New- Subaru Forester-What Can it Pull?

[Veggiegirl]

Hi there! My name is Harriet and I live an hour North of San Francisco. I'm a wanderluster, and finally have a little bit of money to put towards a little trailer my dog and I can tow (fairly easily) behind a 2003 Subaru Forester. Most of our trips would be to the beach on the Sonoma Coast and Tahoe.

I have no idea, aside from a Lil Joe-type camper, what would be fairly easy for us to tow? That style isn't interesting to me, and I need whatever I choose to be mold-free - so maybe that means I simply can't do a vintage trailer. I hope not though, because I <3 them!

Thanks for any help you may be, and I hope to learn more about you and your adventuring!

Thanks! Harriet and Monkey

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Veggiegirl

Hi there! My name is Harriet and I live an hour North of San Francisco. I'm a wanderluster, and finally have a little bit of money to put towards a little trailer my dog and I can tow (fairly easily) behind a 2003 Subaru Forester. Most of our trips would be to the beach on the Sonoma Coast and Tahoe.

I have no idea, aside from a Lil Joe-type camper, what would be fairly easy for us to tow? That style isn't interesting to me, and I need whatever I choose to be mold-free - so maybe that means I simply can't do a vintage trailer. I hope not though, because I <3 them!

Thanks for any help you may be, and I hope to learn more about you and your adventuring!

Thanks! Harriet and Monkey

You should be rated to pull 2000 lbs but you need brakes on anything over 1000 lbs. (I think- models changed in 2003 and eventually got to 2400 but still nothing over 1000 without brakes.). The brakes are required over 1500 lbs no matter what you tow with in California. Without brakes you are probably looking at something like a Campster. With them you could go up to about 1500 lbs dry weight (you have to allow for carrying stuff, too.) Someone will reference the Trailer Weights in the Real World spreadsheet to give you an idea. Look at the lightly loaded ones- those are likely to be other people who need to be concerned about not overloading.

Mold isn't likely to be an issue if you buy something in a dry climate but something that has sat around for years in a wet climate could be different. It will also make a difference how you store it and where you live. My Campster did fine garaged in Fresno but when it wintered over outside in Washington I got some mildew in the under-seat compartments (no obvious leaks but obviously enough moisture got into the air.) It wasn't an issue as once I removed the stuff that had picked up moisture (things I was storing there) the fiberglass itself was fine, but I've heard of people finding a lot of mold in old, new to them trailers. If you are sensitive to it, though, you'll be able to tell when you look at it if it is a problem.

[David B.]

Happier Camper makes the HC1 in California, and it should be within the weight limits you have. Relic is another new company on the west coast that may work out for you. Trillium, Scamp, Casita, and just about any of the trailers listed in our registry will work, in the 13'-16' range. Best of luck with your search.
Dave & Paula

[Glenn Baglo]

First, see your vehicle manual for the maximum tow weight and the maximum tongue weight. I believe you will find that the max tongue weight is 200 lbs.
You'll not likely find any trailer that is 16' that has a tongue weight that low. Even a 13' trailer, loaded for camping, will likely be over your tongue limit.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

First, see your vehicle manual for the maximum tow weight and the maximum tongue weight. I believe you will find that the max tongue weight is 200 lbs.
You'll not likely find any trailer that is 16' that has a tongue weight that low. Even a 13' trailer, loaded for camping, will likely be over your tongue limit.

Tongue weight is an issue with most Subarus- limiting but not insurmountable. Towing guides typically recommend maintaining a tongue weight of 10-12% of the total trailer weight for stable, sway-free towing. Assuming the 200 pound limit applies to your year and model, you could (theoretically) tow up to 2000 pounds, which includes many 13' molded fiberglass trailers.

However, based on comments I've read about towing performance of Foresters and the fact that you will be doing some hill-climbing at higher elevations (Tahoe), I would recommend staying well under 2000 pounds and looking for a model with a reduced frontal area for less wind drag. Little Joe is one you have already hit on. A vintage pop-top (Hunter Compact Jr. or Trailswest Campster) is another if you don't mind some work. It's not molded fiberglass, but the San Diego-built Meerkat (clone of vintage Eriba Puck) is a third lightweight, low-profile hard-sided travel trailer option.

