Newbie question about hitch choice for Micro Minnie 1708FB

[PeterFrank]

Hello all!

I am a new owner of Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB and have not yet taken possession from the dealer. Looking for your advice.
I am thinking of buying Equal-i-zer 4-point Sway Control Hitch with the 6000 lbs trailer rating and 600 lbs tongue weight rating.
Towing vehicle is Ford F150 3.5 Ecoboost. Do you think that would be adequate or should I go for higher rated hitch? From what I gather going higher is not advisable but thought I'd ask.

[ScottSanford]

I use the Andersen hitch, pulling a 2108 FBS with a Chevy Colorado, and love it. I don't know how well it would work with a bigger trailer, but it does all I need and is very easy to use. Light weight compared to others as well.

[PeterFrank]

Originally Posted by ScottSanford

I use the Andersen hitch, pulling a 2108 FBS with a Chevy Colorado, and love it. I don't know how well it would work with a bigger trailer, but it does all I need and is very easy to use. Light weight compared to others as well.

Thank you for the reply! I will look into Andersen hitches as well.

[creativepart]

The hitch you’ve chosen is very well regarded and reliable. It’s one of the best reviewed and best selling TT hitches.

I used the Husky Centerline hitch and felt is was great, but I certainly saw a lot of Equal-i-zer hitches out there on the road.

[Bcborn]

Anybody onboard that can share their actual tongue weight of their 1708FB?

It's sure is not 340lb as advertised, but how close to the 600lbs that the bars are rated for.

The 340lbs would be dry, no propane, no battery/batteries or gear. You can offload some of the tongue weight by loading gear in the truck box or rear of trailer axle.

[Gunny Rio]

Good Afternoon Bcborn. I have a 2022 1708FB. I confirmed all my weights last year. See below for details.

Lithium Batteries & Inverter installed under dinette
2-full 20# Propane bottles on Tongue - Full
All camping gear included in front storage
Fresh water system full (including hot water tank)
Grey & Black tanks empty
No food
No personal items

Curbside axle 2100
Roadside axle 2200
Tongue 500

Camper Total 4800

Hope this helps...

[Bcborn]

Originally Posted by Gunny Rio

Good Afternoon Bcborn. I have a 2022 1708FB. I confirmed all my weights last year. See below for details.

Lithium Batteries & Inverter installed under dinette
2-full 20# Propane bottles on Tongue - Full
All camping gear included in front storage
Fresh water system full (including hot water tank)
Grey & Black tanks empty
No food
No personal items

Curbside axle 2100
Roadside axle 2200
Tongue 500

Camper Total 4800

Hope this helps...

Good Job,

With the Lithium's under the dinette, and the dinette just ahead of the axle; would it be fair to say tongue weight with dual batteries (especially dual 6V) placed on the tongue would be nearing the 550 - 600lb range. Thus placing the bars at 90% - 100% capacity.

Unfortunately Equalizer does not make an 800lb E4 bar option. With a full size pickup like the F150, maybe the E2 with 800lb bars is an option.

https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch

I have the E4 10000/1000 and I tow a 2017 2106FBS rated at 7000lbs. I pull with a Tacoma (low payload) so the heavier bars allow me to transfer more weight rearward to achieve DOT Regulations. Trailer loaded with gear (no grey, sewer or water) cat scaled at 4260. Advertised tongue weight is 380. I didn't get an actual in 2022, hopefully 2023 but I'm sure I'm over 600 with a little water.

Hope that helps.

This is an interesting unit.

https://www.weigh-safe.com/product/t...-middleweight/

[Gunny Rio]

Evening Lyle.

I think your assumptions on the added weight of the batteries is right on. I'm not sure how much dual 6vdc batts weight, but I saw a 100% weight transfer from moving two 12VDC lead-acid batts from the tongue to installing two Lithiums at the dinette. Meaning I lost nearly the entire weight of the two batts off the tongue by installing lighter lithium's just ahead of the axle.
I'll also add that my under-bed forward storage is quite full. I would guess that at least 130 lbs of that 500 tongue weight is that gear. This being said, I don't think you could really load the tongue much more than 600 lbs even with batts mounted on the tongue (also assuming you're using 2x 20# LPG tanks and not something larger).

