Towing 2300 lbs 1200 miles with my GL?

[SakoTGrimes]

Regarding my near future move to Tucson... Obviously, I need to drive there. I have a 1972 BMW 2002 weighing about 2200 lbs that I am not willing to part with. That, plus a few things I own, not more than 150 pounds total I think. Renting a truck is out. I would sell the GL and drive my bimmer, but the engine is tired and smoking, I'm afraid it would leave me stranded. So, can an 83 GL with 15 inch tires and couple hundred pounds tow? I just read a thread about running in RWD. Of course that would be better than FWD but could I damage something doing so?

[idosubaru]

very much unsafe. even across town i'd recommend against it, driving long distance or highway is very risky. it can be done but the risks are substantial. soobs are not up to towing other cars. you are risking not only your cars, but your own personal saftey and others. not ethical nor an option in my oppinion. but it can be done in the simple terms of if it could make it. i asked the same thing earlier this year and am glad i listened to everyone else and did not do it.

[75subie]

i`ve done it with no problems.towed a toyota corolla 300 miles with an old 82 dl i used to have.that was a flat tow, but i also dolly-towed a 92 chevy s-10 2wd with it for 50 miles.you just have to take it easy, and make sure you have saftey chains, and check the hookups every couple 100 miles.i also towed a 2200lb camper with my 80 brat across town, the only problem was stopping it.keep in mind that you won`t stop on a dime towing something.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=741

[soobme]

If U do, I would flat tow it with a tow bar. It will do it, just be smart about it. Give your'e self PLENTY of stoping distance, take it eazy on the hills and keep 1 eye on the temp gauge. That engine U have makes good power for an EA81, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[Sweet82]

How were you planning to tow this car? Flat tow, dolly, trailer?

If your towing in on a trailer, you must add in the weight of the trailer too!

 

You don't want the vehicle being towed to out weigh the vehicle doing the towing.

 

Could you make two trips?

Con a friend into driving one of the vehicles?

 

Towing is generally not where the problem comes in,

Stopping is where the problems occur.

 

Glenn,

82 SubaruHummer

84 GL

01 Forester

[nipper]

Uhaul used to have a car carrier based on a pickup truck, that could have one car ridem, and you tow the second, and it had some storage capacity .. may be worth persuing. Also a car about the size of a subaru will fit in a large truck

 

 

 

nipper

[TomRhere]

I've towed a lot of vehicles over the years, so I have some knowledge here. Myself, going that far, NADA!!! 50 or so miles maybe. Plus you have to cross over them there mountains sooner or later, real hard on brakes. Not to mention the excess wear on the clutch when you need to get going again.

 

Nope, wouldn't do it........... Would look into the U-Haul truck mentioned earlier.

[Numbchux]

Could you make two trips?

Con a friend into driving one of the vehicles?

 

If it were me, these would be the only options

 

above and beyond it being unsafe, it's really hard on the car, specifically the tranny, even if it's a 4-speed, I'd be nervous about doing damage

[Bucky92]

I know that towing another car with a Subaru can be kinda scarey!!! Just ask moosens about our trip to pick up the GLF. Stopping is NOT easy ..hills are NOT easy..It can be done but you have to be very very careful.... Leave PLENTY of room and be super careful on the turns. I would not recommend it to anyone ...thats just my opinion.We towed the GLF something like 300+ miles and it was not fun...moosens did a terrific job though .

[HooptyGL]

depends on the route i guess.

 

that stretch of I-5 between ashland and redding is out. unless its a cloudy cool day i woundn't go near the mojave desert. and just in case you didn't know; I-17 between flagstaff and phoenix is not advised...ive seen flatbeds wreck trying that one.

 

i cant think of possible way it could be done without putting major pains onto your subie.

 

if you do decide to go for it post "before" and "after" pics...that would be priceless.

[Ross]

I agree, dont do it if you can avoid it. The only marginally safe way is on a trailer, and then you've got to add that weight on (they are very heavy those car trailers). With the proper 6-10% tongue load for that set up you will risk damaging your suspension and even your tires (if they are just roadies). Without the proper tounge load cornering and stopping becomes very dangerous.

 

I've towed a big ford car on a trailer with an ea81 wagon before, but only 20km or so on the flat - the rear suspension did not feel up to it (sways around a lot).

 

Definitely make sure the trailer has top notch disc brakes if you decide to go ahead with it - you wont stop it going down hill with those solid discs and drum brakes!

[Guest shadow]

I will be towing an RX with a RX from Ohio to Tucson in about a year. Given that I have ample opportunity to prepare, I am doing it 'right' in my mind, or at least as close as you can come to being right towing that much with a small vehicle.

