Basics:
- 2014 Outback with 2.5 CVT
- 2010 R-Pod 173 which weighs 2000 lbs with a 200 lb. weight.
Equipment
- Brake controller Tekonsha P2
- Curvature class III
- Cut anti-sway bar
- WAZE app (map on your phone)
Travel Details
- We traveled from Maine to Tennessee with 2 adults, 1 child and a dog with enough clothes to last a week.
- We drove through temperatures ranging from 65 to 88 degrees and weather including severe thunderstorms.
- We drove through hilly mountain areas (Virginia, Tennessee, New York) which included some longer low grade climbs.
- We averaged 60 mph with 12 mpg – Edit: 13.8 mpg
- In total we traveled 2500 miles
- To save weight, I traveled without water in the tank and emptied the grey/black water at each overnight stop
What I learned
- It’s not a race – towing a larger camper, your average speed will be 55-60 mph. I kept an eye on the rpm more than the speed. Climbing grades, it wasn’t uncommon for my speed to drop to 50 mph, keeping my revs under 3400.
- When Google Maps says a trip will take x number of hours, add another 1/2 hour for each estimated hour. Example: if Google Maps says 10 hours, plan for 15. This includes reduced speed and stops.
- Averaging 12 mpg, one tank of gas equals roughly 4 hours of driving.
- Use the WAZE app. Using information from its users, it will dynamically determine the fastest route. That is, if there is a traffic jam on your way, he will find a way out for you if there is one. It saved me from 2 huge traffic jams, saving me hours of time.
- Electric brakes are a must.
- Anti-swing bar is a must. Because a heavier camper will have more of an impact on the OB steering, the anti-sway bar helps keep everything true. I found that adjusting the anti-sway bar to increase resistance helped significantly with poor roads, tractor trailers, etc.
- Gear weight distribution has a big effect. During the first day, I had our clothes and other heavier bags in the back of the OB and other camping gear. This was a lot of weight on the rear of the OB, with the camper and gear putting more weight behind the rear axle causing ‘crunch’. I found that putting the heaviest gear in the camper and only putting the light stuff in the back of the OB helped the overall handling.
- Dramamine is a must. A heavier camper pulls you in more and can push you away. Dramamine helped to ‘smooth’ the general internal feeling during the withdrawal.
In general
OB did great and I had no problems. I towed in high temperatures and hilly terrain with no problem. I spent long days hauling, splitting the two-day trip into 11 hours/16 hours. That said, I was also very careful. I kept my rpms below 3400 and most of the time below 3000. I took my time and didn’t push the OB beyond its limits.
And finally, I wouldn’t recommend doing this type of travel on a regular basis. OB is great, but heavy hauling over long distances on a regular basis is probably not healthy long term. I will tow regularly (every 2-4 weeks except winter) but keep the distances shorter (2-8 hours drive time).
I was also on the highway most of the time. I felt the OB actually did better in the 30-45 mph range on smaller side roads, etc. than on the highway. At 30-45 mph, the OB felt “phoned in” and in the future, I will stick to these types of roads when possible.
