Tow hitch for 2020 Forest River Forester

[Echozepher]

Hi All,

Recently purchased a 2020 Forester River Forester. I would like to pull my Subaru Forester manual transmission with 4 tires down. Any recommendations appreciated.

[BehindBars]

You didn’t say the model year of your Subaru, but interestedly, the late model downloadable Dinghy Towing Guides do not list any Subaru models as flat towable. I was thinking that sometimes AWD vehicles are not flat towable, unlike many 4WD vehicles. Does the Subaru owner’s mention anything about flat towing it behind an RV?

[Echozepher]

2004 Subaru Forester 2.5XS. I’ve been told that it is flat towable.

[BehindBars]

The first step would be to find out which manufacturers, like Blue Ox, Roadmaster, Demco, etc, sell a base plate for that year/model Subaru, then chose which company’s hardware you want to go with.

https://www.blueox.com/baseplates-so...model=forester

Here is the 2004 towing guide listing towable models. I looks like your Forester is listed. https://images.goodsam.com/newmotorh...yGuide2004.pdf

[Houndwalker]

I've found the Dingy Towing Guides are only the first step - the final authority is the specific manual for the year and model you want to tow.

I was interested in one year of a Jeep Compass and the guides said was it towable - well that year included both the first and second generation of that model and only the first generation was towable. The manual (in the towing section) clearly said the 2nd generation of that model wasn't flat towable. Even the Jeep dealer service department gave me wrong info. You can find any manual online for the year and model you are considering towing - find it and only do what the manual says you can do.

[Echozepher]

Thanks all for your comments. I called several service vendors and decided to go with Camping World.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Echozepher

Thanks all for your comments. I called several service vendors and decided to go with Camping World.

Any reputable auto repair facility should be able to install the baseplate for the Forester. If you get a NSA Ready Brute towbar it comes with built in braking action and is amazingly simple to install. You can install any of several brands of baseplates on the Forester and NSA will send the correct attachment fittings.

Read the forum posts about all the Camping World horror stories. Plus, be prepared for the job to take a long time...even several weeks. I did the install on my Jeep in half a day (and had never done one before). Like the GEICO commercial says, “So easy even a caveman can do it”.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Echozepher

Thanks all for your comments. I called several service vendors and decided to go with Camping World.

YIKES![emoji33]

[Garrette]

We tow a 2014 Outback and have enjoyed having it with us.

[brucemc]

Original Quote:
by Echozepher
Thanks all for your comments. I called several service vendors and decided to go with Camping World.



Quote by bikendan
YIKES![emoji33]

That was my response! Due to past personal experiences, I stay as far away from that place as possible!