 

Vehicle Mods

Number one the tow vehicle will be in perfect+ condition. This means adequate (over adequate) engine cooling, a fresh engine, full synthetics in the drivetrain, fresh clutch, 'perfect' factory compatible brakes as per WJM's testing for performance braking, etc. Basically doing enough to make the car better than factory new in regards to performance of the various systems. The car will be up slightly on power for the mild hills between here and there, but nothing too radical to get into unknown territory as far as reliability. I am strongly considering keeping the 3.7 finals, but converting to the low range gearset from the common D/R 5 speed. The long term goal will be to switch the tow vehicle to an EJ platform.

 

I am modifying the rear suspension with some heavier springs to increase the level load capacity, or I may go the air bag route for adjustable rate purposes, still on the fence in that regard. The hitch I am building myself and it will be a 2" receiver with both bumper and frame attachments with a very large body to hitch contact area and an ample quantity of high grade fasteners.

 

Tires, I am not condoning the stock size, the ratings are very close to maxed out under my planned load. The best I have found so far is a 1168lb load rating, and I will be looking at a 44 psi max inflation pressure tire. Some are only 35-36 psi max. With a maximum 4000 lb trailer load, at 10% tongue, leaves on a 161 lb margin of safety split between both tires, which is unacceptable to me. If I keep the stock tire size and cannot find better tires, I plan to use 8% tongue and limit the total load in tow to no more than 3800 lbs. This is still a bare margin and tire pressure and travel speed must both be carefully regulated in this scenario. Going to 14-15" wheels can get you into tires that are much safer, easily into the 1200-1500 range.

 

Towing

The car in tow will be on a two axle trailer I am building, rather than dolly or flat towed. This gives me two extra braking axles; the axles will be 3500 lb. models which have a 10" drum per wheel. The trailer will be built to minimize the weight to only what is necessary to safely hold a 4000 pound load (as far as frame design) with a 4 to 1 margin of safety based on Ansys FEA design testing. Building the trailer also lets me properly configure the tongue weight to the optimal conditions without having to make an over-length trailer to allow for vehicle placement adjustments. The trailer wheels will be set just outside the cars track to allow for the easiest maneuverability without an overly wide trailer. The trailer will be as low as practicable to keep the CG low and minimize dive.

 

Braking

Braking is by far one of my largest concerns, and in addition to the 4 extra brakes being supplied by the trailer, an inertia based brake controller will be used to make sure the braking duty is always split properly between the car and trailer. These controllers are far superior to proportional/time-gain based units and only cost 20-30 dollars more for a base model. I am using a 6 pin round connector between the trailer and car for hookup, with all wires crimped and soldered for maximum electrical reliability, since the brakes are electric, and of course for lighting reliability.

 

Cost

The total cost of the project is well in excess of what I initially paid for BOTH cars, and I would not consider it worth it for a one-time or occasional use towing setup. It is far more economical to rent a truck and dolly in that case. I however plan to use this rig to tow the 'fancy' RX to events if need be, for recovery purposes, long distances, etc. I also have plans drawn up to build a lightweight camping trailer to use when traveling around the country that will see considerable use when it is finished. I am 'down converting' from my stable of larger trucks and trailers to a more economical package in terms of driving economy, as well as a more maneuverable overall setup.

 

Cliffnotes: Towing is teh dangerous so prepare well and hope for a bit o' luck.

[SakoTGrimes]

OK, way too much money to do it right, and way too risky to do it with what money I have... Looks like I'll be selling the GL sometime and getting a nice little pickup to haul with. I'll post again when I get details figured out.

[idosubaru]

as much as i think it good that you don't tow, i'm not excited you're making a decision that you didn't want to make. but if you do, the fact that you did the right thing is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

 

why not keep the soob? my old roomate had 3 old BMW's and they were solidly unreliable to say the least. edit - i'm sorry...he had 3 porshe's and 1 BMW...but they were still all unreliable!

[75subie]

if you want a decent tower that gets good milage, look for a older s-10 2wd, mine got almost 30mpg, and even towing it would do 26mpg, really was a great little truck.also had an old toyota 2wd that would only do like 22mpg and 18 when towing.

 

i guess this would be safer than towing with a soob, but i still think it could be done.those bmw 2002s are pretty nice, people mod the crap out of them.

[pattiandruss]

Good decision not to tow with the Subaru. I pull a trailer, but I do it with an F-250. Maybe something to consider, buy a full size pickup cheap, and plan on selling it after the move. If you break even, or only lose a little, it could be a good deal. An old 2WD anything should be pretty inexpensive in Medford. Russell

[SakoTGrimes]

why not keep the soob? !

