Minnie Winnie

[pcook]

Could be in the market for a Minnie Winnie 26A. Any information you could share is greatly appreciated.

[scbwr]

Good luck! Consider taking a lot of pictures because when you get home, and if you haven't purchased it, you will do a lot of talking and may want to refer to pics to answer questions, etc. Take your time when looking and look at every square inch you can....especially for flaws and sloppy assembly. Sit on the seats/furniture long enough to really understand the comfort level. Check the mattress....I would assume that I would be replacing it because we've seen few stock RV mattresses that we would keep.

Have fun!

[pcook]

Excellent insight that we are considering. We plan on a walk through with the Minnie 26a model tomorrow. Once we interact with the real thing, I hope some to most of our questions will be answered.

[camperdave]

The thing I didn't like about many sub-28 class C's was the master bed situation. It's either a corner bed (we had that in our old trailer, didn't really want it again) or the bed needs to be folded up for the slide to close (as appears to be the case with the one you are looking at). This was a dealbreaker for me, as I want to be able to use the full sleeping arrangement with slides in.

I considered levelers to be mandatory when shopping for a used class C, and was somewhat surprised that they are so rare. I looked at many used class C's and only 2 had levelers installed. I lowered my budget by 4k and planned to have them installed aftermarket on whatever I ended up buying. Not a bad way to go really, then you get to choose which brand/model you want.

If I were buying new, I'd certainly add them on as an included option. On a new rig 4k is a pretty small percentage. For me it's nearly 20% of what my rig cost, but it is what it is.

I ended up with a no slide model that has plenty of carrying capacity, so I see no reason not to add jacks. Yes it's costly, but I want them. :C Not everything about RVing has to be rational. :B

[DrewE]

Slides might make sway when parked a little more pronounced as you move around (particularly if you're in the slide area) since it increases the lever arm somewhat. Leveling jacks help with this when compared with leveling blocks because they attach to the frame, and stabilize the frame against the ground, rather than having the support be through the vehicle suspension.

Weight wise, though, they don't influence the need for a leveling system; the chassis is fully capable of carrying the weight of the RV, whether parked or underway, and leveling with blocks works whether one has slides or not.

Levelers are a convenience I have no trouble doing without, and where payload is limited I would rather have the extra weight capacity for other things. Others may well have different priorities, of course.

[pcook]

With the unit I'm looking at, it has three slides. Do slides have a direct impact with levelers? Would the weight of the slides demand a leveling system?

[bobndot]

pcook wrote:
Through my research, the Winnie 26a doesn't have automatic levelers which to me is important as my wife and I get older. Would there be manual levelers instead? If not, how would one tackle leveling this type of unit?

If I didn't already have levelers I'm not too sure I would add them due to the expense. Until 2018 I used 2x8 planks and a 4x4 to make ramps.

When I first purchased my rv I found a level parking lot and used a bubble level inside the freezer to level the rv. Once I did that and while it sat level I installed 2 small levels inside the cab that I could see from the drivers seat whenever I park.
One is on the dash and one is above the passenger door. Most of time, all I have to do is move around the site a little bit to find that level spot with no need to use any leveling.

I have auto levelers on my new rig and sometimes also use wood blocks that I always carry to use as ground pads under my levelers because they offer a larger footprint which helps on soft ground.

I find it easier to use them in the manual mode so I can
lift each corner or NOT lift a particular corner. Leveling in the AUTO mode usually lifts all 4 corners and then levels it. That can be too high at times and makes the first step into the rv a high step up.

So I don't have to crawl under the rv, I drilled a hole in the corner of each wood block and attached a length of rope so it's easier to pull them out when departing a campsite.

My levelers were installed too low to the ground and the feet scraped on driveway aprons. I had to have them cut and placed higher into the frame for ground clearance.

[scbwr]

Standard leveling is simply using blocks under the tires to get the unit level and then use the stabilizers to reduce camper movement.
It is possible to add levelers to a class C and if buying from a dealer, you could try to negotiate it as part of the purchase.

