Micro Minnie Thread

[caladvoc8]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

That makes sense. I wonder if the Honda Ridgeline has a similar restriction.

Or the newer Ford Explorer models. Unibody construction appears to be the rule with all but the largest of SUV's and pickups these days, and even some pickups, incurring the Honda Ridgeline, are shifting to unibody. And unibody, rather than body-on-frame, can (probably always does) adversely affect towing capacity. See https://www.carfax.com/blog/unibody-...e-construction
Would love to see this topic explored at length and some experts weigh in. If WDH's universally are contraindicated for tow vehicles with unibody construction, there are undoubtedly many such vehicles presently in use that are improperly equipped with load balancing hitches.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by caladvoc8

If WDH's universally are contraindicated for tow vehicles with unibody construction, there are undoubtedly many such vehicles presently in use that are improperly equipped with load balancing hitches.

And conversely, I have a hard time seeing how if a certain tongue weight X inches back from a rear axle creates too much front end lift on a body on frame vehicle, why that same weight the same distance back on a unibody frame wouldn't also.

Stated more clearly, is this a situation where the manufacturers are overstating the towing capacity of unibody vehicles in the similar manner to that they doe with body on frame vehicles.

I'm not a big fan of the "tow rating" numbers. They've become tools to drive sales rather than a tool to be safe.

[caladvoc8]

Follow-up:

See: https://www.etrailer.com/question-241876.html

See: Post #5 here: https://www.irv2.com/forums/f45/vehi...ch-458165.html

Bottom line: proceed with caution. Do your homework. Without WDH be extra mindful of front wheel lift and loss of control if tongue weight is excessive.

[JimBob]

Hi. Looking at a Micro Minnie and am confused a bit on the 2020 weight ratings.
https://winnebago.com/models/product/micro-minnie-1
The 1700BH is listed at GVWR 3700lbs, but all the other models are 7000lbs. I understand the 1700BH is single-axle and the others are double, but does the axle account for 3300 pounds?
I'm planning to tow with a 4.6L v8 Toyota Tundra 4x4 (w tow package). It appears the TWR of my Tundra is 6400 lbs - which would leave the 1700BH as the only model I can pull. But I see a lot of folks posting here using smaller vehicles to tow various models.

Am I misunderstanding something?

Thanks!

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by JimBob

Hi. Looking at a Micro Minnie and am confused a bit on the 2020 weight ratings.
https://winnebago.com/models/product/micro-minnie-1
The 1700BH is listed at GVWR 3700lbs, but all the other models are 7000lbs. I understand the 1700BH is single-axle and the others are double, but does the axle account for 3300 pounds?
I'm planning to tow with a 4.6L v8 Toyota Tundra 4x4 (w tow package). It appears the TWR of my Tundra is 6400 lbs - which would leave the 1700BH as the only model I can pull. But I see a lot of folks posting here using smaller vehicles to tow various models.

Am I misunderstanding something?

Thanks!

The GVWR is how much the vehicle can carry--total weight. So with only one axle it can carry only about half the weight. My 2106 DS has a GVWR of 7,000 but the dry weight is only about 4,000.

The tow rating of your Tundra is only 6400 pounds. But the other Winnebagos would probably never be loaded up to 7,000 pounds. Most of them probably travel around under 5,000 pounds.

The combined weight limit (GCWR) of your Tundra and trailer is probably something well over 12,000 pounds, and it likely has sufficient payload. To know those things we'd need to know your GCWR and the empty weight of your truck and its GVWR to calculate the available payload. My Colorado is 12,700 GCWR and yours is almost certainly well above that. My tow rating is higher, but payload lower. Overall your truck is the more capable truck not withstanding my truck 7,600 tow rating.

[JimBob]

Ahh. Silly mistake. I'm confusing the GVWR of the trailer with the weight of the trailer.

