Let me start by saying it isn't a caravan I want to tow with a WRX (looking at current/MY03 model) but a car and trailer.

I see in the spec's that it has a towing rating of 1200Kgs (braked trailer) but this is significantly less the for example the Forrester S-Turbo (can't remember the figure but about 1700Kgs seems to ring a bell).

Given the similarities in car and engine and wondered why the difference but more importantly - anyone else got a WRX and towed on a reasonably regular basis with it. I would be close to the maximum 1200Kg but just under.

 

Doesn't the towing weight rating have to do with the weight of the towing vehicle?

 

Yeah does have some impact - but more about the towed item not exceeding the weight of the towing vehicle (in this scenario you can't go above 40Mph on the motorway for example - I think).

 

It's got to do with gearing too.
I towed a 4.5 metre caravan, fully loaded to 1200kg, with a '98 turbo. We were 5-up, and had 4 mountain bikes on top of the Scooby. Towed it right down England to Dover, down the east side of France, past Lyon to the Drome region, b4 taking it up and over the Cevennes, the Massif and the Perigord. No problemo. Fuel consumption averaged out at ~20mpg, so not as bad as I had expected.

 

Note that the max weight mentioned on the chassis is only the maximum weight it can pull without snapping the car in half or something. It's not the maximum weight it can pull at 60mph with a sidewind. That's why the caravan club, RAC, AA etc recommend you never tow more than 85% (I think) of the weight of the car...

Iain

 

pslewis: No, it didn't touch at all, although I was ready for it to do so all the way, with 3 teenagers in the back, and the nose weight on 75kg spot-on.
I'm on 215/40 17" Bridgestones.
DON'T reduce the nose weight too much, that's a recipe for an unstable outfit. (read the numerous letters in caravan club mags.)
Happy towing, Alcazar

 

Pslewis,

I remember you saying this before about the rubbing, and the first time I towed with my 17s on (215/40/17) I was waiting for the rub and it didn't happen.. and my nose wheel weight was quite great although below the max which I think is 75kgs that Subaru recommend. Never have had rubbing with 205/60/15, 205/55/15, 205,50/16 wheels / tyres.
My trailer tent weighs 350kgs and was loaded with about 100kgs of equipment.. unbraked and my MY96 UK Wagon has no problems what so ever.. brakes could be better and the clutch judder is worse but nothing major.
It must be because your wheels are not Gold Pete.. try fitting a gold set LOL...

Lucky Strike,

Is this going to be a one off or are you going to be towing regularly with the car on the back?

If you intend towing anyway might be worth trying it and see how you get on.. you then can change the WRX for something else if you find it too much hard work etc..
Just take it slowly.. will obviously cost you the price of a towbar to try it.

As to towbars, Subaru one is very expensive (400ish) but good and removable or you can get a non-subaru one (shock horror) for about 120notes..

I also have a Plant trailer and have had about 1000kgs (guessing, was a number of railway sleepers) on the back of the car and it was not any different to towing the trailer tent..

My father in-law has had a running train of 1.6tonnes (went to a weigh bridge to pay for the stone he had in it) with my plant trailer on the back of his metro!!! he drives very slowly but there was no problems there.. metro cannot be that heavy?

Also found out recently that the brakes on this plant trailer have never worked!!!! in the process of fixing them now!

JGM

 

Good Grief!!! Those must be hellish sized plants. What are they? Triffids?:

 

Good practice is 85% braked trailer weight and never exceed maximum gross train weight as recommended by the manufacturers (1200Kgs for my MY01 PPP). Anyone any ideas why Subaru's is so low? Most cars of around 1350-1400 Kgs have a mgtw of 1500Kgs?

And true the detachable swan neck Subaru bar isn't cheap - but it's a very neat job. The best brands are Witter and Brink otherwise.

 

Alzcar..

I always smile when I see the roadworks signs that says "Heavy Plant crossing"... I picture this huge plant holding up its pot legging it across the road...

JGM

 

The forester engine has been 'detuned' to give more low down torque than the regular WRX engine, presumably to allow the Forester to be more like an SUV and more suitable for towing.

A small trailer should be no problem for any Impreza, I used to tow a trailer using my wife's RAV4 and it felt like there was nothing there.

I wouldn't recommend the new shape Impreza as a serious towing car though, it's not heavy enough for anything over 1100 kg safely.
Ditto for the Forester, since the trailer should not exceed 85% of the weight of the car. There's no problem with power or torque, just the risk of the car not being stable at speed in crosswinds or under heavy braking. If you have a long distance to go, then a stabiliser bar plus trailer wheels with safety bands (no idea what they're really called) to allow safer blowouts is a good idea.
A puncture at high speed with a heavy trailer usually means it will tear the car sideways, with possible risk over overturning, irrespective of the car.

The max speed for a braked trailer is 60.

If you want to be really sad (like me) and are forced to tow a caravan, the H6-3.0 at over 1600kg is the answer.

I must win the prize for the saddest member of the forum....

[Edited by stanmo - 9/12/2002 4:45:41 PM]

 

Alcazar - did your rear wheel arches foul the tyres??

I tow a 750kg Folding camper with my MY00 5-Door and the plastic strip which is on the lip of the rear arches rubs on the outside of the tyres!!!! !!!!!

Pete

Edited to say:- The Noseweight is about 50kg - well within spec .... in actual fact I reduce the noseweight as much as possible to ease the rubbing!!

[Edited by pslewis - 9/12/2002 4:47:05 PM]