 

Well, honestly, because EA81s are a dime a dozen and 2002's aren't. I'm afraid someone would cut my baby up if I sold her, I'm just too attached (I talk to my car). If I did buy a truck I would most likely sell it when I was done and get a hatch or something anyway.

[SuBrat84]

Would both cars make it? Would you consider having someone drive one of them? or is it completely unreliable to make the journey and you dont want to risk damaging it further? I don't recommend towing ANYTHING over the grapevine into L.A. unless you have a SERIOUS tow rig. And coming around the east side of the G.C. can be just as serious. Any way you look at coming down here you are going to end up crossing some serious mountains... Well.. I can't say that about the 1/101 along the coast as I have not been on it north of L.A. or South of Newport, OR. The coast highway is a LONG drive I hear though. Keep us all posted man.. most importantly BE SAFE. BTW, when is your ETA into Tucson?

[SakoTGrimes]

The BMW would almost certainly not make it. Previous owners have not taken care of it, and before I learned what "oil pressure" was, neither did I, so the engine smokes like Dennis Leary having a mental breakdown. I would like an 80s Toyota truck with the 2.4 or something similar, cheap to run and reliable enough to drive around AZ until I find a good car. I exepect to leave in about 6 months... *maybe* I leave my apartment in 30 days to live with my mom (should save me about $350 a month) and will leave when I have twice as much money as I expect to need and then some. I have taken 2 trips to AZ in the past to scout out living areas and have run out of money both times; I want to be fully prepared this time.

[Mudboat]

I towed a 16' trailer loaded with 25 sheets of treated 3/4" plywood one time with my old Brat. Trailer didn't have electric or surge brakes. The load pushed me clean through a red light when I had to brake suddenly. Talk about scary!!! going 25 mph being pushed by a loaded trailer with the tires locked up and squealing.

 

If you do decide to tow, I would only use a trailer that is equipped with surge brakes that are properly adjusted for the weight. It just may save your life. If you're traveling through mountains or foothills... FORGET IT!!

 

Borrow or rent a big vehicle to tow with... Tow the Beamer and drive back. Return the vehicle and drive the soob to Az.. Lots of road time and gas, but your chances of surviving the trip will be improved 100%...

[MilesFox]

Note: This is not a printable rate quote. For a guaranteed rate quote, Cash or CC must be recorded in a reservation contract. Origination - Destination Information Origination State OR Origination City MEDFORD Destination State AZ Destination City TUCSON Destination Code 002912 Date Requested 11/30/2005 Phone (520)575-5360</B> Days Allowed 6 Mi. Allowed 1413 Trucks Rates 26' Super Mover (4+ bedrooms) $1,191.00 24' Household Mover (3-4 bedrooms) $1,191.00 17' Easy Loading Mover (2-3 bedrooms) $959.00 14' Thrifty Mover (1-2 bedrooms) $925.00 10' Mini Mover (Apartment) $851.00 SafeMove - Trucks $98.00 Trailers Rates 6' x 12' Trailer or 5' x 10' Trailer $450.00 5' x 8' Trailer and RT $261.00 4' x 6' Trailer, 4' x 8' Trailer or Sport Trailer $198.00 SafeMove - Trailers (Excluding RT) $35.00 SRI Rates Auto Transport $409.00 Tow Dolly $204.00 Tow Bar $134.00 Auto Transport with U-Haul Truck $274.00 Tow Dolly with U-Haul Truck $137.00 Tow Bar with U-Haul Truck $90.00 SafeTow - AT,TD,TB and RT $56.00 Car Top or Roof Pouch $28.00 Car Top/ Roof Pouch Coverage $14.00

[ebarb]

Dangit, I was super pumped about the possibility of towing a GL with a GL until I read through this post. I've come to realize how crazily unsafe that idea is. Bummer.

[idosubaru]

Dangit, I was super pumped about the possibility of towing a GL with a GL until I read through this post. I've come to realize how crazily unsafe that idea is. Bummer.

 

if you're towing in flatland it's actually really easy.  you can push a car in a flat parking lot and it's not that big of a deal.  try pushing a car up even a very slight incline and it becomes a big deal.

you can easily tow a Subaru one time, particularly in flat land.  i've towed Subarus with Subarus, but you certainly need to assess the situation a bit.  i'd tow with a GL if it was almost entirely flat, one time, and not across country.

 

same thing when towing with a very undersized vehicle - flat land is easy, mountains are ominous.

 

making a habit of it, steep grades, heavy traffic, 100 degree weather...those are much less ideal and substantially increase risk.