Subaru Forester

[Matthew_5089015]

Hi all, I am new to caravaning and have a Subaru forester S turbo AWD.

the owners manual say it will pull 1800Kg but I want to take my grandparents lunar lexon ew van away next season. which weights 1600Kg mtplm.

I wanted to double check the car would be fine towing as my local van dealers say the car only weights 1500kg which is wrong and so could not really pull more than the weight of the car. I know it is at least 1700Kg

My other car Honda FRV is only FWD, weights less than my forester and has less power. So you cannot tell me it can tow the same. thats what I am being told

any help or info as i am being told many different things

regards

Matt

 

[Lutz]

If the owner's manual says it may pull 1800kg then it will also say what its kerbweight is. The brochure of the new Forester Turbo also quotes 1485kg (manual) and 1510kg (automatic) so the figure which your dealer gave you sounds about right. (The max. permissible towload of the current Forester, by the way, is 2000kg)

 

[Matthew_5089015]

If the owner's manual says it may pull 1800kg then it will also say what its kerbweight is. The brochure of the new Forester Turbo also quotes 1485kg (manual) and 1510kg (automatic) so the figure which your dealer gave you sounds about right. (The max. permissible towload of the current Forester, by the way, is 2000kg)

So why then does the details in the practical caravan mags even tell you the max tow weight when you should not pull that weight?

Some of the larger 4x4's can pull over a ton more then they weight. but why is that any good when puuling a caravan theou should not pull more then the weight of the car

cheers

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Matthew,

Lutz will probably be able to give you chapter and verse (or worse) about the details, but the maximum towing capacity of all new cars is established by the vehicle manufacture according to a set of specialied tests, that include repeated hill starts, braking, and engine temperature to name a few.

The resultant figure may or may not be greater than the kerb weight of the vehicle, but the figure is a legal maximum, and is unique to that make and specific model of vehicle.(Automatics, hatches, estates, often have a different figure to thier manual saloon counterparts)

You must also appreciate that the figure applies to all types of trailer that may be attached, not simply a caravan.

Just because the car manufacture quotes a tow capcity of 2000Kg does not mean that a caravan of 2000Kg will tow well, that is down to many factors that the car manufacture has no control over.

As a guide, it is always advisable to try and keep the trailer correctly loaded and as light as possible, and a target ratio 85% is a good starting point, but provided you are sensible, and your driving licence authorises you too, there is nothing to stop you towing anything up to the maximum permitted by the car manufacture.

The other figure you should be aware of, is the car and caravans combined loaded weights (Gross Train Weight) the manufactures sets a permitted GTW for the vehicle and that must not be exceeded.

Most manufactures now publish thier weigt limits on a plate fixed to the car, but if in doubt, do not rely on the weight figures published in high street magazines, there can be errors, always check with you vehicle dealer or manufacture.

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

and then there's the maximum noseweight to consider. So whilst you may we within the 85% overal weight ratio, many larger caravans easily exceed the 'standard' 75kg max noseweight that the vehicle manufacturer permits.... so, all in all, it can be a bit of a mine field!

 

[Lutz]

The maximum permissible towload and the maximum permissible noseweight are not in any way related. I don't know what the max. noseweight for the Forester is (it should be in the owner's manual and marked on the the towbar) but I suspect that it's in excess of 75kg.

As John L says, the maximum permissible towload specified by the car manufacturer normally makes no allowance for the type of trailer. Caravans, by virtue of their large frontal area and slab-sidedness are, however, particularly critical both for stability and engine/drivetrain durability and one should be very wary of making full use of the allowable limit if this approaches or exceeds the kerbweight of the towcar. Only for low-loader trailers are limits over 100% of the kerbweight really useable and then only with caution.

Some car manufacturers do, however, differentiate. GM Europe (Opel/Vauxhall) quote figures which are safely applicable to all types of trailer, including caravans and even allow higher towloads for some models if towing is restricted to less than the 12% standard gradients or for trailers under 1.40m height or those with particularly low polar moments of intertia (e.g. low-loaders).

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

The maximum permissible towload and the maximum permissible noseweight are not in any way related. I don't know what the max. noseweight for the Forester is (it should be in the owner's manual and marked on the the towbar) but I suspect that it's in excess of 75kg.

As John L says, the maximum permissible towload specified by the car manufacturer normally makes no allowance for the type of trailer. Caravans, by virtue of their large frontal area and slab-sidedness are, however, particularly critical both for stability and engine/drivetrain durability and one should be very wary of making full use of the allowable limit if this approaches or exceeds the kerbweight of the towcar. Only for low-loader trailers are limits over 100% of the kerbweight really useable and then only with caution.

