7 Common Problems with Winnie Drop and Their Solutions

Winnie Drop or Winnebago RV is aerodynamic, easy to tow, and full of features and these are the great reasons why the Winnie Drop should be your next camping trailer.

Although it has such amazing features, it can put you in befuddlement at times with its problems.

Some of the most common Winnie drop problems are related to parts, refrigerator issue, awning problems, height issues, slide outs and other problems.

In this article I have discussed the reasons of these problems and included some ways to deal with them.

Problems and Solutions at a Glance:

Problems with Winnie DropSolutions
Parts missingTalk to the dealer
Refrigerator issueInstall dometic thermostat
Electrical issuesReplace outlets, get professional help
Awning problemsReplace the battery
Height issuesRaise the camper

7 Common Problems with Winnie Drop and Their Solutions:

Your Winnie Drop RV will come up with different problems that may frustrate you. There are the reasons of such problems and their possible solutions.

1. Parts Missing

Some of the customers complained that their Winnie drops didn’t come with a fire extinguisher. However, the brochure indicated that it would come with a fire extinguisher. 

The Fix:

Some of the Winnie drop models like the 2018 model should come with a fire extinguisher mounted by the door next to the fuse panel.

So, you should contact your dealers to provide you with the fire extinguisher. 

2. Slide outs Problems

Slide out is common in RVs to get access to extra space. But you may find issues with your RV’s functionality for the slide outs. The dust from the environment, rust, and blown fuse can be some main reasons.

The Fix:

Regular maintenance is needed to avoid slide out issues. Keep the slide out’s arms lubricated so that the sealant stays for a long time.

3. Refrigerator Issues

Some of the customers complained about the 1790 model’s refrigerator. 

The fridge took 24 hours to cool down and never really felt cool.

The Fix:

You need to take some steps prior to starting the fridge for full swing use. Most absorption fridges do take 12-18 hours to pre-cool down to what you’d run your house fridge temp at. 

Be sure that you have the inside Dometic thermostat sensor at the height you want it to be on the far-right side of the interior cooling fins (higher on the fin for colder, lower for warmer). 

Suppose, a 6 cubic foot fridge should be run at about 70 percent the height of the fin, from top to bottom.

That will keep the food around 42 F, and the separate freezer section will keep pre-frozen food rock solid. You should pre-chill everything you transfer to your TT fridge. 

Connect the Shore Power cord connected to the TT as you pre-chill the fridge.

4. Electrical Issues

The customers reported that some types of equipment were not working. When they examined the electric points, the issue was with the outlets.

Again, some of the batteries also didn’t work properly. 

The Fix:

Before using any equipment, you should do is to check all of the outlets in your vehicle.

You can use a voltmeter for this which will tell you the exact amount of current your sockets are getting. You can easily purchase these from a store nearby you. 

Since running your equipment on this can be dangerous, fix the problem quickly by checking all the other outlets in your vehicle. And you should get an electrician to get this job done.

Again, the wiring in your outlets can cause the current to fluctuate. So, it is recommended that you get them replaced with a new one.

Again, the batteries can go out of work for the lower level of the water. Distilled water is recommended because it has a low amount of minerals and this type won’t cover the walls with layers of oxide which can prevent current from passing through it.

5. Poor Parts

Some of the customers were quite disappointed at the flimsy parts of this TT. The rails for the kitchen were woefully small and failed. 

The coax connection also failed. The outside sink was not draining. 

The Fix:

There is no other better option than to replace the rails with the proper-sized strong rails. 

For the coax connection, the wire may cause this problem. So, the link has to get rewired.

You need to modify the outside sink for proper drainage.

6. Awning Issues

While on a long road with the whole family for several days, a lot of things went wrong with the Winnie drop awning – according to the customers. Sometimes, the electrical retractable awning fails. 

Sagging canopy can happen with your RV awning.

The Fix:

To troubleshoot problems with your Winnie drop awning, here are some repair tips for you.

If your battery-operated retractable awning fails, test the batteries for power or recharge or replace the batteries as necessary. If you cannot find suitable replacements, you will need to retract your awning manually. To do this – 

  • Undo the straps on the awning.
  • Loosen the tension arm latch. 
  • Lower the tension arm latch and then push the awning into the travel position. 
  • Make sure that the awning fabrics do not get caught in between the rods when you roll the awning into position to avoid ripping it. 
  • Once the awning is in travel position, roll up the awning tightly then strap it in place. 
  • Make sure that the travel knobs on the awning are securely locked before you hit the road.

If your RV awning canopy sags in some areas, check the rivets that are holding the torsion assembly in place. Replace all broken rivets and put the torsion assembly in the right position. 

If the canvas still sags, even after you replaced the broken rivets and put the torsion assembly in the right position, install some polls horizontally in strategic areas of the awning then pull the canvass in place.

Do not prop the sagging areas of the canopy posts to avoid causing damage to the canvas. 

7. Height Issues

Some customers mentioned about entry step height issue. That’s why it touched the ground. It also looks like there are 2 more mounting holes for the axle, so the camper could go up another couple of inches.

The Fix:

You can solve the height clearance issue by raising the camper. There are mounting holes so that the camper can go up.

I am suggesting a height – the distance from the front jack to the ground should be more like 11″ than 10″, and the true distance from the rear jack to the ground should be more like 15″ than 16″.

From ground to first step distance should be just over 9″, and distance from step to entry threshold should be about 12-1/2″.

What Majority of The Customers Say?

The Winnebago Winnie Drop is the perfect size for a couple to explore the country and is easy to tow with the sway bars we bought.

I get many doubles takes and many thumbs up because of the retro styling. It has a lot of storage under the bench seats and the closet in the bathroom fits a lot of clothing and extra storage also.

I love the awning with LED lights and the stereo speakers inside and outside. I upgraded the TV to a larger smart TV and upgraded the mattress. It is my home away from home with all the conveniences.

Its size allowed us to travel through beach side cities with no problem. With the top-of-the-line sway bar set (included) the trailer held the mountain roads great. It definitely was VIP traveling.

However, this trailer obviously has drawbacks. The slide outs need to be taken care. Some models miss the parts.

The awning creates problem while retracting. For the height issue, you need to raise the camper.

Final Words

I hope this article has helped you to get all basic knowledge about solving the Winnie drop problems. Being familiar with these problems and knowing how to troubleshoot them will come in real handy at times.

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