Towing nightmare!!!

[J Starsky]

Hilarious. Someone has a different opinion than you and it’s automatically dumb. It is possible to be a bit over weight and safely transport the trailer a few times a year. That’s not a dumb thought. Realty is that it happens all the time without incident.

You keep swinging, but all I hear is air thru a whiffle bat. You are not automatically dumb and when would I have said that?

If you'd JustRelax a second bud... Sounds like you've never heard the Beetles tune, that is the sound the piano makes when playing the tune.... Sorry you didn't hear it in your head, but I do each time I hum the tune... "Speaking words of wisdom, Let It Be, dumb dumb dumb"
So, I even got you to 33 seconds in since you have no clue:

 

[1380ken]

It is 2018, there is no excuse for calling people tards in a public forum. He doesn't even understand that it is wrong.

 

[Snow]

You stupidity is shinning through. My special needs brother is retarded. Not a funny thing. Some day maybe someone in your family will be born retarded and you can see how funny it is.

Ok you call your brother retarded all you want.. I will call him special needs.. BTW.. here is the definition of Tard - "A person who somewhat act 's like a retard but really isn't!"

 

[Snow]

Back somewhat on topic.. Will a cop know if your overweight or over your tow rating or tongue weight ratings? Most likely not, however and this comes from an acquaintance who is a cop here in Ontario and who use to frequent this forum as well as a few other camping forums. "if the cop feels you might be over your limits, he/she can pull you over and verify by using the stickers on the vehicle and trailer, if you are found to be over you can be charged with dangerous driving or even have the trailer plates pulled." Now on top of that here in Ontario every long weekend and random weekends in the summer the Provincial Police set up safety check points, where they are looking for anything from impaired drivers, unsecure loads, unsafe vehicles, unsafe trailers to over loaded vehicles and over loaded trailers and YES they do have the portable scales out to weight anyone they think is over weight, this also includes transport trucks.. I have seen more then a few trailers sitting in the check point area with the plates pulled, along with vehicles, boat trailers, transport trucks even a few motorcycles. So yes even without being in an accident you could have issues.. Now I realize this is from the land of Cannabis, and not from Trump Nation, but Im sure if our police forces can get their dogsleds and hockey sticks out of the igloos and do this sort of thing the fine police persons of "Mercia are smart enough to do something similar.

 

[1380ken]

Ok you call your brother retarded all you want.. I will call him special needs.. BTW.. here is the definition of Tard - "A person who somewhat act 's like a retard but really isn't!"

Keep digging. Everything you say makes you look dumber. You can probably get a pass because you just don't know any better. The definition of Ignorant.
ig·no·rant
/ˈiɡnərənt/
adjective

1. lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated

 

[Toedtoes]

OK. Everybody stop and drop it. Fight about the topic of towing. But stop attacking each other - it's really unbecoming.

 

[Halford]

Looked up California Vehicle Code and found these:

• 29003 Every hitch, drawbar, coupler or other connection between motor vehicles towing must be securely attached to the vehicle and be strong enough to handle the weight of whatever you are towing.
• 21715-a. No motor vehicle under 4000 lbs shall tow any vehicle 6000 lbs or more.

So while there is not a law here that states towing over your tow rating is ilegal, the former law could be used in such an instance to hold you liable in an accident for going over the tow rating (which is based on the hitch strength/install in part).

This is a quote from a reputable hitch intaller:

Knowing the laws of the state you are towing in is important for your towing safety. The unpleasant truth of the matter is that if you are stopped by a police officer or are in an accident, and the officer determines you are towing with the wrong or substandard equipment for your towing needs, you can be held criminally negligent and liable for any injuries and damage that you are involved in.

Again, if the officer determines you are towing above the tow rating of the vehicle, you CAN be stopped and/or held liable in an accident. As to how the officer knows you are over, it will end up being you that has to fight it - basically proving that you weren't towing unsafely.

