Options on New 2300

[konrad]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. After a lot of research, including reading on this forum, visiting dealers, and renting RVs, the DW and I have decided to buy a new 2300 with the Ford chassis. We want to stay at or below 24 feet, and we want a full-time, 60x80 queen size bed. One of the reasons we have chosen Sunseeker is this amazing forum full of information and opinions.

Now we just have to decide on which options to get, and I'd love to get your advice on a few of them:

1. The Bigfoot leveling system sounds like it's worth getting. I am wondering how much weight it adds and whether it reduces ground clearance.
2. The Arctic Pack sounds like it's usually not worthwhile. In our case, we will be doing ski trips to the mountains in the winter, and I wonder if it may be useful while driving in below-freezing weather, or while hooked up to 30A service and using an electric heater.
3. Side view cameras: would they really help with blind spots on a 2300?
4. Passenger side swivel seat: in the video on the facebook page, it looks like seat only swings around to a 45 degree angle, and I don't know whether that would work with the dinette of the 2300. Does it swing around 180 degrees or not?
5. Outside Entertainment System: is it connected to the inside audio system? Can it use SiriusXM? Does it have Bluetooth?
6. Bedroom TV: does it connect to the front dash or other front TV source? What size is it?

Thanks everyone for your help!
Konrad

[RvBill3]

Originally Posted by konrad

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. After a lot of research, including reading on this forum, visiting dealers, and renting RVs, the DW and I have decided to buy a new 2300 with the Ford chassis. We want to stay at or below 24 feet, and we want a full-time, 60x80 queen size bed. One of the reasons we have chosen Sunseeker is this amazing forum full of information and opinions.

Now we just have to decide on which options to get, and I'd love to get your advice on a few of them:

1. The Bigfoot leveling system sounds like it's worth getting. I am wondering how much weight it adds and whether it reduces ground clearance.
2. The Arctic Pack sounds like it's usually not worthwhile. In our case, we will be doing ski trips to the mountains in the winter, and I wonder if it may be useful while driving in below-freezing weather, or while hooked up to 30A service and using an electric heater.
3. Side view cameras: would they really help with blind spots on a 2300?
4. Passenger side swivel seat: in the video on the facebook page, it looks like seat only swings around to a 45 degree angle, and I don't know whether that would work with the dinette of the 2300. Does it swing around 180 degrees or not?
5. Outside Entertainment System: is it connected to the inside audio system? Can it use SiriusXM? Does it have Bluetooth?
6. Bedroom TV: does it connect to the front dash or other front TV source? What size is it?

Thanks everyone for your help!
Konrad

I can't speak for the levelers, as I don't have them. But I can say that it really isn't hard to level using Lynx (lego-type) blocks. If you are planning to travel in winter, I would get the arctic pack. The side view cameras IMHO are not needed on a short unit like this. I have had no problem passing, etc. The mirrors are very good. I added a swivel base to my passenger seat and love it. Mine goes all the way around. I would think the one from FR would also.

The outside entertainment is a basic radio and CD player. It has an aux input on the front and back. I ran a cable from the dash radio to the aux in on the back of the outside radio. I use the XM mode and bluetooth on the dash radio and turn the outside radio to aux. I added my own bedroom TV. The wiring is tied to the antenna. It is not tied to the dash radio, but that could be different if you order it from the factory.

Overall, I love our 2300. For two people it is perfect, and can also accommodate more if needed. It drives very well and is small enough to drive in cities and just about anywhere.

If you have other questions, don't hesitate to ask. We all have benefitted from this forum and are glad to pay it forward by helping others.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[poppytoymaker]

Hi, I'm waiting for delivery of a Forester 2251S that is simillar to the 2300 your thinking of buying. We chose the Chevy chasis for the ease of getting in and out of the driver and passenger seats. Although we're both short we found the seats in the cab confining. the only thing I'm going to add at this point is a roof ladder which will make it a little longer then the 24'4".

[RvBill3]

The 2300 comes with a roof ladder. The Chevy chassis is actually 25' long


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[bclemens]

1. Personal opinion
2. The Arctic Pack is not very expensive for the benefit of working while driving. but then again things should be sloshing about.
3. Side view cameras: personally, I like the mirrors. Merge left you look left, merge right you look right. Side view cameras...merge left you look??? at the rear view mirror? (personal opinion of course)
4. Passenger side swivel seat: goes to 180...It was just brand new and still stiff. (that was me in the video...maybe didn't have my morning coffee)
5. Outside stereo. Already answered above
6. Bedroom TV: does it connect to the front dash (no) or other front TV source? What size is it? 24" typically. (Some floor plans, only a 19" will fit...I don't think the 2300 is on of them) The rear TV will have its own DVD player built in.