[PghBob]

Consider how you will use the rig most of the time. Are you just going to the lake or campground for the weekends? Are you going to drive across the country to National Parks? Are you planning to full-time or snowbird?

These are important considerations because of the weight you might need to carry. Slide outs and automatic levelers add considerable weight to the chassis, thereby reducing the amount of people, pets, clothes, food, and water you can carry with you i.e., Occupant and Cargo Carrying Capacity (OCCC). Remember that in RVs, it is not the space you have for stuff, but rather the weight of the stuff that counts. This is not to say that you should avoid these choices, but rather understand that they will effect what you can carry. Further, make sure the rig will be functional and usable with the slides in. Likely, you will spend a lot of time driving, and you can't have the slides out then. Usually, dealers will show the rigs with the slides out demonstrating the available space. Make sure to see them with the slides in as well.

As to your question about leveling, many of use the blocks you can buy at Walmart or Camping World. Many times we don't need to level, but if we do, we use the blocks. Always make sure, no matter how you level, to keep one wheel on the ground.

Good Luck with your search.

[pcook]

Through my research, the Winnie 26a doesn't have automatic levelers which to me is important as my wife and I get older. Would there be manual levelers instead? If not, how would one tackle leveling this type of unit?

[scbwr]

pcook wrote:
We plan on making the swivel captain chairs part of our living space or someday remove the dinette seating and put personal chairs as well.

The problem is that in a lot of class C units, the captain chairs don't swivel, so their use is kind of limiting. That may not be the case with the model you are considering, but make sure you check.

Edit: I did just look at a 2018 26A and it does have the seats that swivel. That makes it a very nice unit! We owned a Winnebago Minnie travel trailer and were very pleased with the quality and customer service from Winnebago.

[bobndot]

The 'W' quality is ok as far as things go in the rv world. If you plan to remove the dinette, take into consideration what is underneath your dinette , like a furnace or whatever. If that's the case, then ripping it out to install chairs might not be doable.

I see the floorplan now and didn't realize your dinette was in a slide. You should be ok to alter it. Sofa or recliners would probably work just fine. You might just lose some underneath storage but your comfort level would be real nice.

[pcook]

This information is greatly appreciated. We have considered everything you have presented to me. We do want to stick to a unit under 30 feet so my wife would feel more comfortable driving. We are very simple people and would like to keep it that way. We plan on making the swivel captain chairs part of our living space or someday remove the dinette seating and put personal chairs as well. We feel the Winnebago is the middle of the line with quality and would like to make sure that is true.

[scbwr]

When we decided to replace our travel trailer, we were considering getting a class c or class a motorhome (gas). We were looking for a used unit. If you really want to keep the overall length shorter than 30', then a class c is the answer. If you don't mind having something 30' or longer, a class a motorhome can provide a lot more interior space and storage area. Since we take longer trips, some of them 8 weeks or more, we opted for a motorhome. One of the advantages is having the driver/passenger seats swivel and become part of the living are. And, for longer trips, the extra storage space is very useful.

But, if a class c meets your needs, then go for it. There's a lot of different floor plans and options. While Winnebago would have been one of our top picks, some of the Jayco units have some great floor plans and features. I would consider looking for one with automatic levelers as they are so handy. But, sometimes even with auto levelers on our motorhome, we have to use blocks to compensate for campsites with a slope.

Also, consider tow car capacity if you plan to tow a car. And, setting up a car to tow, whether on a dolly or four down is pricey and you need to plan ahead for that as part of the cost.

Good luck on your search!

[bobndot]

As long as you are comfortable with 3 slides and no sofa , then go for it.
Can you use it with all the slides in ? In case you have to, is that a folding rear bed ? Do you have full use of the dinette and kitchen with the slide in ?

No sofa ? I'm not sure how comfortable sitting in those swivel seats will be long term. I've done that in the past and it was ok for short term but not for hours on end day after day, if that's going to be your main sitting area.