My math
Winnebago advertised hitch weight = 340
Tongue mounted tool box (chocks, tandem wheel stablizers, ect) = 25
2x 20 lb LPG tank = 40
Gear in under-bed fwd storage = 130
total = 535lbs

[PeterFrank]

Originally Posted by Gunny Rio

Good Afternoon Bcborn. I have a 2022 1708FB. I confirmed all my weights last year. See below for details.

Lithium Batteries & Inverter installed under dinette
2-full 20# Propane bottles on Tongue - Full
All camping gear included in front storage
Fresh water system full (including hot water tank)
Grey & Black tanks empty
No food
No personal items

Curbside axle 2100
Roadside axle 2200
Tongue 500

Camper Total 4800

Hope this helps...

This is super helpful! Thank you!

[Marine359]

After living with our Micro Minnie for a couple of years and more than 12,000 miles, we’ve found it tows best when we can get right near 12% of GVWR. For us, that’s 600 lbs on the tongue. With less weight on the tongue it doesn’t track as straight. We travel with 1/2-2/3 tank fresh and empty waste tanks. It works out well by re-distributing heavy stuff to the pass thru and lighter stuff to the truck bed. Keeps us under tv rear GAWR, and doesn’t require the WDH to move too much weight forward.

[PeterFrank]

Thanks all for the replies! I am going to get the 600/6000.

[ranger1001]

My recommendation would be the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Had the hitch on three different campers now including a Micro Minnie 1708. I'm currently hauling a Micro Minnie 2225RL which is the largest and heaviest of the Micro Minnie line. And my tow vehicle is a 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3 litre V8. All I did was upgrade the tension bar to 550-750#. The Blue Ox definitely isn't cheap but feel it's extremely well made, durable and has the versatility to make upgrades when you switch from one camper to another. Even though you can't buy directly from Blue Ox, I've found the guys at "etrailer.com" out of Wentzville, MO to be an excellent source for RV parts, hitches in particular. Very knowlegable, easy to navigate website, fast service and great to deal with when you have issues.

[PeterFrank]

Originally Posted by ranger1001

My recommendation would be the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Had the hitch on three different campers now including a Micro Minnie 1708. I'm currently hauling a Micro Minnie 2225RL which is the largest and heaviest of the Micro Minnie line. And my tow vehicle is a 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3 litre V8. All I did was upgrade the tension bar to 550-750#. The Blue Ox definitely isn't cheap but feel it's extremely well made, durable and has the versatility to make upgrades when you switch from one camper to another. Even though you can't buy directly from Blue Ox, I've found the guys at "etrailer.com" out of Wentzville, MO to be an excellent source for RV parts, hitches in particular. Very knowlegable, easy to navigate website, fast service and great to deal with when you have issues.

Being able to upgrade is important. I will do a bit of research on the Blue Ox Sway Pro. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Blubugger]

We changed tow vehicles from a Ford Explorer Sport to an F150 Lariat and used the same Husky round bar equalizer hitch (30849) with minor height adjustments and have had excellent results. Ease of connecting, stability and anti-sway properties are also pros. No special tools required.

Chuck
Albuquerque


https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=...jwQwg96BAgBECw

[PeterFrank]

Originally Posted by Blubugger

We changed tow vehicles from a Ford Explorer Sport to an F150 Lariat and used the same Husky round bar equalizer hitch (30849) with minor height adjustments and have had excellent results. Ease of connecting, stability and anti-sway properties are also pros. No special tools required.

Chuck
Albuquerque


https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=...jwQwg96BAgBECw

Thanks for your input!

[anewrver]

Hi All,

Just reading these posts and was wondering if i will be ok with the 1808fbs hitched on a TV with a wdh and having a 590 pin weight capacity?

[Blubugger]

The specs on the Husky 30849 is up to 1200# tongue weight with Gross Trailer Weight of 12000#.
Certainly has the capacity.
A good idea is tocheck with the manufacturer to answer all questions you might have for your specific use.