Do You Tow With Your Car?

[wantahertzdonut]

I'm in need of a tow vehicle, since I regularly attend motorcycle track days and tow my bike on an open 5x7 trailer.

Right now I tow with my IS300 which more than handles the weight, but I'm not happy with the fact that I can only get a Class 1 hitch. I can get a Class II or III hitch for my Legacy, but I'm worried about the car's shortcomings becoming a bigger problem.

Reason 1, it seems the automatic transmissions are a major weak point on these cars, I've heard my share of burnt-up transmission horror stories to scare me. My sister's 96 burned up it's tranny from regular use, and I'm worried towing a trailer will only exacerbate these problems. I know SVX's burn transmissions too. Reason 2 is my brakes have always sucked, as in they're a borderline lemon issue. Reason 3 are my wheel bearings. I've already replaced the LR and I'm afraid the RR isn't far behind. It's a sucky job that I'd like to not have to do again.

Towing a motorcycle trailer isn't difficult, I've seen guys in Festivas towing 1000lb bagger Harley's with no problem. My setup is towing the trailer (450lbs), and up to 2 motorcycles (combined 850lbs) plus equipment in the car (easy-up tent, cooler, stands, cooler, gear, toolboxes, so 300lbs max)

I see a guy with a 06+ WRX towing a 2-axle enclosed trailer regularly with no problems, so I wonder if my Legacy is capable of handling the duty of towing, or am I just asking for destruction?

[MadScotsMan]

I tow a 1,000 lb camper loaded up with bikes, coolers, etc, plus a 125lb dog, 105 lb wife, 100 lb kid and more crap inside the car with no problem. Plus i use my 5'x10' landscaping trailer all the time for various things; anything from wood pellets, to crates, lawn tractors, etc.

[02_Legacy]

My cousin towed a scamper from here all the way to the west cost and back with a 2.5RS coupe with no problems besides warped rotors from going through the mountains. He had a manual transmission though.

[MadScotsMan]

To add, my Legacy is a 5-speed.

[anothernord]

I tow a 1,000 lb camper loaded up with bikes, coolers, etc, plus a 125lb dog, 105 lb wife, 100 lb kid and more crap inside the car with no problem. Plus i use my 5'x10' landscaping trailer all the time for various things; anything from wood pellets, to crates, lawn tractors, etc.

Your dog weighs more than your wife and kid? :lol:

[wantahertzdonut]

Your dog weighs more than your wife and kid? :lol:

Big dog I suppose.

Yeah if the car were a stick I wouldn't blink at the idea of towing. It's very rare I hear about anyone breaking manuals in cars these days.

Am I being paranoid about the slushbox being a problem?

[anothernord]

I think the automatic gearbox problem is exaggerated. I've never heard of it being a big problem. Then again, not a large portion of Subaru owners tow stuff, so you might as well just give it a go!

[mrpyb]

yeah we've got a 96 outback (automatic) that pulls a single axle flatbed trailer full of quads/gravel/lumber pretty regularly with no problem, besides a tank in mileage and it just rolled over 200k. just be sure to keep tabs on all your fluids.

[98outbackpdx]

if you are going to tow put the biggest transmission cooler you can find on it. heat is very back for transmissions.

[racingking951]

i pulled a lifted ford bronco out of the mud and then down the road with my 192,000 mile automatic trans

although i locked it in first gear and stayed at around 15mph and it was only for a few mins

[GTDrifter]

give it a try..just think, if the transmission goes then theres your excuse for swapping to manual

[racingking951]

or if you plan on keeping the car look into beefing up your transmission with parts from IPT they're kinda pricing like in the $600 range but worth it if you keep the car for awhile

[lord flashheart]

keep in mind, the transmissions you were discribing phase one, they eliminated most all issues in 1998.
ive towed jet skis, motorcycles, lumber etc. with my 06 outback with an auto. also if your transmission has had regular maintenance and if you abuse it. i have a 95 legacy and i beat the f*** out of it, but it has had perfect maintenance record

[lord flashheart]

if i were you i would buy a little old ranger or s10 or toyota pickup and load your bike in the back of that. btw, what is your car? and just so you know, if you get the crappy checker/autozone wheel bearings and breaks the odds of having issues is much greater. subaru OE stuff is much better quality.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I've always read that the Subaru automatic 4EAT transmission is much stronger than any of the 5MTs except some of the new ones that were made for the Legacy GT turbo /WRX GT.

[lord flashheart]

btw the nissan xterra auto and the phase two 4EATs are actually the same (internally)
like i said the early 4eats are pretty pathetic. but the phase 2 is actually pretty stout.
but no trans will last long without proper maintenance

[dodik]

i tow my bike with mine but then again i got two more cyclinders, the key to a long life of your AT is ATF cooler most people who regularly tow install those and just check and replace fluid a bit more often. i usually tow uhaul's open 5x9 (600lbs iirc) and 500lbs bike no problem

[wantahertzdonut]

Thanks for the suggestion of the oil cooler. I had that in the back of my mind, and if I decide to hang on to the car for towing I'll definitely install a cooler on there. It's my daily beater as well so it gets put through its paces, but I stay on top of the fluid changes and have put a lot of money into it this year. (read: more than I'd like to spend)

I really would prefer a 5sp 4Runner, but my job will be coming to a close in the next year so buying something is out of the question.

For those who asked, it's a 96 Legacy L, with the 2.2. My dad bought it new as the ski car, and gave it to me when he was offered squat on trade for his 2010 Legacy. It's just a beater, but a beater that will not be stopped. I'm just afraid the minefield I drive over to get to work will finish off the suspension.

[mike-tracy]

5-speed 4Runners were only available till 2000, iirc. The 3.4 motor in the 96-00's a sight better than the 3.slo but it still sucks at towing. Better than a Subie, but I burned the clutch mercilessly when towing another 4runner with mine.

[Reason]

Proper maintenance, tranny cooler and good brakes you shouldn't have any issues. I plan on gettig an outback automatic to pull a trader with motorcycles or quads on it. Worst case your granny fails, they are cheap enough to get used. I had a autotranny I couldn't give away. I ended up scrappig it. Make sure you follow the proper advice and you shouldn't have problems. I've seen Ford F150's burn up trannys from towing so make sure you stay with in the proper limits the.vehicle can handle and go through that list I said and you should be good.