Car/Truck to pull glider trailer

I think you will find that the head gasket problem only
relates to the flat-4 boxer engine. Get the 3 litre flat-6
engine in the Legacy/Outback; a further advantage to this
engine is that it has proper chain driven camshafts not the
mickey mouse rubber bands used in the flat-4 (and by many
other so called "premium" makes).
The 3 litre H6 engine only has one drawback, it's thirst. Over
76K miles, including quite a lot of towing, i've averaged 23.5
mpg (UK gallons). UK owners also get stung by the road tax;
luckily no road tax here in socialist France!

At 23:37 02 April 2015, Andrzej Kobus wrote:
On Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 7:11:04 PM UTC-4, Bruce
Hoult wrote:
On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 5:26:26 AM UTC+13, JS
wrote:
The Subaru was great at everything except uphill
starts.
=20
I've never had a problem, but then my 2.5l 1997
Grandwagon (Outback) has
=
a ten speed box. (the normal 5 speeds are in as near as
dammit to 1 :
1.414=
: 2 : 2.828 : 4 ratios, and the 2nd lever splits the gap by
dropping the
r=
atio by about 20%.
=20
The most fun to drive without a trailer. Also best build
quality.
Initi=
ally concerned about the passive rear wheel steering, but
not a problem at
=
all.
HOWEVER...
Subarus are famous for head gasket problems. Mine
blew gaskets twice.
F=
irst time replaced heads, second the engine.
=20
The 90's ones definitely had weak head gaskets from the
factory. They
*al=
l* blow eventually. It's not all that expensive to change
them (~$1k) if
yo=
u do it before you damage something else. When buying
used, just factor
tha=
t into the price. It's the *only* real weakness in the car.
=20
In my experience, once they're fixed (they use WRX
gaskets here) they
sta=
y fixed.

All Forrester's and Outbacks up to model year 2010 have
gasket problem
exce=
pt turbo models and 3.6L engines. I agree that it is the
only weakness of
S=
ubaru but the cost to fix at reputable shop will run you
more like $2k
prov=
ided no additional damage. The newest models seem to
have this problem
fixe=
d as the block was redesigned.

On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 9:17:27 AM UTC-4, Dave Walsh wrote:
I think you will find that the head gasket problem only
relates to the flat-4 boxer engine. Get the 3 litre flat-6
engine in the Legacy/Outback; a further advantage to this
engine is that it has proper chain driven camshafts not the
mickey mouse rubber bands used in the flat-4 (and by many
other so called "premium" makes).
The 3 litre H6 engine only has one drawback, it's thirst. Over
76K miles, including quite a lot of towing, i've averaged 23.5
mpg (UK gallons). UK owners also get stung by the road tax;
luckily no road tax here in socialist France!

At 23:37 02 April 2015, Andrzej Kobus wrote:
On Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 7:11:04 PM UTC-4, Bruce
Hoult wrote:
On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 5:26:26 AM UTC+13, JS
wrote:
The Subaru was great at everything except uphill
starts.
=20
I've never had a problem, but then my 2.5l 1997
Grandwagon (Outback) has
=
a ten speed box. (the normal 5 speeds are in as near as
dammit to 1 :
1.414=
: 2 : 2.828 : 4 ratios, and the 2nd lever splits the gap by
dropping the
r=
atio by about 20%.
=20
The most fun to drive without a trailer. Also best build
quality.
Initi=
ally concerned about the passive rear wheel steering, but
not a problem at
=
all.
HOWEVER...
Subarus are famous for head gasket problems. Mine
blew gaskets twice.
F=
irst time replaced heads, second the engine.
=20
The 90's ones definitely had weak head gaskets from the
factory. They
*al=
l* blow eventually. It's not all that expensive to change
them (~$1k) if
yo=
u do it before you damage something else. When buying
used, just factor
tha=
t into the price. It's the *only* real weakness in the car.
=20
In my experience, once they're fixed (they use WRX
gaskets here) they
sta=
y fixed.

All Forrester's and Outbacks up to model year 2010 have
gasket problem
exce=
pt turbo models and 3.6L engines. I agree that it is the
only weakness of
S=
ubaru but the cost to fix at reputable shop will run you
more like $2k
prov=
ided no additional damage. The newest models seem to
have this problem
fixe=
d as the block was redesigned.



Only 4 cylinder non turbo, turbo is fine.

Hwyrv is the best place for New & used RVs sales and service. We are the one stop solution for all your RV needs includes sales, service, parts and dealerships for more details check here http://www.hwyrv.com/

What is the typical range o gross weights of a single seat glider plus
trailer?

A few data points (all empty weights):

Minden Fab, Schreder, and similar aluminum semi-monocoque cigar-tube trailers generally run 600-750 lbs. Schreder with aluminum floors are the lightest of these, but also the most tender since Dick put the hoops 4' OC to save parts.

Cobra, Komet, and similar clamshells generally run around 900 lbs. Later ones seem heavier than earlier ones. Aluminum tops are the lightest.

Homebuilt trailers run the gamut. Made with 1/4" plywood and framed with 2x4 and 2x2 lumber, probably around 1200 lbs. Offhand I don't know how many kg that is, but I can say from experience it's a decent amount of BTUs. My Steve Smith fiberglass-skinned steel tube truss with molded fiberglass top clocked in at 375 lbs. A customer's homemade clamshell is about 1400 lbs.

My tow rig of choice these days is a 1999 Lexus RX300. I got it for the cost of a Subaru head gasket job, it has the bulletproof 1MZ-FE V6, and it has the AWD we need in a snow car. Given a choice, I'd have gotten an AWD Sienna (same running gear with a minivan body), but those are priced about 2.5x the first-gen RXs.

--Bob K.

My Mazda CX5 twin turbo diesel is an excellent tow car, and very economical. Stability is great, towing up to 160km/h steady as a rock.
I get 30 mpg or better (10L/100km for those of you in civilised countries).

On Thu, 24 May 2018 16:32:42 -0700, mikestandishmic wrote:

My Mazda CX5 twin turbo diesel is an excellent tow car, and very
economical. Stability is great, towing up to 160km/h steady as a rock.
I get 30 mpg or better (10L/100km for those of you in civilised
countries).

Is that US mpg or Imperial mpg?


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

On 05/24/2018 05:32 PM, wrote:
My Mazda CX5 twin turbo diesel is an excellent tow car, and very economical. Stability is great, towing up to 160km/h steady as a rock.
I get 30 mpg or better (10L/100km for those of you in civilised countries).


Is that pulling a 107.14 stone trailer over an 11,000 foot pass with a
6% grade?

Imperial, average over 2500km long trip

Its an average over 2,500km of all different terrains, including steep hills, towing a 750kg tralier.
420nm of torque gets you a long way (310 ft lb).

On Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 4:55:50 PM UTC-5, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

My Steve Smith fiberglass-skinned steel tube truss with molded fiberglass
top clocked in at 375 lbs.
--Bob K.

375 lbs, Bob? Seems way too low. An Eberle I have for a 301 Libelle came in at about 660. Axle, wheels and tires can push upwards of 175.

Just asking...

Steve Leonard