Sunseeker MBS 2400W

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Perhaps we can wake up this section, as there has not been much activity here...

On Friday, 25 March, we will pick up our new Forest River SunSeeker at Barrington Motor Sales near Chicago. My wife and I have been looking at about every type B and C on the Sprinter chassis for about 3 years, and in a perfect world with an unlimited budget we might have gone in a different direction. But none of these conversions are perfect, and the money we saved over higher end units will hopefully allow us to do upgrades like solar, better batteries, and a more robust inverter. In higher end units like the Winnebago or LTV, these features are present, but not necessarily using components I would choose.

We picked the 2400W because, although under 25' long, there is phenomenal interior space due to one large slide room on the driver's side. For this type of coach the bathroom is roomy, the kitchen is just adequate, and there is a good sized dinette. With the slide out, there is an open floor space 60" wide x 130" from the cockpit seats to the side of the queensized bed. With the slide in the width is reduced to 30", and the queen bed is halved to about 38x60. There is a 54" x 80" bunk over the cab... We initially did not want this area, but have gotten used to the idea, as the dealer suggested that this configuration would be easier to sell on the other end. The chassis is the basic 3500 unit, but it has all the necessisties, with exactly the same drive train as all the other MB based brands.

We spent a lot of time inspecting the dealer's unit on the lot, and were mostly impressed with the build. We ordered our copy the first week of January, and it arrived from the Factory last week. It came with one MaxAir fan in the front near the kitchen, with a vent cover. There is also a vent with no fan in the bedroom, and a small powered vent in the bathroom. We added the same MaxAir's with covers to these spaces. Hopefully all these fans will clear out the "new vehicle" fumes in short order, and minimize the need for AC in the future.

Needless to say, we are pretty excited about meeting the beast on Friday. I hope to drive the dealer a little crazy during the PDI, and we are crossing our fingers that there are no serious flaws. I will report on the the experience as soon as possible. Please share any experiences you all may have with this or similar models. Thanks! Bob.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Per my previous post, we arrived at the dealership, Barrington Motor Sales in the Chicago area, at about 9:30 am last Friday to pick up our new SunSeeker. Having read on this forum and others about bad experiences with dealers and poorly built motor homes, I was a bit paranoid, to say the least. The owners of the company, Sean and Brian Bransky, met us in the office, and were really upbeat about the new RV. We were taken to the service area and were introduced to our new home on wheels, and honestly, it was near perfect. We spent the next 4 hours going over every detail of our new SunSeeker with Rich, and really had a great time. The closing took another hour (never fun to write that check), and we were on our way.

I would say it was perfect, but the radios were unable to receive stations due to a damaged antenna wire (Screw want through it during construction). The new cable had not arrived yet. Sean called me the day before to let me know of this problem, so this issue was not a surprise.
A couple of pretty neat developments...
- we were expecting a 2016 model, but instead what we got was a 2017 (2016 sprinter chassis)
- all the windows in the new RV are frameless with "tilt-out" openings. The unit we saw when we ordered ours had sliding windows.

Our first stop was the Container Store, where we found some drawer cabinets that fit perfectly into what we now call our pantry cabinet. Then we drove our new baby up to Wisconsin for the weekend.

Great start!!!
 

Termite

New member
We are looking at the 2401R and 2401W. The W open floor plan with the slide out is wonderful and the woman with the check book likes it best. Toilet is lower for short people and saves me building a foot platform. One key issue is external storage and the R has the most. Will have to check with family to see which one they need for storage space. Is one allowed to ask what you paid for it? We are looking at one on the lot with the full paint, vent fans already in, for about 79K. This will be a big change from a Mini Jimmy in the mid 1980's.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Pricing was pretty much the same. We were zeroing in on a Winnie View, and the best price I could find was the low 90's, out of town 200 miles. The place where we got the SunSeeker (20 miles away) also sold the Winnebago, and they had both units in stock for a side by side comparison. I believe I could have worked the Winnebago down a couple more grand, but the SunSeeker was still at least $13 K less. We can do a lot of add-ons down the road for that kind of cash. Like you, my wife loved the space, and she too writes the checks! The build seems pretty solid, but time will tell.

