Tongue Weight - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-20-2020, 04:28 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Name: Phil
Trailer: In market
Tennessee
Posts: 1
Tongue Weight

Have a Subaru Forester with Ecotech hitch. The tongue weight rating on the hotch is 500 lbs. Would that be accurate rating for the Subaru?
Pdevol is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2020, 04:41 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Max. tongue weight is listed in your Subaru manual and does not change even though the hitch itself is rated for more.
The rating is always determined by the weakest link. ( see label in attached photo ).
Attached Thumbnails
WDHitch capacity.jpg  
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2020, 04:51 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 12,316
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pdevol View Post
Have a Subaru Forester with Ecotech hitch. The tongue weight rating on the hotch is 500 lbs. Would that be accurate rating for the Subaru?
Glenn is correct, and depending on the year of your Forester, I believe it’s rated 2400/200# (older) or 1500/150# (newer). The owner’s manual has the final word.
Jon in AZ is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2020, 09:48 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
If you wish to stick with Subaru and want to tow , I would look at the Subaru Ascent
If your are willing to be more flexible with your vehicle choice , there are many midsize SUVs on the market that would work well with a FG trailer
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2020, 11:06 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 12,316
Registry
The older 2400/200# Foresters can handle a basic no-bath 13’ molded trailer, assuming you don’t carry a lot of cargo and/or extra people. The newer 1500/150# Foresters are unsuited for towing almost any molded trailer. Something like the Meerkat might work.

The new Outbacks (2020+ ) are now based on the Ascent platform and make a good choice for a smaller molded trailer up to around 15’, maybe a lighter 16’ with the 3500/350# rated turbo model. Beyond that, as Steve says, the Ascent is a better choice in the Subaru family.

And there's this. Vehicle tow ratings (as distinguished from hitch ratings) are based on 1 or 2 people and minimal cargo. Because we have 4 people and carry a fair bit of gear in the back, we tow our 13’ Scamp with our Pilot (3500/350#) rather than our CR-V (1500/150#).
Jon in AZ is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2020, 11:47 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Name: D.
California
Posts: 125
Higher tow rated Subaru

To get an Outback with the 3500 tow rating you need the turbo 4 cyl engine which becomes available in the Onyx model. The cost of this model is only a bit less than the lowest cost model of Ascent that gets the full 5000 rating with the same engine. Both have an MSRP in the mid 30,000 range. I would probably go for the Ascent if I ever decide to replace my 2011 Outback.
notafan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2020, 12:05 PM   #7
Member
 
Trailer: Miti Lite 1987
Posts: 86
The Subaru product line is all unibody construction. Has NO FRAME. So be knowlegeable of hitch load limits as you dont want structural failure at speed. The hitch is stronger than the body that it attaches to.....
Peder_y2k is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2020, 12:30 PM   #8
Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 44
Registry
A Forester is not rated for a 500# tongue weight, it’s more in the range of 200#. Since the tongue weight is usually 10% of the trailer weight that would be about 5000#s, no way. I towed my 2000# Trillium with an Outback with the standard 4cyl, which worked ok. I replaced it with a 2020 Outback XT with the turbo 4 which works better. I was ready to get the Ascent but did not like driving it, too big for me.
Thomas W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2020, 12:33 PM   #9
Member
 
Name: Ron
Trailer: 2004 trillium outback 13ft
Alaska
Posts: 65
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peder_y2k View Post
The Subaru product line is all unibody construction. Has NO FRAME. So be knowlegeable of hitch load limits as you dont want structural failure at speed. The hitch is stronger than the body that it attaches to.....
This is important to keep in mind. The 3500# hitch I used (kurt) attaches to the tubular frame. The full tongue weight is transferred to 6 bolts that are supported by the relatively thin metal of that tube. On a. recent inspection I noticed some damage occurring to mine where the hitch attaches. Not good!
Ak Ron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2020, 12:33 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 12,316
Registry
Of course unibody vehicles have a frame, consisting of tubular members of high-strength steel welded into the unibody structure. Their strength varies depending on the purpose of the vehicle. The same could be said of body-on-frame vehicles. Some ladder frames are quite robust, and others not so much. Whether unibody or body-on-frame, manufacturer specs, including tow and payload ratings, factor in the ability of the frame to manage the loads.

In this photo you can see one of the rear frame rails on my unibody Pilot. I got a good look while the vehicle was being repaired after a rear end accident. It is quite robust, consistent with its maximum 4500/450# tow rating. There was no damage to the unibody structure, just the hatch, bumper, factory receiver, taillights, and spare.
Click image for larger version

Name:	Pilot Frame.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	290.2 KB
ID:	138860

Here's the vehicle that hit me.
Click image for larger version

Name:	Chevy Crunch.jpg
Views:	9
Size:	49.7 KB
ID:	138861
Jon in AZ is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
weight


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Eggcamper Weight, Tongue Weight & Towing with Outback coastsignal Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 108 10-01-2015 07:20 PM
is my weight distribution hitch worth the tongue weight and effort. beachcamper54 Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 24 01-25-2014 12:41 PM
Tongue weight or hitch weight Cathi Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 26 04-23-2012 11:38 PM
Tongue Weight Legacy Posts Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 1 06-09-2003 12:58 PM
Tow Weight/Tongue Weight Legacy Posts Towing, Hitching, Axles and Running Gear 7 11-29-2002 08:49 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.