Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
We just got back home yesterday, and it's been raining.? We leave Tuesday for Virginia, so it may have to wait.? I'm going to readjust my frame stiffening latches to just be snug on both sides.? The dormer construction limits what I can see.? I can't tell if it has cracked the outside skin as well, but you would think so.? Unless the force is being applied downward.? I checked when we broke camp to see if any of the dormer pieces pressed against the roof, and they didn't.
It's going to have to wait.? Having too much fun.? LOL -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 ltr EcoBoost engine.
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Re: Replacing fantastic fan
The sticky grey stuff is butyl tape.? I would just use that again.
I wouldn't use gorilla glue/adhesive, or any strong adhesive.? The fan inner piece screws to the outer piece, so you don't need a high strength bond that will be a pain to remove later if the need ever arises.
Be sure to remove all the old silicone, because new silicone won't stick to dried silicone in most cases.? If you have trouble getting the old silicone off, there's this stuff called Digesil that will dissolve it.? But it costs $35 a jar and I don't think you'll need it for a small job where the silicone is mostly cosmetic.
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Has someone changed the fan on an Aliner?
I am in the process of replacing the fan,
it was secured with silicone at the perimeter and a sticky grey substance inwards.
The question is: what is the grey sticky substance? Is it Dricor tape? and what can I use instead?
Someone suggested Construction Gorilla glue
Any insight will be appreciated?
Thanks, CN
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Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
Don, did you ever figure out what caused those cracks in the roof panel corners?? Did tightening the latches or any wiggling or jumping on the rear bumper open the cracks wider?? Did you try measuring the diagonals of the lower roof portion, and check if the panel remained square when latching or forcing other movements?
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
I would likely still be towing my Classic with my 2015 Ford Escape if I had added an extra transmission fluid cooler.? It only had a 2000 pound towing capacity, but you wouldn't know it.? Never a lack of power.? We upgraded after overheating the tranny on a mountain pass.? No damage, just a PITA. -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 ltr EcoBoost engine.
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Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
No, I always latched both sides, however, you might be on to something.? My latches are adjustable, so it's completely possible that one side is tighter than the other.?? -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 ltr EcoBoost engine.
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Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
Don, did you ever have the latch on only one side closed?? If you did, that may have pulled the roof section out of square, and that would explain the cracks.
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
It turns out mine has the updated part. And I¡¯m past the date that it would be covered anyway. And they confirmed it¡¯s a bad idea to try to tow anything much bigger than a breadbox. ??
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
I didn¡¯t know there was such a thing. I will look into that today! Thanks!
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
Did you try to get it repaired under Subaru's Warranty Enhancement Program, specific to the excessive oil consumption?
lh
On Fri, Jun 2, 2023 at 9:31?AM Jason < jason@...> wrote: Oh yeah. I add a quart between oil changes. Every mechanic I mention it to shrugs and says ¡°It¡¯s a Subaru!¡±
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
Oh yeah. I add a quart between oil changes. Every mechanic I mention it to shrugs and says ¡°It¡¯s a Subaru!¡±
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
Do you have excessive engine oil consumption?
lh
On Thu, Jun 1, 2023 at 9:59?PM Jason < jason@...> wrote: 2014 was the first year they put a CVT in the Forester and it is super laggy for me. Also, my gas mileage was never great, but I understand they improved it in subsequent years. While the transmission hasn't crapped out in 130k miles, a bunch of other stuff has. Then again I have driven it across country and over some rough roads 4 times and about to do a fifth. I should have just waited a year and I'd have been a little better off. Then again, I didn't really plan on towing anything when I bought it. I'll probably just wait to buy a trailer until I get a new car that can tow more. Sigh. First world problems.?
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Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
Dave...you are a wonderful resource for the A-Liner community!
