FWD or AWD?

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Bob,
I look at reliability (we buy for 10 years), adequate hp/torque and good mileage and since it's our only vehicle, something that's a good daily drive.

------------------------------------
I wasn't trying to minimize the importance of reliability, I was just trying to point out that 220 HP, while sounding like a lot, may not be enough if it peaks at 5000 RPM and max torque is only 120 ft.lbs. at 1800 RPM, neither being at useful RPM ranges for towing.

As the MPG's have gone up... torque values have dropped, resulting in a bigger hit on MPG's when towing. This may point to why it was easier to tow a lower profile boat than a trailer.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Jared J

As carol said, people have different definitions of "work fine" for towing. I can set my cruise on 75, and it will never drop from wichita to Minneapolis, and the transmission will only kick down once towing my fifth wheel. To me, that's working fine. Towing at 55, and dropping to 40 on hills is some people's definition of "works fine". I would be ripping my hair out and have a leg out the door trying to help it.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hmmmm....... Just don't try towing in the Golden State where the max speed for towed vehicles is 55 MPH. But.... I'm never in that much of a hurry anyway.

[honda03842]

Jared,
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, at 71 years of age, I don't believe I'm rated for 75 mph not to mention my tires or the speed limit in some of those states between KA and MN. I admit to seeing people driving at those speeds towing and I always wish them well but stay out of their way.

Of course I'm never ripping my hair out no matter our speed, in fact I don't have enough of it left to rip out. As well I pay attention to other drivers and their need to get someplace faster than me and always give way when and where it seems prudent. The rush of life and the some times competition of 'the rush' have left our lives as we have settled into age and retirement. When young my life happened, often with minutes to spare, at high speed. No more.

Bob, I'm not sure how much hp or torque is required to tow at speed, though I believe it's actually not much, but I do know our Honda CRV has enough to comfortably tow our Scamp 16 up to 62 mph.

Reliability is a big deal for us. We can not justify new vehicles often plus we are often far from any real vehicle service. AAA tels me they'll resvue me on the Labrador road but I suspect they don't even know where it is.

The Scamp has been a delight to tow and tracks beautifully behind our Honda. I admit to continually working to do little things to optimize the towability of our Honda, seeking improvement and enhancement in both trailer and tow vehicle.

Wishing all safe and successful towing at speeds of their choice with vehicles of their choice.

[Jared J]

Like I said, people have different definitions of "works fine". My moms CRV would kick down two gears on hills. To me, that's not working fine, without a trailer behind it.

[honda03842]

Happily I have a manual transmission, wish they still made them for the CRV. Normally I tow in 4th and on long steep hills I drop to 3rd.

Certainly we all are different, all at different points in our lives and our needs.

[Jared J]

The manual could make a big difference. I know the subaru with the cv transmission I rest drove was a complete dog compared to my 6 speed manual.

[Radar1]

We took our V8 Dakota on our recent trip to Canada since we were climbing lots of hills that I hadn't climbed before (I recall a lot of 9% grades and truck runaway ramps) and didn't want to risk taking the Subaru. Although our truck can normally be counted on to get about 15 MPG towing, the hills just sucked the gas right out of the tank, and it wasn't unusual to only get 12 or 13 out of a tank. At those times I was wishing I took the Subaru.
At least we got better MPG coming back, since it's downhill from Canada to GA per the globe.
Surprisingly, our Subaru actually downshifts less than our truck on hills. This is probably because the truck has an overdrive transmission where the Subaru doesn't. Per the Dakota owners manual, I use the overdrive while towing unless the transmission shifts a lot, which means when I hit the hills it needs to be locked out.
The truck could maintain our 60 MPH speed on the hills, and I suspect that the Subaru would have also, but if not, I would just reduce speed and not be passing quite as many trucks in the crawler lanes on the uphills as the Dakota did.
As Carol mentioned, our Subaru will pull the 16, but I'd be more comfortable if I was only pulling a 13.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Radar1

We took our V8 Dakota on our recent trip to Canada since we were climbing lots of hills that I hadn't climbed before (I recall a lot of 9% grades and truck runaway ramps) and didn't want to risk taking the Subaru. .

Hope you had fun up here in the north. You obviously didnt make it onto Highway 20 here in BC the grade hits 18%. Yup 9% grades are pretty common in my neck of the woods.... actually need to go up one a few miles long just to get to my house. Which is why life towing with a Subaru has not been an easy one. ;-)

[MC1]

A few years back we were approaching the Skyway bridge at Hamilton On with Airstream in tow.

An HD pickup with a powerstroke diesel slowly came up along side of us. I noticed they were towing a horse trailer. I looked up and saw the young fellows in the cab had big grins on their faces. By chance we hit the base of the incline at the same time. As per usual I shifted from 4th to 3rd gear and RPM rose to 3,400 RPM and we easily held the 60MPH speed.

The truck stayed beside us until about just passed the halfway point up the incline. Then the powerstroke got noiser and the black smoke started to spew. Then the truck started to fall back.

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by MC1

A few years back we were approaching the Skyway bridge at Hamilton On with Airstream in tow.

We got to cross that bridge twice last week with our Scamp in tow :-)

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Hope you had fun up here in the north. You obviously didnt make it onto Highway 20 here in BC the grade hits 18%. Yup 9% grades are pretty common in my neck of the woods.... actually need to go up one a few miles long just to get to my house. Which is why life towing with a Subaru has not been an easy one. ;-)

We did have fun. Managed to squeeze in two fiberglass meets (Lake Erie state park in NY, and Niagara wine fest in Niagara Falls Ontario) on our way to visit our grandkids in North By Ontario.
18% is pretty steep! I did manage to pull our Scamp with our Subaru up a short 25% grade here in GA, at Amicalola Falls state park. Speed limit was 25 so no problems.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Radar1

We got to cross that bridge twice last week with our Scamp in tow :-)

Cool! Hope you had a great time in Ontario John.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

True, but over the last two years I've had 2 cases where I would have had to wait for the grass to dry & one where I'd probably still be there if I didn't have 4 wheel drive to pull the trailer out of a space.

I've never had any traction problems, towing with my Escape 4CYL manual 5spd. In fact, rear drive with an open rearend(one wheel drive) can provide less traction on low friction surfaces like wet grass. The right tires make a big difference as does limited slip.