[konrad]

rvBill and bclemens: thanks so much for your thoughts on these options! I have read so many helpful posts from both of you all over this forum. If I ever meet either of you at a campground I will offer you a beer and a steak.

I will go ahead and get the Arctic Pack and Swivel Seat, and pass on the side view cameras. My remaining questions are:

1. How much does the Leveling System add to the weight (I'm concerned with its impact on cargo capacity)? And do the jacks hang down below the frame when in their retracted position (concerned with ground clearance)?
2. For the Outside Entertainment Center, Bill's idea seems like a no-brainer -- to connect the dash radio to the aux in on the back of the outside radio. Will the factory do this for me? Or would this be easy for me to do?
3. For the bedroom TV, I'd be interested in connecting it up to the same video source I have up front, either antenna or an add-on like an Apple TV or Roku box. Would that work with the way the factory wires it?

[bclemens]

1. about 200lbs. Yes, but no lower than the lowest suspension part. 2300 is not a bad one, I think you lose more clearance on the 30 footers due to departure angle. We sell a ton of them so I'm guessing it does not cut into enough to be a problem.
2. no. "one off" type stuff never goes well. Should be easy enough though.
3. The bedroom TV will get an "Over the air" Antenna hook up..that goes to every TV, so you can watch different local channels on the front and the back. It's just the front DVD player that does not go to the back, which is why the bedroom TV has its own DVD. Apple TV and Roku typically have SINGLE HDMI cable. Typically can't feed two sources anyway. The only thing we connect together is coax cable carrying the OTA antenna signal.

[Snowman9000]

My answers will sound a lot like Bill's.

We don't have the levelers, and with a short MH like this, most of the time we jockey around a little in the campsite and get level enough without doing anything else. Otherwise we use the Lynx levelers.

Don't have the side view cameras and don't feel any need for them.

Have the artic pac, probably unnecessary, but we have it if we need it. Not a deal stopper, that's for sure.

Get the swivel seat!!!! We have a Chevy so that was not an option. But I wish it was. I bought an aftermarket swivel base for mine. It's okay but not like the one that Forest River has for the Fords. The cab seats are the only comfy seats in the 2300, so if you get the swivel, you can use it in camp. Get it!!!

Get the upgraded mattress. Well worth it, a very nice bed.

We love our 2300.

[konrad]

Thanks, snowman. We've decided to go ahead with the swivel seat -- it sounds like it can be very usable on a 2300. A good reading chair would be awesome. We are also going to get the upgraded mattress.

We are also planning to get the convection oven. It would mean 2 extra drawers in a very small kitchen. I think the main thing we would lose is the ability to bake when we're boondocking (unless we're willing to run the generator). Anyone have experiences or opinions on that option?

[Snowman9000]

Our previous small Class B+ had the convection oven. My wife hated it. Having the oven in the Sunseeker was a big deal for us. We do camp off-grid a lot now, but did not with the B+, so that was not so much of a factor in our dislike for the convection oven. Your mileage may vary.

I'm 1000% sure my wife would like extra drawers. But the truth is, we carry everything we need, and still have some extra space in some of the non-kitchen overhead cabinets. We only used the 2300 for one trip so far, but it was a 6 week one, so we had time to figure out a lot of things. We are getting ready to do an 8 week trip, and this time we will have our act together on packing, so my wife and I will be fully adjusted to the storage space. One thing we are considering is adding some shelves in at least one side of the wardrobe cabinet. The shelves could be used for either clothes or pantry items. Probably end up being pantry. If you give my wife kitchen storage, she fills it.

We have the big wardrobe and regular dinette. Does the U-dinette still come with a smaller wardrobe? If so, and if you get that one, the two extra drawers might help you a lot. Decisions, decisions.

Bottom line, if you are an oven user, I bet you won't think highly of the convection oven.

[trdutch]

I'll give you my opinion on the Big Foot
I have a 2860
Weight isn't a concern cause I don't load it to max and there is very little storage on this model so it's not a concern unless you are a full timer/remote long trip RVer,or maybe aGold miner LOL!
I'm just a camper;
grill,chairs lantern,small tool chest,rug,sporting goods,couple of bicycles or a Motorcycle trailer etc.
Ground clearance at first was a concern
Looking under the unit you scratch your head and think
"How are they not going to hit the ground?"
But my experience has been my hitch and trailer dolly (fully retracted)hit several times but the jacks never have
I do run the trailer in a slightly nose high attitude because of this,and it still will hit in certain instances.
So in a nut shell we love the Big Foot cause it works and makes set up a breeze and they have never hit.i can actually level the unit in MAN mode on my goofy sloped driveway for set up and cleaning and that's not possible with Legos or logs.
Good luck with your purchase!

