Community Forums

Arnheimacres · 11-01-2017, 05:06 PM

Brand new member seeking advice. We are retiring (I already have), and wanting to hit the road. We've been shopping for a while and have kind of settled on a 2106DS Micro mini Winni. It will be pulled with a Toyota Highlander XLE (5000 lb towing). Would be interested in your thoughts, good and bad. Thanks.

Badlands Bob · 11-01-2017, 05:18 PM

Winnebago makes a good travel trailer. We have had ours for 2 years and really enjoy it. Good luck with your travels.

Superslif · 11-01-2017, 07:46 PM

You might be pushing your limits on the Highlander. First off the Micro Mini Winny is 22', that is a lot of trailer for a small-ish soft riding, short wheelbase SUV. The fresh water is rather small on the 2106DS (31 gallons) which most likely includes the 6 gallon water heater. Yes, the cabinets on the Winnebago line of trailers are a little better than the industry standard.

What do you mean by "hit the road"? full timing? long distance traveling? Alaska ?

Arnheimacres · 11-01-2017, 08:02 PM

The TV is my main concern. I appreciate your input. We are not full timers. I anticipate one long trip, but the rest will be shorter.

HighDesert · 11-01-2017, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arnheimacres

The TV is my main concern. I appreciate your input. We are not full timers. I anticipate one long trip, but the rest will be shorter.

Like the OP, you may be a bit light on your TV. Best bet is to check the specs on your TV, then load the RV up like you plan to travel and then go to a public scale to weight it, and then the TV, look at the results and see if you are in the window of safety.

bailer6334 · 11-01-2017, 09:21 PM

You have not provided enough information on the TV. Need to know max hitch capacity, engine size and payload (sticker on driver door) before we can say its a good fit. Also figure at least 10% - 12% of GVWR for the hitch weight.

Superslif · 11-01-2017, 09:38 PM

The 2106DS is 3700 dry. And that will not count full propane and a RV battery. The GVWR weight rating on thattrailer is 7000lbs. Sitting on a dealers lot it may come in a little more depending on options. I would say figure on 800-1000lbs of personal stuff.

We had three Toyota 4Runners (90', 99' and 05'). Neither of the first two V-6 would I have attempted to pull a trailer other than a pop-up ( we had a 99' Coleman PuP ). The 05' 4Runner had a V-8 with 7200 towing cap. We pulled a 3700 dry ( 4800 wet/loaded ) 24' trailer (hybrid) then a 25' 4300 dry / 5400 wet trailer (hybrid again). The 4Runner has a full frame, the Highlander I believe uses the Camry un-a-body. Even with the V-8 in the midsize SUV a 4300 dry trailer would be the most I would want to go. But our travels took us to the mountains of PA. NY. VT. WV. TN....and so forth...

Desert Flyer · 11-01-2017, 09:49 PM

All hinges on the Highlander’s payload capacity and rear axle. Get those figured out and go from there. IMHO you would be overloaded.

Superslif · 11-02-2017, 05:21 AM

The Winnebago site does not list the dry "tongue" weight of the 2106DS. 90% of the time manufactures do post the dry tongue weight. You can't buy a trailer without knowing that number.

Your Highlander will have a max. towing rating (5k) there will also be a max tongue weight. As an example, my last 4Runner (2005 with 4.7L V-8) a decal on the factory hitch said "Max tongue weight 1120 lb with a weight distribution hitch and 720 lb. without a WD hitch. Your Highlander will be much lower. If I had to guess, that 2106 Micro Minnie has a dry tongue weight in the neighborhood of about 300-450 lb. Again I'm going to guess the Highlander has a 500lb tongue limit.

Arnheimacres · 11-02-2017, 10:24 AM

Here's what the sticker says:
GVWR - 6000 lbs
GAWR - FRT - 2955
RR - 3505

Arnheimacres · 11-02-2017, 11:29 AM

GVWR - 9900 lb
TWR - 5000 lb

From the owner's manual
3.5L V6

schrederman · 11-02-2017, 03:06 PM

This would be a very uncomfortable tow combination and I wouldn't want to do it. I know that's not what you want to hear... but it's my true opinion... Good luck with your decision.

tuffr2 · 11-02-2017, 05:07 PM

The Highlander is a mid-size SUV. Not really designed to tow anything very heavy.

I am looking at a Highlander to tow a PWC. (Waverunner, Seadoo, Jetski). They weigh with the trailer about 1,200lbs.

If you can find a large pop-up camper or T@B or Aliner type would be best nehind a Highlander.

I tried to tow a hardshell 4,500lb camper with a Honda Ridgeline. I traded the Ridgeline for a F-150 after towing 600 white knuckled miles.

I would say 3,000lbs. is the most I would try to tow with a Highlander.

nytmare · 11-03-2017, 08:01 AM

I towed (once) my Mini-Lite with a '13 GMC Acadia (w/ tow package) which had a 5,200lb towing capacity. The trailer is roughly 4,300lbs dry and is 5,000lbs with equipment/stuff. The GMC did ok on flat land, but we planned at some future point in taking it over a mountain or two. The GMC didn't feel up to that task, so I traded the GMC in for a '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit (w/ the 5.7L). The Jeep tows the trailer very well and I feel much better with it as a tow vehicle than I did the GMC.