Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2014 Subaru Outback Behind a Motor Home

Updated 08/05/2015 | Published 08/04/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Roadmaster StowMaster Tow Bar - Coupler Style for 2" Ball - Car Mount - 6,000 lbs

(153)

$960.00

Roadmaster 6-Diode Universal Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles with Separate Lighting

(62)

$193.42

Roadmaster Crossbar-Style Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms

(2167)

$670.00

Composite Trim Removal Tool Kit - 5 Piece

(84)

$18.20

Roadmaster Universal Magnetic Tow Lights with 4-Way Flat Trailer Connector

(44)

$86.16

RoadMaster 68" Single Hook, Coiled Safety Cables - 6,000 lbs

(669)

$62.56

Demco Stay-IN-Play Duo Flat Tow Brake System for RVs w/ Hydraulic Brakes - Proportional

(800)

$1245.50

Question:

Please confirm if my product research is correct, for dinghy towing a 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i with manual transmission: Base Plate Kit - Roadmaster 920-1 XL Tow Bar Kit - Roadmaster Stowmaster RM-501 Am I correct that the RM-501 tow bar can be folded up and remain attached to the base plates on the towed vehicle when not in use? Can the vehicle then be driven at any speed up to 70mph on the freeway with the tow bars folded up? Or do I need to remove the tow bars from the vehicle to drive it for long distances or on the freeway? I have one other question regarding the installation of the 920-1 Base Plate Kit. To remove the fasteners holding the fascia panel and air dam onto the car, the instructions only say remove plastic fasteners. Are these some kind of plastic or nylon screws? If they are not screws, but some kind of push-on fastener, is there any particular trick to getting them off without damaging them? BTW, I looked at the installation instructions for both the Roadmaster and Blue Ox base plates, and the Roadmaster looks like it requires less trimming and cutting, and looks overall to be easier to install on a Subaru.

asked by: Larry C

Helpful Expert Reply:

The Roadmaster XL base plates # 920-1 are a fit for your 2014 Subaru Outback Wagon and the Stowmaster tow bar # RM-501. The Tow bar does fold up and store on the tow vehicle. There are no speed restrictions when the tow bar is folded up but it wouldn't take much just to remove the tow bar to avoid any unforeseen issues.

The fasteners on your Outback appear to be push-in fasteners. There is a special tool you can use to make removing them easy, # PT73HJ.

You will also need safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow the Outback. For safety cables you can use # RM-643. The coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground.

For lighting you could use a simple magnetic kit such as # RM-2120. Or, for a more permanent option, I recommend 6 diode kit # 154-792-118158.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking on the vehicle being flat towed. One of the preferred systems for our installers is the SMI Stay-IN-Play DUO proportional system, # SM99251. It will apply the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

I have also included 2 helpful links to our help articles on flat towing for you.