You could probably pull a traditional egg like a Scamp 13 if it were very basic and you were careful to pack lightly. The Happier Camper HC1 is also a possibility. It has the advantage of having no wood and limited fabric, so mold control should be easy. The empty shell is 1100 pounds and goes up according to the interior configuration. It's new, retro-styled, and not inexpensive, though.

Whatever you end up with, brakes on the trailer are essential, which means wiring and a controller in the vehicle. An anti-sway bar is another good safety upgrade, especially with a smaller tow vehicle. I'd also look into adding an auxiliary transmission fluid cooler (unless you have a stick shift, of course). Bottom line- make sure you leave room in your budget for towing set-up costs.

[alan H]

You might consider something like a compact / compact jr etc
There is currently one listed in so calif
You might want to drop the guy a note and ask about the weight etc
From what i understand they are very light

Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[steve dunham]

Based on the fact that your vehicle is a 2003 ( 14 years old) , it's towing capacity / tongue weight limits and that you wish to tow in the mountains , I would be inclined to purchase a more suitable tow vehicle before purchasing a trailer . Your present vehicle greatly limits your choice of trailers whether the trailer is new or used. If you want to stay with your present vehicle you will have to stay in the 13 ft range . My comments are based on the assumption that you want to conform to your vehicle manufacturers listed tow ratings but many people just disregard them and take the risk.

Good Luck

[sxj]

Hi Harriet, welcome. You might want to investigate this manufacturer as they have several models that will meet you requirements Roulottes neuves ultra légères fabriquées au Canada : Roulottes Prolite
Their build quality and equipment quality is superior which will give you long and economical service. They are manufactured in Quebec which will be a plus on the dollar exchange rate, but could be a problem given the distance from where you live. I believe there are dealers in British Columbia which would be closer for you.
Hope this helps.

[margeleept]

We have a teardrop trailer (not a fiberglass) that we towed with my 2010 Outback. The camper weighs about 800 pounds. It did fine, but as the car aged it felt like it was putting a strain on it. I wouldn't have towed anything more with that car. Check out tnttt.com for all the info you'll ever want about teardrops.

[Bobbie Mayer]

I should have asked- manual or automatic? And how many miles?
My 2000 manual towed just fine until I bought my 2012, at about 200,000 miles. I towed a boat and then a trailer, both about 1000 lbs though I probably went as high as 1200 with stuff at times. My Mom had a 2002 automatic and I didn't think it had enough pep on hills but never tried towing with it.

Staying under 200 lbs tongue weight is not an issue if the trailer is under 2000 lbs. I had to pack things forward in both boat trailer and Campster in order to get sufficient tongue weight to prevent sway. One nice thing about the Forester is that even towing you still have a reasonable amount of payload allowed in the car so you don't have to pack all your heavy belongings in the trailer.

Downside- you'll find uphills can be slow going, especially if you have an automatic. Subaru rates it only 1000 lbs for towing long uphills in heat- which means things like the Bakersfield side of the Grapevine or climbing out of Redding on 5. That's regardless of brakes.

The newer Subarus are worse for towing. I was wrong- 2003 was the first year that went to 2400 lbs. I would not tow 2400- your tongue weight will either exceed 200 or be too low (they claim 8-12% but I don't like to be below 10%). I'm towing about 2000 lbs now (with brakes) with my 2012 manual Forester and it is fine but I have to be careful how I load the trailer as lower than 200 lbs on the tongue would sway and over that is outside of specs. As I'm not thrilled with those restrictions, I'm looking ahead to a new tow vehicle that can do more. But with the Campster it was just fine, towed that for 4 years with the 2000 and 4 more with the 2012.

[Jon in AZ]

Counterpoint... Have you researched the prices of new(er) vehicles? For some, the cost of a new vehicle would put a trailer off the table for a while. Nothing wrong with starting small. Some people find small is all they need. Even if not, selling a 13' molded fiberglass trailer in decent condition is rarely a problem.

Sometimes an older vehicle whose history you know is a better bet than a newer used vehicle whose problems you don't know. We started towing with a 12 year old vehicle, 170K miles, rated for 2000 pounds, and bought our trailer accordingly. It had been solidly reliable up to that point, and I did have our mechanic give it a good going over with the understanding that we were going to tow. That wouldn't be a bad idea with an older vehicle.