[GJones]

I have them on a 3010DS. X2 what trdutch says.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[konrad]

Thanks, snowman. Do you know what your wife hated about the convection oven? I'm going on my experience at home -- a few years ago I bought my wife one of those counter-top toaster/convection ovens by Cuisinart and she has been using that most of the time instead of the big gas oven. She says it heats quicker because of the convection and it uses less energy because it's smaller.


We are getting the U-dinette because we really like the "lounge" feeling of it. That means a half-size wardrobe and half as many drawers below. So two extra drawers in the kitchen would be valuable.


I like your idea of converting half of the wardrobe to shelf space. I could see doing that with some melamine board pretty easily. Or maybe even one of those pull-out, wire frame pantry. My wife loves those.

[RvBill3]

Another storage idea (U-shaped dinette): The cushion along the wall of the dinette has a piece of plywood under it that lifts out and reveals a nice size storage area. I put a couple of plastic totes under there just to keep things from sliding around and store extra can goods, bags of potatoes, etc., and extra paper products (TP, Paper towels, plates, etc.)

So the rear cushion reveals a panel that is screwed down. Enquiring minds wanted to know. Removing a couple of screws and you find the subwoofer for the radio and a lot of space. I added a couple plastic milk crates there and carry extra bottles of water and other beverages.

So the front dinette seat has a long drawer under it. But careful inspection shows that the drawer does not go the full depth of the seat. So one of this winter's projects is to remove the plywood, cut it at the place where the drawer ends (probably add a cross brace for support), and uncover a small storage area in the corner of the dinette. Haven't decided what to put there yet, but maybe a lock box or small safe for valuables.

There is a lot of space for storage. Some takes a little work or thought, but there is enough space for two people to support a long trip.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[RvBill3]

Originally Posted by konrad

rvBill and bclemens: thanks so much for your thoughts on these options! I have read so many helpful posts from both of you all over this forum. If I ever meet either of you at a campground I will offer you a beer and a steak.

I could send you a list of my itinerary for next season :-)

Seriously--glad to help. I have learned much here and want to pay it forward.



2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[konrad]

RvBill, thanks for the info on storage under the dinette. I didn't know there was so much hidden storage. That will help a lot.

Originally Posted by RvBill3

The outside entertainment is a basic radio and CD player. It has an aux input on the front and back. I ran a cable from the dash radio to the aux in on the back of the outside radio. I use the XM mode and bluetooth on the dash radio and turn the outside radio to aux.

RvBill, could you tell me how you ran a cable from the dash radio to the aux in the back of the outside radio (type of cable, how you routed it)? I think that will be one of the first things I do when I get my new 2300.

[Snowman9000]

It's likely that the convection oven we had was not a good quality unit. The brand was Apollo, and on RV forums the cooks usually seem to have bad things to say about them. My wife says the food did not cook/bake evenly at all. She also didn't like that there was a metal rack or something which had to be used for convection but had to be removed for microwaving. But the performance was the big thing.

[RvBill3]

Connecting the dash radio to the outside entertainment radio. I used a long (25') audio cable (available from Amazon) RCA male pair to RCA female pair. I cheated a little. There is a cable from the dash radio to the front TV that connects sound out of the TV into the radio. I didn't really see a need for that. So at the radio end, I changed it from an input to the radio to an output. Then I removed the cable from the back of the TV and attached the female ends of the new cable. I ran it down the arm of the TV mount to the cabinet above the door. Through that cabinet, drilling a hole into the cabinet above the sink, through the back of that and drilled a hole out of the cabinet into the space behind the microwave.

Here's where it became a little work. I fished it down the wall from the back of the microwave to the wall between the stove and refrigerator. Taking the drawer out under the oven, you can see the back of the outside radio. The problem was getting it down the wall. I ended up unscrewing the stove and pulling it out of the cabinet a couple of inches to be able to fish the wire down the wall.

Maybe there is another way to get from the dash to the cabinet behind the oven--but I couldn't figure one out.

This probably won't make any sense until you are standing in front of the cabinets. If you need more help, PM me and I will try to explain it further.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[konrad]

Originally Posted by RvBill3

I cheated a little. There is a cable from the dash radio to the front TV that connects sound out of the TV into the radio. I didn't really see a need for that.

Thanks, RvBill. That made sense to me. I have some photos of the interiors of 2300s and was able to follow along. The only thing I don't understand is that the cable you "repurposed" from the TV might serve a useful purpose. Doesn't it allow you to hear TV sound through the surround sound speakers? With a DVD, it wouldn't matter, because you're using the in-dash radio as the source. But for antenna or any other source (e.g. Apple TV or Roku box), wouldn't you need that cable to get sound through the ceiling speakers?

[konrad]

Originally Posted by Snowman9000

It's likely that the convection oven we had was not a good quality unit. The brand was Apollo, and on RV forums the cooks usually seem to have bad things to say about them.

Oh, goodness. Does anyone know what brand of convection oven is currently being used?