towing a scamp?

[maxwolfman]

Does anyone know if I can tow a 13 foot scamp with my 2013 Subaru Impreza? The dealer will not install a hitch as they say there is none available for it but I can get an aftermarket one installed locally.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by maxwolfman

Does anyone know if I can tow a 13 foot scamp with my 2013 Subaru Impreza? The dealer will not install a hitch as they say there is none available for it but I can get an aftermarket one installed locally.

You will need to know the actual weight of the Scamp and if it has brakes. Then look in the book or in the door jam of YOUR Impeza for the towing capacity. It will need to be a very light weight Scamp.

[Glenn Baglo]

You could. For a while. Wear out your Subaru much sooner, drive on the edge of your seat, arrive at your destination a quivering mess, wondering when something is going to break, risk you and your family's safety.

I had a Subaru Loyale wagon and a tent trailer. I know how if feels to have sweaty palms.

[gordon2]

Keep in mind the average weight of a Scamp 13 in actual use and with gear is about 1,700 lbs. You might be OK just towing it out of the driveway when the code enforcement people make you leave but maybe not going very far at all depending on the tow rating. Tongue weight is often the bigger limitation with Subis anyway.

From the "Real World" data: Scamp 13 average: 1703 (range 1265-2040). Tongue weight: Average 222 (range 140-320)

[Jon in AZ]

Everything I can find points to the 2013 Impreza having no tow rating. Unless your owner’s manual says otherwise, I believe the answer is no.

Aftermarket hitches are available for vehicles without tow ratings in order to mount bike racks. The hitches carry ratings of 2000# and up, depending on the class of the hitch, but that rating only applies to the hitch, not the vehicle.

A 13’ molded trailer generally requires a vehicle with a minimum 2000/200# tow rating. A higher rating might be needed for a fully optioned bathroom model. A very few lighter models, mostly vintage and very basic, might squeak by under 1500#.

[SusanS]

Hi

I see from your other posts that you are looking to live in your sister’s driveway. You might be able to tow the Scamp around the block but if your car has no tow rating, then that’s about it.

I have a Subie Outback with 1000# rating and 2700# with trailer brakes. I tow my Scamp without brakes and I figure it is around 1300#. So I think Subaru is very sensible about their vehicles’ towing ability. I am not conservative about abusing my car but I think you will definitely run into trouble with tongue weight in your circumstance.

Jon raises the excellent point about available hitches. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Hire someone to tow it over.

Good luck
Susan

[Megala M]

Hi! I just sold my 13 ft Scamp (with bath) and had been towing it for awhile with my 2014 Subaru Outback and pretty much destroyed its transmission. Got a 2015 Grand Jeep Cherokee which towed it so well. Check what the max towing is for your car an minus at Ieast 500 - 700 pounds. There's an old thread on this site for "true" towing capacities. Good luck!

[Linda M R]

I towed my 13' Scamp (no bath or AC) with a 2008 Imprezza 5 speed. It actually seemed to tow better than my Outback.
I didn't have any problems with it but was careful not to add a lot of weight.

[RogerDat]

You won't regret having surplus tow capacity. Both for peace of mind and for wear and tear on the vehicle.

My dad towed small 5th wheel for a couple of years with too small of pickup, it worked but earned him the nickname "slow poke" in their camping group. One day he had to stop for a flag man on a mountain pass where they had a lane closed for repairs. He couldn't get the trailer moving (at least forward) from a full stop on the steep grade. Getting out of that was a mess with traffic already backed up behind him and a two lane road. He bought a different truck with a tow package and a real creeper 1st gear.

So what you can get away with can suddenly change due to circumstances beyond your control. I did not regret have a 3,500 lb. capacity when towing an 1,700 lb. Scamp 13 and I can tell the difference towing a 16 ft. Scamp at 2,400 lbs. Still well under tow capacity and only 700 lbs. more than a trailer that towed like there "was nothing there". The extra weight of the 16 ft. can "move" the tow vehicle where the lighter trailer couldn't really impact the tow vehicle much.

Don't forget the at least 10% of trailer weight on the tongue goes against the GVW, no different than adding an extra person or gear to the inside. One has to consider that overall vehicle weight when pushing vehicle to or past limits.

One last consideration is front wheel drive does not do well with the rear being pushed down. Loss of traction yields lower gas mileage, as well as removing traction from the steering tires.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Linda M R

I towed my 13' Scamp (no bath or AC) with a 2008 Imprezza 5 speed. It actually seemed to tow better than my Outback.
I didn't have any problems with it but was careful not to add a lot of weight.

Not sure, but I think they had a different engine back then. And the stick shift versus the current CVT makes a big difference, too.

[Joe Romas]

Having read your other threads (questions) I suggest you back up and rethink your needs.
A 17' Casita would meet your needs but it's 2 feet longer and weights in the 3000 pounds range.
If your not aware travel trailers are measured from the front of the hitch to the very rear.

[MJo]

In 2020, I towed a 13 ft. Scamp version 2 with bath, back from MN to MA. I have a 2004 Volvo XC-70 and the Scamp was new with no junk in it. I was mindful of the load on my XC (260,000 miles on it) and took hills slowly and shifted down as needed. The Volvo comes with a transmission cooler. That’s another issue not discussed in the other replies. I think the answer to your question depends somewhat on how you maintain your car and what your driving habits are. My Scamp had brakes but I had not switched my 4 pin to a 7 so the brakes weren’t connected yet. (I have since changed to a 7 pin and the brakes work.).

[parmm]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Everything I can find points to the 2013 Impreza having no tow rating. Unless your owner’s manual says otherwise, I believe the answer is no.

Aftermarket hitches are available for vehicles without tow ratings in order to mount bike racks. The hitches carry ratings of 2000# and up, depending on the class of the hitch, but that rating only applies to the hitch, not the vehicle.

A 13’ molded trailer generally requires a vehicle with a minimum 2000/200# tow rating. A higher rating might be needed for a fully optioned bathroom model. A very few lighter models, mostly vintage and very basic, might squeak by under 1500#.

I believe a 2009 Subaru Impreza 1.5 is tow rated at 1500 Kg which is 3300 lbs. The bad part is the tongue rating of 75 Kg which is only 165 lbs.

[MJo]

Originally Posted by MJo

In 2020, I towed a 13 ft. Scamp version 2 with bath, back from MN to MA. I have a 2004 Volvo XC-70 and the Scamp was new with no junk in it. I was mindful of the load on my XC (260,000 miles on it) and took hills slowly and shifted down as needed. The Volvo comes with a transmission cooler. That’s another issue not discussed in the other replies. I think the answer to your question depends somewhat on how you maintain your car and what your driving habits are. My Scamp had brakes but I had not switched my 4 pin to a 7 so the brakes weren’t connected yet. (I have since changed to a 7 pin and the brakes work.).

When I researched the issue, I found “2004 Volvo XC70 braked* towing capacity starts from 1800kg.”. 3968.3 lbs.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by parmm

I believe a 2009 Subaru Impreza 1.5 is tow rated at 1500 Kg which is 3300 lbs. The bad part is the tongue rating of 75 Kg which is only 165 lbs.

Sounds like European market specs. The North American version had a 2.5L engine and no tow rating. Zero. Here's a snip taken from the 2009 Impreza manual (click to enlarge).