Ok, my truck's specs are:
GVWR : 6900 lbs,
GCWR : 14000 lbs
TWR: 7900 lbs (I was reading the non-tow package twr before)
GAWR front: 4000
GAWR rear: 4100

So I should be ok with any of the Minnies. Thanks for taking the time to set me straight.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by JimBob

Ahh. Silly mistake. I'm confusing the GVWR of the trailer with the weight of the trailer.

Ok, my truck's specs are:
GVWR : 6900 lbs,
GCWR : 14000 lbs
TWR: 7900 lbs (I was reading the non-tow package twr before)
GAWR front: 4000
GAWR rear: 4100

So I should be ok with any of the Minnies. Thanks for taking the time to set me straight.

I'm not sure about the largest Minnie, because I didn't look at anything bigger than the 2106's and 2108s (I'm not even sure there are any bigger than those), but yes your options are much wider than the 17xx one you mentioned.

I thought your tow weight rating seemed low, but I assumed you maybe had an off-road package. Not familiar with Tundras, but the Ford Raptor doesn't have the ratings of my Colorado due to the extreme off road package.

BTW, you might find this site handy, you can enter your truck and trailer information, but unfortunately it calculates tongue weight rather than letting you enter it.

http://towcalculator.com/

[SonofBert]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

That makes sense. I wonder if the Honda Ridgeline has a similar restriction.

Don't know. I know the 4Runner V6 models have similar wording saying WDH is a no-no. And that is a body-on-frame SUV, but the V6 factory hitch isn't a ClassIV like the 4Runner V8 models, it's connected to a crossmember instead of the frame rails.

I've only towed 19' TT's and found a straight basic ball hitch is workable, but you better maintain your concentration on the Interstates because they get twitchy in crosswinds and when an 18-wheeler passes you.

Also, without WDH, if you don't have a strong rear suspension to handle tongue weight, the steering will be light and floaty, lack good response because the rear is too low and the front is too high.

You mentioned the Ridgeline, the guy that bought my 2017 1706fb hauled it off with a 2018 AWD Ridgeline. Straight ball hitch, didn't squat much at all, I was impressed.

[Goodspike]

What were 1960s cars? I remember my father using a WDH on a 65 Cadillac Coupe de Ville and a 1968 Imperial Lebaron. Were they unibody?

That said, my dad is hardly a good example of good practices. He had a mount welded onto the back of a 20' (maybe 18') Airstream that held two Honda Trail 70s. The tongue weight on that trailer was probably rather light even without the WDH.

[WHALE01]

Hi there can you tell me where you bought your fireplace and the make. Has anyone drilled into the front interior walls of their Minnie?

Originally Posted by Fred 2106DS

I mounted a Dewalt 140W MSW inverter under the TV, this allows us to use the stock Jensen 28" 120V TV using the 12V receptacle above the TV. We used this setup for a couple years, I've since added a power pod with additional 12V receptacles and USB ports on the shelf under the TV but continue to used the inverter to power the TV. I tied the power pod into the wires that power the slide. The slide wires run through the bottom of the same cabinet and are 10 AWG fused for 20 amps. By using this circuit, we can control the power pod by using the on/off switch for the slide.

We also use a 1000W PSW Wagan inverter that resides in the pass through with our 100 AH lithium battery. I added a transfer switch to the converter below the refrigerator and wired the inverter to that so we can use the main AC outlets when needed while dry camping without needing to run our generator. I also installed a remote switch for the inverter just inside the door.

In addition, we've installed 280W of solar on the roof and a port on the side of our Micro Minnie for our 120W portable panel. 2016 Micros didn't come pre-wired for solar.

Below are pictures of our original and current inverter setup at the TV.

[Fred 2106DS]

Originally Posted by WHALE01

Hi there can you tell me where you bought your fireplace and the make. Has anyone drilled into the front interior walls of their Minnie?

I found it on Amazon but it is currently unavailable. It is a Winsome House Medium Faux Fireplace LED Plaque. Here is a link to my install.

