Does any body tow T@B with 4 cylinder Subaru Outback?

AldebaranJill · January 2017

@tabtraveler

I have been towing with 4 cylinder Subaru for over 3 years. Like others say, you are fine on flat roads, and slower and mindful of rpm on hills, but it is manageable.

I have the version of T@B that has the hydraulic brakes built into the trailer. There is no brake controller active in my car.

Link to manuals
http://www.subaru.com/owners/vehicle-resources.html

irvingj · January 2017

Jill, is your T@B a Dutchmen version? If so, the brakes may be totally mechanical. I'd be interested to know if they're really hydraulic and how they work. I liked mine (2004 T2), as there was no connection/controller/electric/hydraulic... and they worked quite well, I thought. Nice example of the KISS principle!

LauraRey · January 2017

I'm towing with a 4 cyl Forester (2010) and I have the brake controller installed. I don't have much experience towing yet as I just bought the T@B in December 2016. (Just before our snow season hit) When towing it home, I noticed that the rpms were about 500 higher. I had no trouble braking. In fact, the electronic brakes on the trailer were really good. I had to turn down the sensitivity.

Michigan_Mike · January 2017

Inasmuch as mountains are often the main focus in these types of discussions you flat surfaces often becomes the accident scene and via the ability to safely bring the tow vehicle and trailer to a safe stop, tire failures/blow outs when towing, other drivers making poor decisions when in close proximity to you on the road, changing weather/road conditions, and for all practical purposes the amount of experience you have in towing/transporting trailers and loads down the highway.

I've said it before and will say it again, you can get ANY trailer and load rolling down the road with just about any vehicle manufactured, but is during the above events when things normally and do happen. Even with a vehicle rated well above the trailer and within the ratings for towing with any vehicle you can easily roll over a vehicle and a trailer.

I would never tow with a vehicle that isn't rated for the load being towed, nor will I tow "on the edge" pushing the rating for both load/tow vehicle (which includes passenger weight, gear inside the vehicle and trailer, etc.) and placing the safety of myself, my family members and those on the road around me as it's basically just "rolling the dice" and throwing abandon to the wind. Ask someone like Verna what it's like and how quickly things can and do change, even when you are minding your own business, traveling the speed limit and a tire failure suddenly occurs.

Image result for travel trailer rollover

TomStephens1 · January 2017

We towed our t@b up and over a pass near Paso Robles, CA last summer. The temperature outside reached 116. No problems with the Subaru. I have total confidence in my vehicle to tow my beautiful, little camper.

TomStephens1 · January 2017

And, we were going up a hill!

AldebaranJill · January 2017

@irvingj - it is a T@B I thought by Little Guy. But definitely hydraulic.

wizard1880 · January 2017

Electric brakes didn't arrive to little guy T@Bs until those manufactured after August 2013.

irvingj · January 2017

Thanks, wizard & Jill. Learn sump'n new every day.

Trailpixie · February 2017

May I add another part to this question?

A new Outback is rated to tow 2,700 pounds (two years ago with the same frame and engine it was 3,000 pounds [shrug])

The GVWR for a T@B Max S is 2,900 pounds. This exceeds the Subie Outback's tow rating.
The curb weight of a T@B S Max is 1670 pounds. This is well within a Subie Outback's tow rating.

To get an accurate weight estimate from the curb weight, you need to add in water and cargo. If all the water tanks are full (an unlikely situation but it is a total of 36 gallons), that would add 300 pounds. That adds up to 1970 pounds with water. If you add 500 pounds of gear, then you are at 2,470 pounds. This still gives you some wiggle room on that 2,700 pound tow rating.

If you are in an accident, and you are running the weight within the car's tow rating, but the trailer's GVWR exceeds the car's tow rating, would that be considered legally negligent? Would your insurance deny the claim?

KBaggins1 · February 2017

The GVWR mostly is for commercial vehicles. It is the maximum weight that you can register for and can then legally tow up to that weight.You can register for less than the vehicles GVWR as long as you do not go over that weight. Any time you cause an accident you are technically negligent. Your insurance company still covers you.

Deac · February 2017

Probably too late to be any help, but I'll add my 2 cents.
I have a 2007 4 cyl Outback that I've used to tow my Sofitel on trips totalling 6000 miles, flat and over the Sierras many times. Does fine. I cruise at 57 but can go over 65 when needed. We've been to 8000' very well but even at low elevations the steeper grades slow me at times down below 40, so I shift down to 2d and run at 5000 rpm to maintain 30 mph.

I get 14 mpg but have a range of only about 130 miles between fill ups.

So I confess that I'm looking to get a newer vehicle with a bit more oomph and hopefully better mpg and definitely greater range. Any suggestions on a beefier tow vehicle with good gas mileage and range?

Deac · February 2017

PS on my post just above.
As has been said, the tow capacity of the 4 cyl Outback including my 2007 is 2700 pounds. I've weighed my TAB fully loaded several times at a truck scales and never exceeded 1920 pounds. Call the loaded TAB 2000# and there's plenty of spare capacity. I just want greater range between fillups.

LauraRey · February 2017

Deac said:

PS on my post just above.
As has been said, the tow capacity of the 4 cyl Outback including my 2007 is 2700 pounds. I've weighed my TAB fully loaded several times at a truck scales and never exceeded 1920 pounds. Call the loaded TAB 2000# and there's plenty of spare capacity. I just want greater range between fillups.

The 2700 includes not only the trailer, but the people and gear in the car.

AldebaranJill · February 2017

Deac said:

PS on my post just above.
As has been said, the tow capacity of the 4 cyl Outback including my 2007 is 2700 pounds. I've weighed my TAB fully loaded several times at a truck scales and never exceeded 1920 pounds. Call the loaded TAB 2000# and there's plenty of spare capacity. I just want greater range between fillups.

Tell me how this process goes - you just drive up like a truck and pay them and you get weighed? Would love this data.

TabberJohn · February 2017

AldebaranJill said:

Deac said:

PS on my post just above.
As has been said, the tow capacity of the 4 cyl Outback including my 2007 is 2700 pounds. I've weighed my TAB fully loaded several times at a truck scales and never exceeded 1920 pounds. Call the loaded TAB 2000# and there's plenty of spare capacity. I just want greater range between fillups.

Tell me how this process goes - you just drive up like a truck and pay them and you get weighed? Would love this data.

The etrailer site has these instructions: https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-to-determine-trailer-tongue-weight.aspx
The Commercial Scale section shows how to get multiple weights quickly by driving the TV wheels only onto the scale first, weigh in (1), then jack up to unhitch, weigh again (2), then hitch up and drive the whole rig onto the scale for combined weight (3). Then do the math to determine tongue weight versus loaded T@B weight.
Landfills and stone yards also have scales.

AldebaranJill · February 2017

@Deac- Awesome! Thank you!!

SweetlyHome · February 2017

We did this a truck stop. Their scale had multiple sections sized for a big semi, they can drive on and get all 3 wheel sets (front steering, cab drive wheels, and trailer) in one stop. We ended up with TV and trailer readings only. Didn't know to unhitch at the time. We did the tongue weight with a scale at home.

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Does any body tow T@B with 4 cylinder Subaru Outback?

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