In California, any traffic laws in the DMV Handbook must pass in Assembley Legislative, Senate and penned by Governor so therefore the DMV Handbook is a book of laws for California drivers. I am sure it is the same in other states. Every year local news inform us the new driving laws added to the DMV Handbook.

 

[Toedtoes]

The California DMV handbook will have the laws that affect the most drivers. But there are thousands of laws not in the handbook - so the handbook is a great place to look, but if you don't find it there it doesn't mean it doesn't exist...

 

[Balthisar]

So yes even without being in an accident you could have issues.. Now I realize this is from the land of Cannabis, and not from Trump Nation, but Im sure if our police forces can get their dogsleds and hockey sticks out of the igloos and do this sort of thing the fine police persons of "Mercia are smart enough to do something similar.

Just south of London, though is Can-Am. They're well known on both sides of the border as specialists in getting tow vehicle and trailer combinations that work well and safely. Here's an article about them.

I can't believe that they're operating so openly and illegally. The OPP could have a field day just camping outside of their exit.

 

[Halford]

That's surprisingly low, my 2016 outback has the same engine and transmission and is rated at 2700 lbs, I believe. As others have surely mentioned, brakes, suspension and vehicle weight are also factors, but 1500 still seems low.

I'd get trailer brakes, keep it under 1500 lbs for legal and liabiliry reasons and if it tows we'll stick with it.



The ascent engine is not the same as your engine. It's turbocharged, has about 80 hp more, and a lot more low end grunt. Also the Ascent probably has 1000 lbs on your car, bigger brakes etc.

As far as advice on CVT transmissions go, I would say that the Subaru transmission is a different animal than pretty much all other CVTs (and I think in a good way) .unless you have evidence specific to Subaru CVT transmissions being bad for towing, I wouldn't be particularly concerned. Sure, I'd prefer a manual, but I think the CVT is most likely fine.

Ford Explorer Manual states that if Explorer does not have a Factory Installed Tow Package, the max tow is at 2,000 LBS but with FACTORY Installed tow package, the max tow goes up to 5,000 lbs. Because of several factors that leads to safe towing. It is about safe towing and to prolong the life of the Explorer.

Not to follow manual is like:
1. washing white clothes with red/dark clothes
2. over filling oil in engine or fluid in transmission.
3. overfilling washing machine.
4. putting transmission fluid in engine.
5. smoking while filling up gas.
6. drinking beer while driving
7. Texting during work hours
8. Smoking with kids in car
so on...

 

[Halford]

The California DMV handbook will have the laws that affect the most drivers. But there are thousands of laws not in the handbook - so the handbook is a great place to look, but if you don't find it there it doesn't mean it doesn't exist...

true...

 

[Snow]

Just south of London, though is Can-Am. They're well known on both sides of the border as specialists in getting tow vehicle and trailer combinations that work well and safely. Here's an article about them.

I can't believe that they're operating so openly and illegally. The OPP could have a field day just camping outside of their exit.

I was wondering when Uncle Andy would make it into this conversation.. It is true they will "setup" your Chrysler mini van with a tow rating of only 3000lbs to tow an Airstream with a GVWR of close to 5000lbs since they know more then all the engineers at Chrysler, and get away with it for two main reasons.. 1) when you sign authorizing the work, you are also signing away them having accountability and liability if something goes wrong or if their "modification" voids your vehicles warranty, or causes your vehicle to fail any Govn. vehicle inspections. 2) they sell folks on the "dry weight" without explaining what it is, what it includes. Saw them at an rv show a year or so ago.. with that setup I mentioned earlier, dry weight of the trailer put the GCVWR of the combination up near the limit and the trailers dry weight was about 100lbs below the vans tow rating.. Now I will give them this.. the trailer had no ac, no battery, no propane tank, no spare tire, no awning and listed all these items as extra dealer options.

And yes the OPP have knocked on his door more then once.. you should see now that all the videos on their youtube channel know say "Professional driver on closed course" They had to do that after the OPP went in wanting to charge everyone identified in the videos with dangerous driving and stunt driving..