Regarding storage, I believe the exterior space is more than adequate on the W. We packed about 80% of what we plan to carry last weekend, and there was still tons of space left in those cabinets. The interior, on the other hand, is more challenging. We will be using the cab-over space for things like coats and bedding, as there is no overhead cabinets like the Winnie has.
Also, the vehicle has less than 1000 lbs of CCC, so leave the piano at home.

Best of luck on your buying process! Bob & Cynthia.
 

Termite

New member
Got the 2401W and are pleased so far. Still trying to build our "nest" and get it outfitted. Did reverse the bathroom vanity door closest to toilet so paper holder could be mounted to door back and be out of the way when door closed. As noted in another thread, we are researching the issue of automatic levelers. Drove (flew?) it home in 30 to 40 knot crosswinds. Was really stable and controllable even though winds pushed a bit.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
The 2401W has the stabilizers in the back, correct? We have been on the road almost 2 weeks on our first trip, and have not had problems with being level, staying mostly in State Parks. I think most sites will be fairly level side-to-side, which is the orientation for the bed on our units. From what I have read, the leveling systems add a fair amount of weight, and our CCC lbs only about 1000 lbs.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Trip report on our 2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400 W...



We are in our 12th day of our first big adventure in the Beast... Here are some details from the road (presently on a lake in northern Mississippi, the only camper in a 60 space Corps of Engineers campground, no hookups... Gorgeous night, full moon, temps in the 60's, livin' the life!)



We have been through conditions from 23 degrees and snow to torrential downpours to beautiful sunny days in the 80's. We have driven in all this, and you can add strong winds, heavy traffic, and pretty rough roads. So far we have covered about 2700 miles, with another 800 to go. This is our first motor home, unless you count the 1970 VW van that we camped in 40 years ago.



Overall, the lifestyle meets or exceeds our expectations, and the SunSeeker is proving to be pretty perfect for us...



MB Chassis:

Solid performance! Despite the bulk of the coach, both Cynthia and I find it pretty easy to drive. There is plenty of power, and it goes where you point it. It can get thrilling with some of the 30 mph crosswinds we have encountered, but it has always been under complete control. One must remember that this thing is basically a truck that is running at maximum load. On a smooth road it is a perfect joy... On rough roads with beat-up expansion joints, it is not so pleasant. We have had to make U-turns fairly often, and the turning radius is a real plus. MPG has run from 12.5 to16.3 per tank, and we have been driving in the 55-65 mph range. One of the craziest looking dash lights I have ever seen came on at 2500 miles. Needless to say, panic ensued. Turns out the DEF tank was down to 1.5 gallons... Put 2.5 gallons in and all is good.



Electronics:

These things are a perpetual puzzle, and often getting something to work takes tons of trial and error. Getting the Bluetooth to pair on the entertainment system was not fun, but it works now. The nav system in the head unit has a 100 page manual... We have been working with it, and have grown to truly love it... Better than anything else I have used. The main TV mates nicely to the TV, and the sound system is pretty sweet... I do not think the sub-woofer is working, and I am not sure it is needed.



Forest River Design and Build:

The layout of this "house" is wonderful for us. We love the dinette... It is comfy, great for sitting around talking, eating, cruising the net, watching the tv, listening to music. The bed is just right, about the same size as home. Still learning how to best use the kitchen... The dinette comes into play as a prep surface when things get involved. The bath and shower are "right-sized" for the scale of house, and works for us. We were worried about storage inside, but there is plenty, especially when you add the "attic" above the cab. We are still in the learning stages, and really overpacked. There is plenty of storage in the basement, nowhere near filled. You can tell these people have been building these things for awhile, as there are a lot of nice details that make it more livable... Lighting all over the place, including nice night-lights along the floor. Lots of USB charging spots.

