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Post edited 11:12 pm – August 25, 2011 by Eugene

So I had a fabulous initial outing in my new 14RB, which I'm lugging around with a four-banger 2007 Subaru Forester 5-speed MT. I know that's pushing the envelope for what a Forester can tow, but I pulled my 14RB up grades through the Coast Range just fine, and cruised on I-5 at 60 mph in 5th gear. However, the overall weight is less an issue than the trailer's astonishing tongue weight. I haven't actually weighed my trailer's tongue, but I've seen posts on the forum showing weights well north of 300 pounds, and I believe them now. My trim isn't optimal. The tongue is depressing (initially unintentional pun) my rear suspension several inches off level.

There are no affordable (for me) suspension enhancements for a 2007 Forester. Four-wheel independent struts rule out aftermarket airbags. And there are no bolt-on Class III hitches for a 2007 Forester that would allow me to use a weight-distribution hitch. So I'm stuck with my Class II hitch and stock suspension. Which means I need to employ strategies for reducing tongue weight that take into account I've still got to have a battery and full 20# propane tank riding on the tongue.

I'd appreciate any advice/suggestions/consolation anyone has to offer.

Thanks.

Jim

I have a #350 lb tongue weight limit so this is a constant problem for me with my 16BH.  You can find the weight us a bathroom scale with the method at this link:

http://www.curtmfg.com/index.c…..eceid=1347

Note that you multiply scale reading by 3 instead of 2.  Mine can be north of #400.  But on the 14BH I believe the axle is more centered than the 16BH so it probably is not as bad.

I don't travel with the propane tank on the tongue.  I have found it fits perfectly in a milk crate and will snugly on the floor between the door and toilet.  Of course you can't run the refrigerator during travel.  On the 16bh the refrigerator is forward of the axle so I use a cooler in the tub for food anyway.

That, no water in the tank, and storing anything else behind the axle gets me to around #300 which is still more than 10%. I also have air spring helpers but sounds like it's not an option for you.

I use spring rubbers similar to these

http://www.amazon.com/Superior…..75-7627911

I needed two in each rear spring on my Freestlye, but only one in each spring on my Flex.  These are packaged as "front spring coil boosters", but they are just the right size in the rear.  They actually are barely compressed before I hook up the 16RBT (about 350lb tounge loaded).  This seems to firm things up just about where I want it.  I do leave them in and don't notice any difference unloaded.  My non-towing ride height went up 1/8 inch, but with the trailer hooked up, my ride height went up just over 1 inch.  Mission accomplished.

I do not recommend the full, "doughnut" rubbers, that would be pretty harsh

Post edited 4:37 pm – August 27, 2011 by Mike Magee

People in Europe routinely run their trailers at about 5% tongue-to-total weight ratio.  I've never been sure where the 10% rule of thumb came from here in North America… perhaps just overkill toward safety, back in the day when all the cars and trucks had RWD and ladder frames, and maybe higher tongue weights were less of a problem.  I don't think you should have a sway problem with a trailer as short as the 14RB as long as you have 150 lbs or so on the tongue.  That gives you lots of room for back-end loading.

If a person had negative tongue weight (heavier in rear than in front), even a super short and lightweight trailer can sway dangerously.  I know because in my younger days I misloaded a 4×8 utility trailer like that, and I scared the *&#^%* out of myself.

Another thing to do is to move weight out of, or at least forward in, the tow vehicle.  I removed a seat from my van and slid the other all the way forward.  I also moved all tool boxes etc forward to just behind the front seats.

$200 installed!  Where?  Cheapest price I've seen for the unit was $261 and that was just for the hitch, no installation.  But even so that is a pretty low price to pay for weight distribution with sway control.

However, Jim, maybe you should check first with Subaru to see if WD hitches are considered ok with the Subaru "frame" (unibody, really).  The other thing is, the weight of the hitch itself adds to the overall weight on your back end.  Yes, the hitch will distribute that weight more evenly between all axles.  But you would still be overloaded on tongue weight… it still will stress the suspension and the unibody, and don't forget what you are doing to the receiver attachment points.  I read a post recently made by a VW Jetta owner who was overloading his car like that and he'd discovered that it was ripping the sheet metal up where the hitch bolted on.

Another approach would be to weld a little more support on for the rear bumper, attach a platform and mount a generator on it.  Your LP tank will run things for a couple weeks even if only half full. Travel with an empty fresh water tank (and empty hot water heater too).  Add a container or two of water in the tub, maybe.

Mike Magee said:

However, Jim, maybe you should check first with Subaru to see if WD hitches are considered ok with the Subaru "frame" (unibody, really).  The other thing is, the weight of the hitch itself adds to the overall weight on your back end.  Yes, the hitch will distribute that weight more evenly between all axles.  But you would still be overloaded on tongue weight… it still will stress the suspension and the unibody, and don't forget what you are doing to the receiver attachment points.  I read a post recently made by a VW Jetta owner who was overloading his car like that and he'd discovered that it was ripping the sheet metal up where the hitch bolted on.

You're absolutely correct, Mike. There are no weight distribution hitch options for a Subaru Forester. I called the experts at eTrailer (great customer service, by the way, highly recommended) and they confirmed that the Subie won't accept WD hitch systems. But I installed the rear coil spring boosters, the biggest ones (2 inches of lift), and they did the trick. Like kenigg said, there was no problem leaving them in after the trailer was unhitched. The debate about what is and isn't safe for a Forester to tow has a long and glorious history on the Internet, and I have nothing to add to it. But I have been able to affect the tongue weight appreciably by scrupulously loading the trailer and the Forester and adding the coil spring boosters. My towing trim is dead level now, and I tow through the Cascade and Coast ranges way better than I would have expected with a four-banger hauling 2,300+ pounds uphill. Foresters rock.

Post edited 7:41 pm – January 3, 2012 by rajdude

wrenchist said:It is my understanding that an equalizing hitch lessens the downward force on the hitch when it transfers the weight to the front of the vehicle. My receiver is rated at 350 lbs without an equalizer hitch and 400 lbs with. Perhaps you can't use an equalizer hitch because there isn't a 2″ receiver available for a Forester.

I am in exactly the same boat as Eugene. The hitch for my vehicle won’t take a WD system.

I talked to the manufacture about it…they say that a WD hitch applies a twisting force to the chassis of the TV. That is how it tries to put more load towards the front of the vehicle instead of putting all the downward force on the rear end mounted hitch. Some vehicles [like mine] don’t have hitch mounts strong enough to withstand these twisting loads. However, they say my vehicle will tow loads all the way up to the 3500 limit fine without a WD system.

I suspect that Eugene’s Forrester has the same limitation.

Yeah, I was unpleasently supprised. Of course the fine print says "Your trailer weight will vary according to optional equipment".  So in my case I suppose the advertised weight does not include the optional front window, A/C, etc. that sit in front of the axle.

rajdude said:

Oh wow! So your 16BH ‘s tongue weighs over 400lbs when the manufacture says it should weigh 262 lbs!

I do understand 262 is dry. Add a 40 lb full propane tank and a 60 lb battery and it should cross 362 lbs but you say over 400! That gets me really worried about my [future] 19BH’s tongue weight…. specified at 286 lbs.

DougB said:I have a #350 lb tongue weight limit so this is a constant problem for me with my 16BH. ……….
  Mine can be north of #400. But on the 14BH I believe the axle is more centered than the 16BH so it probably is not as bad.

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