tongue weight

[cbranche]

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether or not a 2015 Outback, towing weight capacity of 2750, could safely tow a 2006 27/20 TM?

We are getting conflicting answers from many places.

If the 2750 measured at 15% for tongue weight it is 411, which should be okay,

thoughts??

thanks

cal

 

[Padgett]

My '06 2720SL tongue measured a bit heavier at 435 lbs. Max gross weight (GVWR on sink sticker) is 4217 lbs. Unladed Vehicle Weight (empty tanks, no cargo) is 3243 lbs.

Jeep is rated for 500/5000 and has no problem, hitch drops less than an inch.

If that 2750 is in KG you are OK, pounds not so.

 

[tentcamper]

Dry weight is with no options, battery, or propane and the camper empty. With the normal options AC unit, hanging cabinets, awning, battery, propane you will have a curb weight around 3,200-3,300. Add 300-500 of your stuff and you far exceed your car max tow weight of 2,750 lbs.

Yes you could tow it, but you would be unsafe or destroy your transmission. That's a lot of trailer for an outback.

 

[oldstick-TMO]

I'm voting no as well. In addition to what was said above, additional passengers and cargo in the vehicle itself also add to the total load being towed by the vehicle.

 

[Kidkraz]

Google shows the Outback weighs about; 4,695 to 4,850 lbs. Yer just shy of the weight of the TM. You "may" be able to pull the TM on level ground, but then you need to think about going up and down hills as well as trying to stop with that much weight behind you on those hills. Then I would assume you'd need a WDH, which will add more weight to the whole setup.
I would either look at a different tow vehicle or a smaller camper.

 

[oldstick-TMO]

I know from experience years ago, we destroyed the transmission on a brand new Ford Wind Star mini-van rated for 2000 lbs towing (front wheel drive vehicle). Our pop-up camper was dry weight of 1300, and I didn't fully understand the tow rating calculations at that time, although it was explained in detail in my owners manual. So I thought everything was fine. Turned out that 2000 MAX actually means 1000 for the trailer (or less) with significant cargo and passengers inside the van. With options and cargo installed in the camper it probably was closer to 2000 than 1300. So adding van passengers and cargo we probably had closer to 3000 total cargo being "towed".

We only took the camper out 5 or 6 times per year at most for short weekend trips and only 4 or 5 times total into areas with significant hill. Transmission was toast in less than 100K miles.

In hindsight, the minivan was not designed to tow any kind of significant weight, hence the 2000 MAX rating, including the trailer with cargo, plus any passengers and cargo in the van.

 

[TrailManorMan]

My 2720 weighs 3980 lbs. going on a certified scale, no water in any tanks, but carrying normal supplies. Tongue was 460 lbs.
Think not......

 

[Padgett]

Biggest issue I see with a '15 Outback even with the 3.6 liter engine is a CVT transmission. Are a number of issues there but is probably the reason for the odd 2750 lb towing limit. Might be able to handle a Sport but not a 2720.

Frankly that is a good reason for something a bit larger with 5 or more gears and a lockup torque converter.

My Jeep has a transmission temperature display and even towing at 65 on a hot Florida day I have not seen it go over 190F. Staying low requires a lock-up.

I've been towing for a long time, first with a mid-sized station wagon, then a mini-van, and now the Jeep. I drive on temperature gauges and if any goes up, I slow down. So far I have not seen anything close to slow-down with the Jeep even towing a 6x12 tandem axle enclosed (barn door) U-Haul full of "stuff".

So short answer: don't.

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

Having towed one with a 2008 Ram with WDH, 4.7L v8 for the last 5 years the answer is no. Ours weighed 3680# on the scales with no water, grey tank empty and 2 1/2 gal in the toilet. One propane bottle full,41# the other 3/4 full.
Tongue weight around 500#.

 

[oldstick-TMO]

Having towed one with a 2008 Ram with WDH, 4.7L v8 for the last 5 years the answer is no. Ours weighed 3680# on the scales with no water, grey tank empty and 2 1/2 gal in the toilet. One propane bottle full,41# the other 3/4 full.
Tongue weight around 500#.

I don't doubt that and that is why I would not want to tow a 2720 with anything less than 5000+ capacity, which pretty much puts you in the category of a half ton pickup at least.

 

[Padgett]

I've never had a pick-em-up truck (seats do not recline far enough) but while my V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee is limited to 500/5000, the '14s and up are rated for 620/6200 lb.

This in a mid-sized Amurricn SUV that can be bought new for under $30k if you do not need all of the gee-gaws.

Nothing is worse than a convert.

 

[tentcamper]

Did I miss something?? Is not the Jeep an Italian owned company with most of the content imported, but assembled in OH.

That would be like calling Honda assembled in OH and Toyota assembled in KY as American made. I don't think so! But both do have more than 50% US content, much more then Jeep.

 

[Padgett]

Sorta but my '12 GC was designed in the Mercedes era and shares the chassis with a GL350. Engine is Chrysler assembled in Mexico, transmission is German and the whole car was imported from Detroit (Jefferson Ave plant).

 

[tentcamper]

Didn't they closed the Jefferson plant.

Mercedes sure raped that company. Took all the billions on the books after the purchase and gave it to the Mercedes shareholders, took all the intellectual assets. Mercedes employees did not like coming to Detroit, so they had buy the Chrysler building and change the HQ to NYC for trips to NYC. Ran the chartered 747 2x daily for Mercedes employes to take trips from Stuttgart to NYC. Like Stuttgart is some prize city? After raping the company they left it bankrupt for someone else to fix.

 

[Padgett]

Ho boy people sure believe some odd things. Yes they closed the original Jefferson Ave Plant which once built Maxwells, my GC was built at the Jefferson Avenue North Plant which is churning out GCs and Durangos.

OTOH my Crossfire was built entirely in Germany of good German parts left over from the SL320 even to the M112 SOHC V6 (a design they copied from Buick). Mine is NA with a 6 speed and not the boosted AMG version used in the SRT.

Only car I had to use a cut-off tool and a sawzall to get the seat back far enough.

 

[rvcycleguy]

Seems to me the OP was asking about tongue weight.... Not about where cars, SUV, are made and with what parts...


Just saying.

RV

 

[Padgett]

Was responding to misinformation in post #14.

As to tongue weight, TM has always biased the tongue weight to about 15% instead of 10-12% of the total trailer weight to help reduce sway. This results in 430-460 lbs for a 2720 and proportionally higher or lower for others.

Since most class II hitches are 350/3500 lbs you really need something designed for and with a class III or class IV receiver. In simpler terms, at least a 2" receiver. Should be either stamped on the receiver or in the owner's manual.

But tongue weight is only one of the elements to comfortable/safe towing. It is best to have a TV with a factory towing package rated for at least 500/5000 lbs. More is better. If the rear drops more than about 3/4" or if the nose rises uncomfortably then a weight distributing hitch is the generally accepter answer. If for some reason a WDH is not advisable then some form of load levelling device is advisable (is part of many factory trailer towing packages).

If a novice and have options, it is best to use one of the TVs that are known to function will with a TM.

I have towed A Lot, run all of the math, and am chea^H^H^H^H thrifty so am biased.