2009 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 261

8-14 Driving tips roof rail must be used together with the roof rack and any appropriate carrying attachment that may be needed. The roof rail must never be used alone to carry cargo. Otherwise, damage to the roof or paint or a dangerous road hazard due to loss of cargo could result. Trailer hitch (dealer option) . WARNING . Never exceed the maximum weight specified for the trailer hitch. Exceeding the maximum weight could cause an accident resulting in serious personal injuries. Permissible trailer weight changes depending on the situation. Refer to the next section "Trailer towing" for possible recommendations and limitations. . Trailer brakes are required when the towing load exceeds 1,000 lbs (453 kg). Be sure your trailer has safety chains and that each chain will hold the trailer's maximum gross weight. Towing trailers without safety chains could create a traffic safety hazard if the trailer separates from the hitch due to coupling damage or hitch ball damage. . Be sure to check the hitch pin and safety pin for positive locking placement before towing a trailer. If the ball mount comes off the hitch receiver, the trailer could get loose and create a . NOTE Remember that the vehicle's center of gravity is altered with the weight of the load on the roof, thus affecting driving characteristics. Drive carefully. Avoid rapid starts, hard cornering and abrupt stops. Crosswind effects will be increased. . . traffic safety hazard. Use only the ball mount supplied with this hitch. Use the hitch only as a weight carrying hitch. Do not use with any type of weight distributing hitch. The standard bumper beam must be installed after you remove the trailer hitch. Consult a SUBARU dealer for purchase of a standard bumper beam if you do not have the original. Safety performance is decreased and there is increased risk of injury to passengers in the case of an accident if the trailer hitch or a standard bumper beam is not installed. One of them must always be installed on the vehicle. If a trailer hitch is installed, it is not possible to install the rear towing hook. When you tow a trailer, follow the instructions in the next section "Trailer towing". & Connecting a trailer 1. Remove the receiver cover from the hitch receiver tube. Then insert the ball mount into the hitch receiver tube.