd, I think you will be OK if you are careful. I would let you store it here and put heat on it but I don't have room.
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Old 01-04-2013, 11:53 PM   #50
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Safe and sound

Glad you got home safely, Bobbie! The weather really cooperated for you, that's great. We had our Camry spin out on a patch of ice, which was very scary, on I-5 in mid December, so you did well!

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Old 01-05-2013, 09:33 AM   #51
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Dave, they will buy back CHAINS. They will not buy back the cables that are required on the Forester due to low clearance.
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Old 01-05-2013, 09:44 AM   #52
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Glad you got home safely, Bobbie! The weather really cooperated for you, that's great. We had our Camry spin out on a patch of ice, which was very scary, on I-5 in mid December, so you did well!

Fran
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That IS scary. I kept remembering a story my research advisor told of returning to New Hampshire on I91 ? and having traffic stop- to see why he got out and discovered the freeway was a solid sheet of ice. It can be hard to get off the road fast enough when you find adverse conditions. But I watched the road surface and the temperature gauge in the car and especially bridges to make fairly sure I wasn't going to hit ice anyhere. I stopped driving the first day before the temp dropped below freezing as the worst time is after the day's melting ice or snow refreezes.

We hit black ice near Eugene (right after it going south) one year but the old Forester never skipped a beat. No tow that day, though. We pulled over when it was safe so we could switch drivers (my less-experienced then college-aged daughter was driving.) All kinds of cars off the road, though.

Next year hopefully I'll have no leaks, new seals, and will just leave it at my cabin. That reminds me that I should open the door on the trailer so it can breathe.
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Old 01-05-2013, 09:45 AM   #53
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Bobby,

Do you live in fresno? I'm in Clovis.
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Old 01-05-2013, 10:10 AM   #54
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I'm in Fresno, yes.
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Old 01-05-2013, 11:53 AM   #55
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Dave, they will buy back CHAINS. They will not buy back the cables that are required on the Forester due to low clearance.
That's a bummer, especially since you didn't really need them.

Glad you made it safely. Will you be coming back up here next summer?
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Old 01-05-2013, 12:20 PM   #56
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I'll be back every year until I move there permanently in a couple of years.
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Old 01-05-2013, 03:05 PM   #57
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I've posted this before, however I don't believe it was on this forum - I was towing my 3 day old Escape 17B on 101 in Washington in the rain. Came over a hill & ran into a wall of hail as well as an inch or so on the road. It was like driving on sheet ice - with careful use of the manual lever on the brake controller and gentle braking on the tow vehicle & managed to get things back in control, but I sure wouldn't want to do that too often!
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Old 01-05-2013, 03:13 PM   #58
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I had exactly the same experience as you did, Jon- only in my case it was over in Eastern Washington. I won't say the hailstones were as big as golfballs, but for the first time ever I honestly thought I might lose the windshield!

Fortunately I was able to control the vehicle by much the same methods as those you describe...

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Old 01-05-2013, 03:21 PM   #59
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That's a bummer, especially since you didn't really need them.

Glad you made it safely. Will you be coming back up here next summer?
Well they may come in handy again should the vehicle ever be taken out on a highway pass in winter again. I know that a couple of years ago in many places the rules changed regarding the type of tire needed in winter. These days in BC the requirements when traveling in areas were the highway signs are flashing Winter Condition Warnings you must have winter tires with the snow flake symbol on them (all seasons dont fit that bill) or you must be carrying chains.
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