The fit and finish of everything is solid, clean, and seems pretty durable. The cabinets are all solid wood, with some of the trim using thin laminates that match the wood. Driving down the road the rattles are minimal, mostly centering around the side door and dinette table... Sounds (all minor) coming from these areas, but not pinpointed yet. Everything works!

Problems:

- side door is solid, but the latches for the screen door / main door are a learning curve... We cannot shut the door without working the latches, and they stick.

- the Curt controller wigged out in the super rains we drove through, causing the running lights to randomly go on and off night and day. When it dried out l taped HD plastic bags over it, and it is now ok... It also has not rained in awhile.

- in what I would consider about the hardest rain I have ever experienced, a small leak developed on one side of the forward MaxAir fan.

- the slide room, both the coolest feature and potentially biggest problem, would not extend as I was trying to show it to a relative 1200 miles from home. I called the dealer, and they were ready to fix it right away, except for the "1200 miles away" problem. They referred me to a dealer in the area we were visiting, and that is a story in itself, and not a good one. The videos from Lippert are pretty helpful, and the good news is that the slide controller in easy to find, in the basement cabinet under the slide. It has a code system that tells you what the problem is. In our case, motor 2 had a short in the wiring. and I found that the plug that connects the wiring to the motor was cracked, causing a loose wire. Hot glue & tape and all was good.

So far, so great!
 

drivingwaldorf

New member
Hi, we just bought a 2016 Sunseeker 2400MBS-W in May. So far, it's very nice, we haven't been able to use it much. My husband made a sewer hose holder out of a 5 inch fence post and attached it vertically to the left of the ladder (looking at the back). I was afraid it would look really tacky but you don't really notice it with all the swoops going on. Turning the little door around for the toilet paper is a great idea. The large slide is super nice and super scary! I find the frig cools off really fast when you are getting ready for a trip.
I will be watching here closely to see what else y'all think of.
 

drivingwaldorf

New member
Oh I wanted to add, we removed the accordion door that would separate the bedroom from the living room. It's just us 2 and since the bathroom door can't open all the way, it's just in the way. We stored it carefully away, for resale. Just that 4 inches gone makes the flow of the area feel better.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Regarding that accordion door, we have yet to use it, and I am thinking we will remove it as well.
We are not traveling right now, but hope to get back out there as soon as possible. Keep us posted on your travels!
 

Polariste

New member
To : rsheywood@gmail.com,

There will be a recall made by Forest River in regard to the Curt Controller for the RV rear lights. It should be around August 18th, meanwhile they are working on a solution to this problem. I replaced the controller on mine because I had lost all the lights ( parking, brake, turn). Go and check the Forest River forum for details.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
Regarding the Curt controller, I have been following the various threads on the issue, and am aware of the proposed recall. I do not see an area on the FR forum that reports on recalls. I had trouble with my controller, wrapped it in a heavy duty zip lock baq after it dried out, and reported the issue to my dealer... In the meantime I have not had any problems with the lights.

If there is an official recall, it is my understanding that FR will be required to communicate with me directly so we can arrange for the fix.
 

bmwrider1946

New member
We purchased a Forester 2401W in June. Already have almost 7,000 miles on it. Had typical problems, but if you buy a new motor home and do not expect to deal with these type issues you will be frustrated. I can't imagine a better configuration than the W. I could not bring myself to buy one until I saw this configuration. Small but very livable.
 

Chris V

New member
Problems:

- side door is solid, but the latches for the screen door / main door are a learning curve... We cannot shut the door without working the latches, and they stick.

- the Curt controller wigged out in the super rains we drove through, causing the running lights to randomly go on and off night and day. When it dried out l taped HD plastic bags over it, and it is now ok... It also has not rained in awhile.


- the slide room, both the coolest feature and potentially biggest problem, would not extend as I was trying to show it to a relative 1200 miles from home. I called the dealer, and they were ready to fix it right away, except for the "1200 miles away" problem. They referred me to a dealer in the area we were visiting, and that is a story in itself, and not a good one. The videos from Lippert are pretty helpful, and the good news is that the slide controller in easy to find, in the basement cabinet under the slide. It has a code system that tells you what the problem is. In our case, motor 2 had a short in the wiring. and I found that the plug that connects the wiring to the motor was cracked, causing a loose wire. Hot glue & tape and all was good.

