Tongue weight

[cpaharley2008]

I was looking at the new Outback 2.5i with 2700# towing and 200# tw- The tongue weight limit seems low for a 2700 pound trailer.
I got my Sherline scale and measured my Egg today-410# was the tongue weight. My trailer is about 2200# but I have dual 27 batteries up front.
So unless Subaru changes their numbers that leaves the Outback out- it is a nice car with the CVT transmission. I have the salesman verifying the tongue weight limit.

[Greg H]

I'm thinking 410 pounds is pretty heavy, the class III on my dually was only 500 pounds for tongue weight.

[cpaharley2008]

I figure 15% of 2200 is 330# plus the extra battery and "stuff" in the tongue storage box on the trailer puts me over the 400#. The box is full so it can only go down!

[Carol H]

410lbs on the tongue is getting up there all right! You are very correct that it is way over the limit for the Outback and probable a number of other tows you may be considering.

You do need to keep in mind the Outback is not at all built like a truck or many of the SUV's out there so the 15% rule goes out the window! If I remember correctly Subaru actually suggests something in the 8-10% range.

I keep my tongue at about 10% and the car tows the trailer just fine with that.

[cpaharley2008]

The reason for this mental exercise is economics. I have a Dodge Hemi that is overkill for the Egg in towing and I average 15 around town and about the same towing. With gas going up I was looking for something smaller and closer to the Eggcamper's limit and the Outback was offering 30-35 mpg around town and maybe 20-25 towing. My other choices were the Xterra, Toyota FJ, Honda Pilot, Jeep Unlimited- all are 6 cyl and 3500-5000 lbs towing. The Subaru was the least expensive @$24K, FJ was most @ $30K

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

the Outback was offering 30-35 mpg around town and maybe 20-25 towing.

The the gas mileage you were hoping to get may be optimistic since the Outback is rated at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway when not towing.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I was looking at the new Outback 2.5i with 2700# towing and 200# tw- The tongue weight limit seems low for a 2700 pound trailer.
I got my Sherline scale and measured my Egg today-410# was the tongue weight. My trailer is about 2200# but I have dual 27 batteries up front.
So unless Subaru changes their numbers that leaves the Outback out- it is a nice car with the CVT transmission. I have the salesman verifying the tongue weight limit.

Is that kind of tongue weight within the design tolerances of the TRAILER??? You don't say how much, if any, propane you're carrying up front- but even without tanks, you've got WAY too much lead on the tongue.
Get rid of whatever power vampires you're dragging along and go down to one battery, or get a bigger tow vehicle.

[Borden]

Go to weight distribution hitch and redistribute the load inside trailer

[CarolMarie]

I have a Subaru Tribeca which has a 3500 towing weight and came with a towing package, trans cooler, etc. It is 6 cylinder, 3.6 liters. I dont know the tongue weight capacity but I am planning on towing the 16' Scamp with it. The Tribeca is a great car but they are not particularly popular so good deals are easy to get. I had the Forester for years but I think the Tribeca is so much nicer and safer...lots of airbags and traction. The gas mileage is good on the highway, not so good around town. I don't really keep track of mpg but I know when I fill up.

[Borden]

Subaru is nice TV; weight distribution systems double the tongue weight possible and with a 3500 lb tow rating it is all you could need for most of the light weight fiberglass units.

[Borden]

The 17' boler is listed in the manual as 2372 lbs. total with 2170 lbs. at axle with gear can be maybe 3000 lbs. your 16' scamp should not be more. so you are all set. The boler manual does recommend a Load Equalizing Hitch and scamp may also.

Originally Posted by CarolMarie

I have a Subaru Tribeca which has a 3500 towing weight and came with a towing package, trans cooler, etc. It is 6 cylinder, 3.6 liters. I dont know the tongue weight capacity but I am planning on towing the 16' Scamp with it. The Tribeca is a great car but they are not particularly popular so good deals are easy to get. I had the Forester for years but I think the Tribeca is so much nicer and safer...lots of airbags and traction. The gas mileage is good on the highway, not so good around town. I don't really keep track of mpg but I know when I fill up.

[Borden]

With water tank and propane tanks full and items in front bins ours is about 210 on the tongue. (balanced load) cars are lower to ground than trucks.
The hitch manufacture says to add tongue weight, hitch unit weight and load in trunk and that is the rating of the WD system needed.
250 tongue + 60 hitch unit + empty trunk = 300 lbs total so 400/4000 will work

[Borden]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I was looking at the new Outback 2.5i with 2700# towing and 200# tw- The tongue weight limit seems low for a 2700 pound trailer.
I got my Sherline scale and measured my Egg today-410# was the tongue weight. My trailer is about 2200# but I have dual 27 batteries up front.
So unless Subaru changes their numbers that leaves the Outback out- it is a nice car with the CVT transmission. I have the salesman verifying the tongue weight limit.