Some car manufacturers do, however, differentiate. GM Europe (Opel/Vauxhall) quote figures which are safely applicable to all types of trailer, including caravans and even allow higher towloads for some models if towing is restricted to less than the 12% standard gradients or for trailers under 1.40m height or those with particularly low polar moments of intertia (e.g. low-loaders).

yes, I realise that they are not related but it's another point to consider !

 

[Matthew_5089015]

The maximum permissible towload and the maximum permissible noseweight are not in any way related. I don't know what the max. noseweight for the Forester is (it should be in the owner's manual and marked on the the towbar) but I suspect that it's in excess of 75kg.

As John L says, the maximum permissible towload specified by the car manufacturer normally makes no allowance for the type of trailer. Caravans, by virtue of their large frontal area and slab-sidedness are, however, particularly critical both for stability and engine/drivetrain durability and one should be very wary of making full use of the allowable limit if this approaches or exceeds the kerbweight of the towcar. Only for low-loader trailers are limits over 100% of the kerbweight really useable and then only with caution.

Some car manufacturers do, however, differentiate. GM Europe (Opel/Vauxhall) quote figures which are safely applicable to all types of trailer, including caravans and even allow higher towloads for some models if towing is restricted to less than the 12% standard gradients or for trailers under 1.40m height or those with particularly low polar moments of intertia (e.g. low-loaders).

thanks for the info. I am going to hook it up in feb march and see how it goes.

I will pull the van without much in just to get a feel of who it may cope. I may just get a smaller van myself and not have to worry about weight so much.

regards

Matt W

 

[RogerL]

GM Europe (Opel) may differentiate towing limits for different types of trailer but GM Europe (Vauxhall) does not! Data relating to an equivalent Opel model can't be used for a Vauxhall as there may be spec changes which affect the towing limit. Vauxhall won't "upgrade" any published towing limits. It would however be possible to order a RHD Opel from Ireland which may have a different limit to it's equivalent Vauxhall. Oh the joys of multi-national manufacturing and marketing.

Manufacturers, particularly of 4x4s, may quote a towing limit which is really only applicable to "Agricultural Trailers" which have a 20 mph speed limit! Where they quote more than one limit it'll be clear which applies to caravans. Where a manufacturer only quotes one limit, this could be mis-leadingly high for caravanners. At one time, Range-Rovers had a towing limit of 4000 kg but that was never meant to apply to a caravan!

 

[Lutz]

The maximum towing limits are established by the GM Europe Tech Centre and they are responsible for overall engineering approval for all GM Europe products, regardless of whether they are Opel or Vauxhall. However, the sales organisations of each country work independently of each other and are not bound by the Tech Centre's specifications as they are responsible for their own particular markets. So, for example, even Opel Ireland may not offer the higher towing limits that are available to customers in Germany. In other words, there is a difference between engineering specs and market specs (although I don't quite see a good reason why this should be unless driving conditions are significantly different from country to country).

In essence, with the exception of the Monaro, Vauxhall models are just a specific version of the equivalent Opel so, engineering-wise, they would be covered by the full range of Opel specs.

 

[Lutz]

GM Europe (Opel) may differentiate towing limits for different types of trailer but GM Europe (Vauxhall) does not! Data relating to an equivalent Opel model can't be used for a Vauxhall as there may be spec changes which affect the towing limit. Vauxhall won't "upgrade" any published towing limits. It would however be possible to order a RHD Opel from Ireland which may have a different limit to it's equivalent Vauxhall. Oh the joys of multi-national manufacturing and marketing.

Manufacturers, particularly of 4x4s, may quote a towing limit which is really only applicable to "Agricultural Trailers" which have a 20 mph speed limit! Where they quote more than one limit it'll be clear which applies to caravans. Where a manufacturer only quotes one limit, this could be mis-leadingly high for caravanners. At one time, Range-Rovers had a towing limit of 4000 kg but that was never meant to apply to a caravan!

The maximum permissible towload on public roads of any car or 4x4 cannot ever exceed 3500kg if the trailer only has an overrun brake. Beyond 3500kg, trailers have to have a proper coupled braking system with the towing vehicle.

 

[Tom_5041734]

I used to tow a Lunar Solar Eclipse 615 (MTPLM 1600 kgs) with a Forester S Turbo. Never had any problems other than having to plan fuel stops as I could watch the fuel gauge going down!!

 

[gerald_5040455]

I have towed a Lunar Delta 520 with a 2003 Forester turbo for the last two years and it is a brilliant towcwar. This is my second Forester and I have just ordered a new 2.5 turbo model for delivery on the 06 no plate.My present car does approx. 30 mpg solo and 24 mpg towing on average which for the performance when towing I can accept. The new one may be thirstier who knows?

This will be my third Forester, a brilliant under rated car!