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So yes, it can tow this model of Airstream (4300 lbs) on a flat road. But I'd be interested in a demonstration going up/down a grade. Like driving over the Rockies.
From what I've been reading about towing a travel trailer, it's not safe to get near your max on your vehicle towing capacity (5,000 lbs for the Ascent upper trim levels). We've ordered a Limited Ascent with a trailer hitch and look forward to towing a travel trailer, but I feel this Airstream tow demonstration is pushing the safety limit of the Ascent. Add some cargo, fill your water tanks and your Airstream weight is maxed out without much room for a safety buffer.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywMwLW0PFXI
So yes, it can tow this model of Airstream (4300 lbs) on a flat road. But I'd be interested in a demonstration going up/down a grade. Like driving over the Rockies.
Agreed. This marketing video is definitely lacking with the real world usage. It would seem that the added stresses of towing an Airstream would warrant some kind of more robust towing add-on upgrades to the powertrain and transmission. But none of those are available.From what I've been reading about towing a travel trailer, it's not safe to get near your max on your vehicle towing capacity (5,000 lbs for the Ascent upper trim levels). We've ordered a Limited Ascent with a trailer hitch and look forward to towing a travel trailer, but I feel this Airstream tow demonstration is pushing the safety limit of the Ascent. Add some cargo, fill your water tanks and your Airstream weight is maxed out without much room for a safety buffer.
As a motor home owner....load vehicle with all gear to travel including fuel, water, propane, food, clothing, all occupants including pets, and tow bar/hitch and any tongue weight if towing, then after carefully weighing vehicle on all wheels and axles on appropriate certified scales...compare against GVWR and front and rear axle ratings...adjust as required..if overweight remove something...if not remember how much you were under and where it’s located...front, rear, left, right, etc, ...then always “remember where you are at on weight” using your personal “memory scale”....if you are close to wet weight load max.....the rule becomes if you bring anything new on board, something else needs to be removed of equivalent weight......bottom line...it’s not an easy task to keep track of weight. If you forget, start over and go back to the scales. Remember that some items in this equation keep changing as you drive...like fuel consumption..and more....having fun and being safe in your travels takes some effort! And that effort is much easier if you don’t even attempt to get close to your GVWR.For many yrs I raced a 20ft sailboat part of the one design racing rules you weigh the boats. My boat use to gain over 100lbs in accumulated junk left on board through the yr. I would literally toss everything out in a big pile and only put the required gear back onboard. You can imagine what a RV accumulates over time.
Will you test this within the next month or soWe've got just a little 3,000 lbs camp trailer that we plan on towing with the Ascent a couple times. As soon as we hit the 1000 mile mark I'll let you know how it tows up the mountains![]()
So, do I have this correct? The GVWR of the Ascent Limited (5,000 lbs) will include the weight of the trailer being towed, plus its tongue weight (not to exceed 500 lbs), weight distribution hitch, water, propane, bicycles etc. plus vehicle contents (passengers, clothes, food, etc.)? Would 4,500 lbs total for all this be a safe weight?As a motor home owner....load vehicle with all gear to travel including fuel, water, propane, food, clothing, all occupants including pets, and tow bar/hitch and any tongue weight if towing, then after carefully weighing vehicle on all wheels and axles on appropriate certified scales...compare against GVWR and front and rear axle ratings...adjust as required..if overweight remove something...if not remember how much you were under and where it’s located...front, rear, left, right, etc, ...then always “remember where you are at on weight” using your personal “memory scale”....if you are close to wet weight load max.....the rule becomes if you bring anything new on board, something else needs to be removed of equivalent weight......bottom line...it’s not an easy task to keep track of weight. If you forget, start over and go back to the scales. Remember that some items in this equation keep changing as you drive...like fuel consumption..and more....having fun and being safe in your travels takes some effort! And that effort is much easier if you don’t even attempt to get close to your GVWR.
I was talking about motorhome....and specifically staying below GVWR.....So, do I have this correct? The GVWR of the Ascent Limited (5,000 lbs) will include the weight of the trailer being towed, plus its tongue weight (not to exceed 500 lbs), weight distribution hitch, water, propane, bicycles etc. plus vehicle contents (passengers, clothes, food, etc.)? Would 4,500 lbs total for all this be a safe weight?
Subaru did place a temp and grade based towing limit on the Outback. They may list similar limits for the Ascent.I was talking about motorhome....and specifically staying below GVWR.....
To answer your question...the Ascent is limited to towing 5000lbs....the 4500 lbs could be safe, but...and that’s a big if...yes you must include calculation of tongue weight and the impact on rear axle weight and overall weight of Ascent. Provided all that’s is within restrictions and the trailer weight below limits... maybe you might be ok....BUT then you get into the strain put on the vehicle by flat versus rolling versus mountainous driving conditions as well as ambient temperature and altitude..also driving speed....then comes driving distance and transmission stress created under the variety of possible conditions noted above....so there appears no perfect one fits all answer to your question....you know where you are going and the terrain to be travelled, then make a conservative decision. I wished Subaru and others would provided more details on the impact of elevation, road grade, ambient temperature on their towing guidance.....I don’t take the 5000 lbs as something that can be prescribed under all conditions....maybe someone else can confirm that. Towing up to 5000 limit to me has a lot of qualifiers.
We've got just a little 3,000 lbs camp trailer that we plan on towing with the Ascent a couple times. As soon as we hit the 1000 mile mark I'll let you know how it tows up the mountains![]()
So yes, it can tow this model of Airstream (4300 lbs) on a flat road. But I'd be interested in a demonstration going up/down a grade. Like driving over the Rockies.
And you are basing this opinion on what facts?believe my after towing camper trailers for many years one a single axe is one of the most hard to pull and as a over the road tractor-trailer seen many what we used to call shaney chackers really if you are going to do this for your safety buy a 'Truck our last camper was 30ft our truck was a 1977 Chevy stored winters and only pulled camper BB454cui and tubro 400 u might get away with a popup camper but that's about it.