I've drilled a couple holes into the front wall to install a corner shelf in the front right corner for my wife. I did need to be careful not to hit the 120V and 12V wires on that side of the camper, that is the side that has a 120V bedside receptacle and the 12V wires that feed the LED light in the pass through. Here's a picture showing the shelf.

[WHALE01]

Hi there thank you for the info. Did you have the build plans for the front? I just want to know if I can install a fireplace no heat on that back wall. I don't want to hit any wires.

[
B][/B]

Originally Posted by Fred 2106DS

I found it on Amazon but it is currently unavailable. It is a Winsome House Medium Faux Fireplace LED Plaque. Here is a link to my install.

I've drilled a couple holes into the front wall to install a corner shelf in the front right corner for my wife. I did need to be careful not to hit the 120V and 12V wires on that side of the camper, that is the side that has a 120V bedside receptacle and the 12V wires that feed the LED light in the pass through. Here's a picture showing the shelf.

[Fred 2106DS]

Originally Posted by WHALE01

Hi there thank you for the info. Did you have the build plans for the front? I just want to know if I can install a fireplace no heat on that back wall. I don't want to hit any wires.

[
B][/B]

No, I did not have build plans. I've read that if you use Winnebago's contact form on their website and provide your VIN, Model and Year, they will send you schematics for your camper if you ask.

[WHALE01]

Originally Posted by Fred 2106DS

No, I did not have build plans. I've read that if you use Winnebago's contact form on their website and provide your VIN, Model and Year, they will send you schematics for your camper if you ask.

Awesome thank you. July 10th is my pickup date. Overly excited.

[Red_Fox]

Hi all, just got my micro minnie 2100BH and a the go power outlander kit. trying to learn best way to fit in the roof and how to fix it there. Any advice from someone who did it already will be appreciated. thanks

[Wind0Soft]

Hi all,

We have a new 2021 Micro Minnie 2100BH and are loving it! However there is not a lot of room for clothes storage! So I would like to hang a couple of these for the kids and bigger ones for the adults.

I've tried a tension bar but they can't seem to hold the weight when taking things in and out. Ideally I would hang the smaller ones at the end of the bunks when the slide is out (see picture) and the adult ones in the shower space (we don't shower much during camping )

Can I use a Rivot gun on the ceiling to mount some hooks? Any other ideas? I was going to get some holders for the tension rod as well, can I screw those into the wall? Small screws.

Any advice would be great appreciated!

-Mollie

[GaryS]

Go to your local hardware store and request a shower curtain rod bracket. They will look like this-



This should keep your tension rod in place.

[tomwi]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

My 2106 DS has a GVWR of 7,000 but the dry weight is only about 4,000.

This is one reason I'll be buying a 2106fbs. Fully loaded, not even close to what it can handle. Some RVs I've seen you're near 100% capacity fully loaded, and that's before anyone gets inside it. As soon as you step inside, you're over capacity.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by tomwi

This is one reason I'll be buying a 2106fbs. Fully loaded, not even close to what it can handle. Some RVs I've seen you're near 100% capacity fully loaded, and that's before anyone gets inside it. As soon as you step inside, you're over capacity.

I forget the model or brand, but one trailer I looked at only had under 700 pounds of available capacity. And given that available capacity doesn't include the batteries or propane, that really leaves very little available capacity.

[SonofBert]

Originally Posted by Wind0Soft

Hi all,

We have a new 2021 Micro Minnie 2100BH and are loving it! However there is not a lot of room for clothes storage! So I would like to hang a couple of these for the kids and bigger ones for the adults.

I've tried a tension bar but they can't seem to hold the weight when taking things in and out. Ideally I would hang the smaller ones at the end of the bunks when the slide is out (see picture) and the adult ones in the shower space (we don't shower much during camping )

Can I use a Rivot gun on the ceiling to mount some hooks? Any other ideas? I was going to get some holders for the tension rod as well, can I screw those into the wall? Small screws.

Any advice would be great appreciated!

-Mollie

Some D-rings riveted to the ceiling might work, or the shower rod holder mentioned above. Will look into those bags myself!!!