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
2014 was the first year they put a CVT in the Forester and it is super laggy for me. Also, my gas mileage was never great, but I understand they improved it in subsequent years. While the transmission hasn't crapped out in 130k miles, a bunch of other stuff has. Then again I have driven it across country and over some rough roads 4 times and about to do a fifth. I should have just waited a year and I'd have been a little better off. Then again, I didn't really plan on towing anything when I bought it. I'll probably just wait to buy a trailer until I get a new car that can tow more. Sigh. First world problems.?
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Re: Frame Stiffening Latches
Don, what may help in figuring out what is stressing the roof would be to put a phone with an active video call (or just recording video) in the back corner of the trailer, focused on the crack.? The have somebody jump up and down on the bumper.? Put your shoulder against the rear side of the trailer and shove it sideways. Or even tow it down a bumpy road if you can wedge the phone in there phone so it doesn't bounce around.? Try it with the clips on the roof panels fastened, and with them not fastened.?
If you can see that crack flexing larger and smaller, you've found what puts stress on that area.
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
CVTs are not bad transmissions.? They have good power and get great gas mileage, and good reliably.? The problem is that small cars are not designed to be tow vehicles, and Subaru didn't put enough cooling capability into a bunch of their CVTs.? They had that problem in their Outback, which became a popular small tow vehicle, so they fixed it in 2022 (or maybe 2021?).
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
Agreed...I thought I was MUCH lower until I actually got the trailer weighed at a roadside scale. I was 450 lbs over my estimate...
Larry
On Thu, Jun 1, 2023 at 7:15?PM Steve T < srtimm@...> wrote: The CVT in the forester has an overheat problem if stressed.? In the owners manual, they say that the max tow limit drops to 1000 lbs for towing up long hills in hot weather.? This is the same limitation that they have in other Subarus with CVT transmissions.? That makes planning complicated because you have to consult the weather forecast and a topo map to see where you can go.
I've also seen comments that the scout lite really weighs 1300 lbs, not 1180.? ?So you have 200 lbs for your load.? Note that it doesn't matter if you put an item in the vehicle or the trailer.? The weight of the item counts against your tow max regardless of where its stored.? Even the weight of people in the vehicle count against the tow max.? So even if you pack super light, you're going to be several hundred lbs over your tow limit.
The other thing to be aware of is the weight of stuff you take with you adds up quicker than you can blink.? The way the human brain works is we all think the amount of stuff we take is much lighter than it really is.? You want to have a tow limit that's 800 lbs or so over the dry weight.? 300 lbs of people and 500 lbs of stuff is pretty common.
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
Oh man. That sucks. Oh how I hate this freaking transmission. But all good points. Dang.?
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
The CVT in the forester has an overheat problem if stressed.? In the owners manual, they say that the max tow limit drops to 1000 lbs for towing up long hills in hot weather.? This is the same limitation that they have in other Subarus with CVT transmissions.? That makes planning complicated because you have to consult the weather forecast and a topo map to see where you can go.
I've also seen comments that the scout lite really weighs 1300 lbs, not 1180.? ?So you have 200 lbs for your load.? Note that it doesn't matter if you put an item in the vehicle or the trailer.? The weight of the item counts against your tow max regardless of where its stored.? Even the weight of people in the vehicle count against the tow max.? So even if you pack super light, you're going to be several hundred lbs over your tow limit.
The other thing to be aware of is the weight of stuff you take with you adds up quicker than you can blink.? The way the human brain works is we all think the amount of stuff we take is much lighter than it really is.? You want to have a tow limit that's 800 lbs or so over the dry weight.? 300 lbs of people and 500 lbs of stuff is pretty common.
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Re: Anyone Try Towing an A-Liner Scout Lite with a 2014 Forester?
I have a 2015 manual which has the same tow and tongue capacities (1500) as your 2014 auto. I've towed my Ranger 12 (weighed at a highway scale at 2050 pounds) 80,000 km with no issues other than the excessive oil consumption problem, unrelated to towing. Personally I would not tow anything more than a bicycle with the Subaru CVT.
lh
On Thu, Jun 1, 2023 at 2:29?PM Jason < jason@...> wrote: Automatic. It's the first year they switched to that awful CVT.?
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Don DeRyke