Weight distribution system distribute part of hte trailers hitch weight toward the front wheels of the Outback and that will give you 200 too 400 lbs less the WD hitch weight 400 - 60 = 340 available, less the amount in trunk. This would make a 400/4000 unit work. But check out a hitch specialist for more detail.
elite units the 400/4000 has a 100 to 400 lb. tongue range and 600/10000 has 200 to 600 range (from site info)

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Borden

With water tank and propane tanks full and items in front bins ours is about 210 on the tongue. (balanced load) cars are lower to ground than trucks.
The hitch manufacture says to add tongue weight, hitch unit weight and load in trunk and that is the rating of the WD system needed.
250 tongue + 60 hitch unit + empty trunk = 300 lbs total so 400/4000 will work

This is why a tongue scale is important. My factory specs listed 240# before options. My Sherline shows 410# loaded. So unless one weighs the trailer, it is all guess work. I'm contacting Subaru to see if the w/d will effect their rating.

[Carol H]

News Flash! The Subaru manual or at least mine and a number of others I have checked says ** Not to use a weight distribution hitch**.

Suspect this is due to the fact that the Outback unlike many other SUV's does not have a truck bases frame. It is also all wheel drive and has a very different suspension system than many of the other SUV;s.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Andy B

The the gas mileage you were hoping to get may be optimistic since the Outback is rated at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway when not towing.

Andy is correct - while towing on the freeway my Outback gets about 23/24 mpg. On average I get about 19/20 while towing. But my towing is mostly on the coast where we have lots of hills.

[Ron F]

Jim,
That sounds way heavy, even with dual 27s and a full water tank. Can you shift some of that weight aft to lighten the tongue?
I've got the same rig as you, but without the dual batteries and although I haven't put the tounge on a scale, I doubt that it's much over 300#. On mine, I added an access hatch on the aft curb side, so I suspect that some of the junk that I store there evens out the tongue a bit.

BTW, I just went back to a Toyota Sienna for a tug. My old Sienna (2002) worked well, but when I traded it in, I opted for a 4Runner. The 4Runner did just as well as the old Sienna, but I had to carry a ladder just so our aging dog could get in the vehicle. So, it's back to a Sienna. I have to admit that the access and space is the minivan is a huge benefit. No kids, so I take all the rear seats out and it becomes a huge cavern.

See you at the Poconos.

Ron

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I was looking at the new Outback 2.5i with 2700# towing and 200# tw- The tongue weight limit seems low for a 2700 pound trailer.
I got my Sherline scale and measured my Egg today-410# was the tongue weight. My trailer is about 2200# but I have dual 27 batteries up front.
So unless Subaru changes their numbers that leaves the Outback out- it is a nice car with the CVT transmission. I have the salesman verifying the tongue weight limit.

[honda03842]

I'm shocked by your hitch weight, 410#s seems impossible. We have a 1991 Scamp 16 with side bath and our hitch weight is 220#s. We do have only one type 27 battery but our water tank is empty. We usually carry a half tank of water that lightens the hitch weight.

We are presently in a Casita 16 with front bath and are fully loaded for 6 months of travel and have a hitch weight of 230 #s with 2 propane tanks and rear battery.

We considered purchasing a Casita 17 but read they can easily have hitch weights of 400#s, too much for our Honda. We use no W/D and tow with a Honda CRV.

Norm

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

This is why a tongue scale is important. My factory specs listed 240# before options. My Sherline shows 410# loaded. So unless one weighs the trailer, it is all guess work. I'm contacting Subaru to see if the w/d will effect their rating.

[cpaharley2008]

Update on tongue weight,
I spoke with Jim Palmer this am, the capacity is 375# on the tongue, but it will take twice that amount before any issues. I went back and looked at my set up. I removed everything from the tongue box other than 2 batteries and 5 lb propane bottle. I also put the scale in the coupler in lieu of under the jack stand. I put my spare back on the rear and now I'm at 380# and if I removed the propane tank, down to 360#. I will measure again after loading up with water and food to get a "on the road" amount. I'm hoping it will be less.

[Carol H]

Sounds like you are getting it down and are at least within the capacity but it still seems rather high for this size trailer. Have you considered installing a solar panel on the roof of the trailer so you can get by with just 1 battery?