We did eventually upgrade our tug, but only after our bank account recovered from the trailer purchase.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Yeah, I agree, a 2003 Subaru is by no means dead, and can tow plenty. If I were buying a new trailer, though, I'd decide on the trailer I want and then find the tow vehicle to work with it, not fit a trailer to a 13 year old vehicle. But buying an older trailer isn't a huge investment and there are lots of little trailers that Subaru can tow. Like my Campster, which is a great match and could be towed even by a wimpy new Subaru.

[mary and bob]

Weren't the older Subarus noted for head gasket failures. A coworker had it happen twice while towing a small pop-up camper. I think his was about a 2006 Outback

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Weren't the older Subarus noted for head gasket failures. A coworker had it happen twice while towing a small pop-up camper. I think his was about a 2006 Outback

Probably thinking of Ford Explorer ( blew mine up ). The Subaru, however, has a timing belt, not chain. It needs to be replaced according to the service manual. If it breaks, you can have pistons flying every which way. Mine broke before replacement was called for. Got lucky though and didn't have to replace the engine.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Weren't the older Subarus noted for head gasket failures. A coworker had it happen twice while towing a small pop-up camper. I think his was about a 2006 Outback

Yes. But once repaired they can run on and on. Not sure if the 2003s were affected but 98-02 was. My daughter is still driving my 2000.

[agibsonw]

For towing with an older Forester, a teardrop might be a good alternative to a 13' egg. A 13' egg is going to come uncomfortably close to the Forester's limits.

Something like the Little Guy Teardrops would work well. Under 1000 lbs which would give the Forester plenty of reserve capacity for going up hills. etc.

[Jack L]

We ad an 01 Forester and it was a great vehicle. We did not tow anything with it and never had a mechanical problem of any type. It had 100,000 miles on it when we sold it. It was a great vehicle. A recall was issued for leaky head gaskets. The issue was coolant leaking EXTERNALY from the gasket. The ones that had a leak problem needed a new head gasket, but there was no internal damage since the leaks were all outside. The Subaru recall required adding an additive to the cooling system to prevent leaks and we never had a problem. If I still had this vehicle, I would not b worried about head gasket leaks.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Jack L

We ad an 01 Forester and it was a great vehicle. We did not tow anything with it and never had a mechanical problem of any type. It had 100,000 miles on it when we sold it. It was a great vehicle. A recall was issued for leaky head gaskets. The issue was coolant leaking EXTERNALY from the gasket. The ones that had a leak problem needed a new head gasket, but there was no internal damage since the leaks were all outside. The Subaru recall required adding an additive to the cooling system to prevent leaks and we never had a problem. If I still had this vehicle, I would not b worried about head gasket leaks.

The head gasket problem hit about 180,000 miles on my 2000. A little earlier on Mom's 02.

[Veggiegirl]

Hi! Ugh, so....it's a manual 2003 with only 80K miles on it. I did research last night on Subaru Websites, and people were saying that without potentially ruining the transmission the tow capacity is 1500lbs. Ugh!!! I don't know if there's a difference depending on what year it is, but Foresters are apparently less powerful than the Outbacks. So my trailer dream may be shot.

The Compact sold before I could get to it. I'm looking at tiny, tiny teardrops (claustrophobic), and even the Taxa Tiger Moth? Some websites say the TM is 900lbs, others say it's 1500lbs. I don't feel safe getting anything that's close to 1500lbs because I'll be afraid to overload it.

I could sell the car, yes - but a 2003 Forester isn't worth much to anyone else. To me it is because I know the history and bc it only has 80K miles. I've dreamed of wanderlusting for So long...and now can't find anything to wander in! It's just my dog and I.....and our tent I guess. I live 10 miles from the wild and windy Sonoma Coast, prime glamping ground. How cruel!!!

Harriet, Monkey, without a trailer

[Veggiegirl]

Hmmm. I did *something* expensive at 60K miles, and I think it was related to a head gasket. Whatever it was, it is supposedly fixed and I haven't had any problems.....let me knock on wood....with it. Except for copious amounts of spilled coffee and dog hair of course.