Forum Discussion

Sweedish15's avatar
Sweedish15
Explorer
Jan 04, 2018

Winnebago minnie construction

Long time reader first time poster. My family of four is in the market for a travel trailer. We have quite a bit of experience with travel trailers as we have always had free access to a forest river microlight 23lb in the family that we take out often. It has been nice because it has allowed us to see what we like and what we want in our own unit.

We have narrowed it down to a popular floor plan that seems to be made by everyone. I have a half ton truck with a 6800 pound towing capacity.

The two units I am debating are the coachmen apex 245bhs and the Winnebago Minnie 2455 bhs. I've researched both in depth and begun talking with dealers. The coachmen is almost 1000 pounds lighter which I assume is because it is only a 7.5 ft wide unit compared to the normal 8. I also like that the coachmen has 6 sided aluminum and is built with azdel walls instead of luan. Coachmen seems to boast these features.

Sorry for the long post, but I have been trying to find out if the Winnebago also has aluminum rafters and azdel walls or luan.

The Winnebago is quite anbit more expensive but is the preferred interior by my wife. I also think it is a better looking unit inside and out. Can anybody add some insight on the Winnebago construction.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Jan 04, 2018
    Regarding the Winnebago...”but is the preferred interior by my wife. I also think it is a better looking unit inside and out.”

    And your question is? PS-My Winnie construction hasn’t self destructed.
  • beemerphile1's avatar
    beemerphile1
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2018
    Can't answer your question but might save you some grief.

    Base your decision on the GVWR of a TT, not the dry weight.

    What is your truck payload? Subtract all passengers and gear from the payload and what you have left is the tongue weight capacity.
  • Sweedish15's avatar
    Sweedish15
    Explorer
    Jan 04, 2018
    Apex-dry weight is 4600 lbs with a max load of 6500
    Winnebago-dry weight is 5300 lbs with a max load of 7000

    The exact towing capacity of my truck is 6800 lbs

    With the tt we currently use, lit has a dry weight of 4100lbs and a gvwr of 5800lbs. We never carry water and we only load a few hundred lbs of stuff. It tows like a dream w a Reese wd hitch and sway control. The apex is very close in weight and capacity to what we tow now and I know it's made of the materials I want. It's also cheaper........the apex seems to be the better choice all around, I guess I should take a closer look at the apex, saving 700 lbs at dry weight is a good thing.

    Apex allows for 2200 lbs in people,gear, water, propane etc
    Winnebago only leaves 1500lbs

    My guess is with the Winnebago I'd be near max capacity for the truck towing while the apex would always be 700 lbs less. I also would like to not be at max towing capacity.....

    The one thing I didn't like about the apex is that the local dealer has horrible reviews, especially with warranty work after the sale.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Jan 05, 2018
    “We never carry water..”

    Not wise in the West, Sweedish, not wise at all. And if you are basing your max weight on a dry TT, foolish IMO.
  • Bobbo's avatar
    Bobbo
    Explorer II
    Jan 05, 2018
    Sweedish15 wrote:
    Apex-dry weight is 4600 lbs with a max load of 6500
    Winnebago-dry weight is 5300 lbs with a max load of 7000

    The exact towing capacity of my truck is 6800 lbs


    In my opinion, a GVWR of the Apex of 6500# with a towing limit of 6800# is not feasible. The Winnbago is worse.

    Your real question should be what is the tongue weight of each trailer, and the payload of the truck. Take the payload of the truck, subtract the weight of all people in the truck (including the driver) and all gear in the bed of the truck. Whatever is left over is the maximum tongue weight you can have. Since tongue weight should be between 12% and 15% of the trailer weight, divide that tongue weight by 0.12 and 0.15 to get the weight range of the trailer you can safely pull.

    My truck lists a tow limit of 11,800#, but I can only safely tow about 8,000# or 9,000# before going over my payload limit.
  • elidodge's avatar
    elidodge
    Explorer
    Jan 05, 2018
    I am a Winnie owner, that is how I would go,My next truck would be bigger
  • Bumpyroad's avatar
    Bumpyroad
    Explorer
    Jan 05, 2018
    using GVWR is meaningless. what is important is how much the unit will actually weigh loaded up. you do not have to add lead ingots to make it weigh GVWR.
    bumpy
  • Ralph_Cramden's avatar
    Ralph_Cramden
    Explorer II
    Jan 05, 2018
    Sweedish15 wrote:


    The two units I am debating are the coachmen apex 245bhs and the Winnebago Minnie 2455 bhs. I've researched both in depth and begun talking with dealers. The coachmen is almost 1000 pounds lighter which I assume is because it is only a 7.5 ft wide unit compared to the normal 8. I also like that the coachmen has 6 sided aluminum and is built with azdel walls instead of luan. Coachmen seems to boast these features.

    Sorry for the long post, but I have been trying to find out if the Winnebago also has aluminum rafters and azdel walls or luan.

    The Winnebago is quite anbit more expensive but is the preferred interior by my wife. I also think it is a better looking unit inside and out. Can anybody add some insight on the Winnebago construction.


    Don't sweat the Coachmen Azdel, its just marketing and would not sway me one way or the other. The only place Coachmen uses it is for the outer layer of substrate behind the filon of the side wall. Not the inner layer of the sidewall, the front or back walls, the floor or roof, or anywhere else.

    The Coachmen will be on a Lippert frame, the Winnie on a BAL/ Norco NXG frame. Personally I would lean towards the Winnie for that reason alone. Just do a search for Lippert Frame, and then BAL NXG frame and compare the hits you get.

    Look at the wheel wells. Coachmen will be plastic, Winnie sheet metal.

    Coachmen is a Forest River brand, as is yhe 17 Rockwood which we currently own, and after our experiences with both Forest Rivers Rockwood division and their Palomino division a few years back, I will not recommend them to anyone. Certainly they have sold their last RV to us.

    Good luck

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