Sf5 towing capacity

Wadegee

Forum Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Messages
19
Location
Albury
Car Year
1997
Car Model
Forester
Transmission
Manual
I can't find any information anywhere, where are considering hiring a Pop up trailer for Xmas, will my sf5 forester tow it with ease? Can't find information anywhere
 
I will have to check, it's a camper trailer sleeps 2 approx weight 1100kg
 
According to the Subaru brochure, all models 500 kgs un-braked and 1,300 kgs braked.

Maximum tow ball weight (all models) is 75 kgs, but I would recommend keeping this between 40-50 kgs ...

If you have the Limited or GT, they both have self levelling suspension, so tow ball weight is absolutely crucial. I stuffed my SG SLS completely with a ball weight of 80 kgs on my CT.

BTW, :welcome: to the ORS forum, mate ;)
 
Further to the above, if the CT weighs 1100 kgs, then it has to have brakes, by law (since about 1988 ... ).

Weigh everything you put into it carefully, on accurate scales.

If the GVM of the CT exceeds the maximum towing weight of your car, you automatically void all your insurance :cry: :puke:.

Also be careful how much weight you put in the car ...

It is very easy to overload our vehicles.
 
Ok thanks, I will need to really do some homework before we hire camper, guess you can't just bolt it on and away you go ��

Thanks mate.
 
Glad to be of some help.

Vehicle Standard Bulletin 1 (VSB1) is the bible for towing + towed vehicles; same as VSB14 is for vehicle types/modifications. See the 'Legals' sub-forum here.

My CT is purpose built. It has no brakes. My maximum towing weight un-braked is 750 kgs, and braked 1,400 kgs.

Fully loaded, but without bedding, food and clothes, it weighs about 650 kgs, with a ball weight of about 45 kgs. The series II SG tows it like a dream. Hardly even know it's there. This gives me about 100 kgs leeway.
 
Ratbags figures match what is stamped on my sf5s towbar. I've towed at its Max braked and will probably never again, no power guzzles loads of fuel and works the engine way hard.

750-900 braked is friendlier, especially when needing to stop, expect at least a 30% fuel increase and don't expect to load up the car to its limit either. Electric brakes are great, override brakes in the smaller weight foz just feel like the trailers belting up in the back and push the car around a little, but you get used to it and compensate automatically

Also used to regularly do a 10km run with a caged box trailer nobrakes full of 1.5tonne of firewood, that was interesting
 
Yeah, Id.

There is a lot more latitude all round with the SG. Bigger, torquier donk; bigger brakes; stronger body/sub-frame. There is a reason for the differences in braked and un-braked towing weights between the two vehicles. Even so, the SG still has proportionately more of everything, so makes it that much easier.

Having said that, I have towed my trailer fully loaded behind my severely under-grunted EJ-18 powered Impreza ... It managed fine.
 
Wadegee said:
Ok thanks, I will need to really do some homework before we hire camper, guess you can't just bolt it on and away you go ��

Thanks mate.
Click to expand...

talk to the camper hire people -- they'll know.

Chances are if it legally requires brakes, it'll be a simple mechanical arrangement.
 
^ Quite right, Duncan.

I've towed many, many thousands of miles with simple hydraulic over-ride brakes on heavy trailers (2 tons+) - they work fine.

Just like towing or driving anything, one needs to drive sensibly and within the limits imposed all round.

Never brake hard, and specially don't brake hard going down hill at speed.
In fact, if the trailer has become unstable/weaving, don't brake at all - accelerate ... The latter will stabilise the trailer, allowing one to slow naturally from that point.

Always allow lots of extra stopping distance.

All pretty much common sense with light trailers.
 
Thanks for all the replies
 
No worries, WG.

You'll be right.

Get a CT that suits your car, and you won't even know it's there after a few kilometres :poke: :iconwink: :biggrin:.

Have a beaut holiday :ebiggrin:.
 
Thanks mate I will post some pics up, doing it over the Xmas break not to sure where we will head yet.
 
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