So far, so great![/QUOTE]
:thinking:What is a "curt controller"?
And for your sticky locks I would suggest that you get a can of silicon spray and lube the lock and their mechanisms. That should solve the problem. Its also useful on the seals for the slide out.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
The Curt controller is an electronic device that coordinates the brake and signal lights with the trailer circuitry, and I believe Forest River employs this unit to handle problems that occur between the use of classic tungsten bulbs and newer LED's, which are everywhere on the back of the RV. On my 2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W, it is mounted on the driver's side rear just in front of the rear bumper on the coach shell. In that position it is exposed to water spray off the rear wheels, and has been problematic with the Sunseeker MBS line for the last year, so much so that Forest River initiated a recall. In the last couple of weeks we had the work done at the factory, as we pass near there when returning from our travels South. The folks at the factory were great, and they did a nice job on the repair, enclosing the newly engineered parts in a protected enclosure.

If you have a late model SunSeeker, check to see if the recall applies to you, as signal and brake light failure may occur, along with the trailer plug connection problems.

Bob & Cynthia
2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W
 

Arcrider

New member
My wife and I bought a Forest River 2400 RSD MBC last May. We upgraded from a Cascade travel trailer. We bought the unit with no cab over bed.

This is the unit that has the rear slide and a side slide where only the dinette moves out.

We took this to yellowstone and grand tetons with our daughter and husband for 8 days. 3 Weeks after we returned, we traded it in for a Winnebago Nation 24J/ View 24j.

Here's why.

On the Sunseeker I loved the side camera's, came standard with the 3M clear bra, gel coat grey paint. I modified to have the TV play through surround system. The back bedroom was very well designed when pushed out and the mattress was excellent! The mileage was around 15-16, not bad!

So, here's what we didn't like.
1. When traveling if you have a motorcycle or bikes on a hitch rack, you cannot push out the bed when stopped. With no cab over bed there is no where to take a nap or rest.
2. 2 of the doors had the hinge screws pull out (particle board).
3. The magnet ion the bedroom that holds the door pulled out of the wall.
4. The trim on the rear slide and seals came off after pushing the slide out and pulling in after 9 times. They are stapled to the frame.
5. the outside bins began to sag in the middle with nominal weight in them (hoses, wheel chocks).
6. Overall workmanship is poor and cheap.

We got a good deal on this unit, but for $7k more we could have gotten a much higher quality unit.
 

rsheywood@gmail.com

2016 Sunseeker MBS 2400w
I like to follow people's experiences on pretty much all the brands of MBS based campers, and it seems that there are bad experiences across the board, even on the higher priced models... we have had our W for about 18 months, covered about 24000 miles, and spent about 175 nights on-board. Although not trouble free, our overall experience has been pretty great. During the purchase process we almost went for a Winnebago View/Navion, but when we saw the SunSeeker 2400w, the floor plan really caught us, and the price was attractive as well. It didn't have all the bells and whistles of the Winnie, but for the $13000 difference, we were willing to give it a try... our unit's build quality was pretty good overall, but we keep a pretty close eye on things, so stuff that rattles or loosens gets attention pretty quickly.

Cynthia and Bob
2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W
 

Jacquemo

New member
Anyone have experience with either using or installing an Auxillary Fuel Tank on their MBS 2400 series RV?
 

Jacquemo

New member
We have a 2018 MBS 2400WS. Our batteries are currently 2 x FLA 12v 105 AH. Does anyone have info on upgrading the batteries to Lithium ion. Specifically Battleborn 100 AH batteries. Interested to know what other electronics have to be changed out. (ie Converter power supply. Also does anyone know if the coach batteries are charged when the engine is running and if it does then does anything there have to change as well.(ie Isolator and other?)
 

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