Towing new (to me) Winnebago Micro Mini

2020 2108FBS

 

Tune it, I did mine with 100 miles on it new.

 

Ok, 4,000lbs completely dry... so easily 4,500lbs underway. Loaded up that's a big girl for the Tacoma. If you have a full fresh water tank and half gray water tank, full propane, a stocked pantry and a couple suitcases you're up to >4700 lbs.

I don't use cruise control while towing as I'm not a fan of how the truck attempts to quickly accelerate to the target speed (and pegs high RPMs.)

Congrats on your new equipment.

 

Fresh, gray, and black tanks were all empty. But 4500 -4700 lbs is probably not unreasonable. I should hit a scale some time to check.

 

It would mean more if gave some details on the improvements but I guess you didn't have much in the way of before experience. Can you give some specifics on what you are towing, mileage, etc?

 

Your Casita weights 3,500lbs. loaded? You tow with a full tank of water?

 

I have a Sonic Venture Lite 169VUD. Supposed to be ~3,500 lbs. dry, so I'm probably around 4,000 lbs. loaded (sometimes with fresh water tank partially filled). My first trip, with Tacoma in stock configuration and WDH, was from Michigan to Reno, NV, and back. Did pretty well and I didn't really have any issues, even through the mountains. I did get OTT tune recently, so looking forward to see how it does with the tune.

 

Here are a couple pics from first trip (with Tacoma basically stock). Since then, I've installed a proper front bumper, lifted a bit, and new wheels and bigger tires. Will be interested to see if the lift/bigger tires impact towing any.

 

I drive a stick so.. what's transmission hunting?

But doing our scout troop trailer (it's a 5x10), on flats I can stay in 5th @60, and on rolling hills I gotta drop to 4/3, and slow to 55. Guesstimate is that ours weighs about 4k lbs. But I granny the trailer, esp when I haul it up the curvy stuff, and I get about 11mpg.

 

In my experience, towing/hauling in drive requires more skinny pedal (lower m.p.g.'s) to keep speed, using 4th and E.C.T. on keeps the R.P.M.s up therefore not having to mash the throttle on every slight hill which also, reduces transmission hunting.

 

We boondock a lot, that means keeping our water tank near full, 25 gal. We also don't drink the on board water so we carry an additional 6 gallons of water in 4 water bricks. We have an enclosed metal propane tank box on the front with a Honda generator on top. We added a fairly substantial frame addition in the rear that includes a receiver and we have a spare tire receiver mounted, both are fairly heavy. After you add that additional weight to a fully stocked fridge, tools, spare parts, clothing and personal items the weight climbs quickly.