Showing a few Sunseeker modifications

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:01 PM

I'm always impressed by the ideas and talent for repairs and improvements demonstrated by members of the forum. So many ideas shared inspire me to take ion new projects to enhance our RV's usability. In this thread I'll humbly present a few mods I have made, in that hopes someone else can use the ideas.

First up, a way to accurately see how much fresh water is in the tank. Boondocking requires keeping accurate tabs on the remaining water supply. The FW tank is under the bed, adjacent to a service panel to access electrical stuff. I removed the original screwed on service panel and replaced with a hinged door. Next to the original service opening I cut a slot so I can view the FW tank directly, along with markings for 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 levels. The door covers both holes when closed. No more looking at the stupid lights on the convenience panel, since I can view the water level directly!

kenandterry · 01-25-2021, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BehindBars

I'm always impressed by the ideas and talent for repairs and improvements demonstrated by members of the forum. So many ideas shared inspire me to take ion new projects to enhance our RV's usability. In this thread I'll humbly present a few mods I have made, in that hopes someone else can use the ideas.

First up, a way to accurately see how much fresh water is in the tank. Boondocking requires keeping accurate tabs on the remaining water supply. The FW tank is under the bed, adjacent to a service panel to access electrical stuff. I removed the original screwed on service panel and replaced with a hinged door. Next to the original service opening I cut a slot so I can view the FW tank directly, along with markings for 12/4, 1/2, and 3/4 levels. The door covers both holes when closed. No more looking at the stupid lights on the convenience panel, since I can view the water level directly!

Very cool. But I’m not too good at math. How much water is 12/4 of a tank.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:11 PM

Next up, Forest River had installed a 120 volt outlet about chest high on a wall that is basically in a hallway at the foot of the bed. I have no clue what this outlet's purpose would be. We also had a desire to put a lighted clock on that wall, to be viewed from the bed, but anything on that wall would protrude in the way of the walk through path to the bathroom. Realizing that this wall was 3.5 inches deep, I decided to put a cubby hole in the wall and move the outlet inside the cubby to power the clock. Pictures show the before and after!

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Very cool. But I’m not too god at math. How much water is 12/4 of a tank.

Thank you for being my proofreader!

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:27 PM

We sit at the dinette a lot, but the U-shaped dinettes don't have very big tables. Not only that, but the table is in the wrong place and too high. I cannot understand at all why Forest River offsets the table out into the center of the RV. It makes no sense. They do it on every model with this style dinette. It partially blocks the pathway past the dinette when the slide is in, and it also causes the person sitting at the dinette by the window to be 3 inches farther from the table than the persons sitting on the "ends". So I cut the post down 2 inches to make the table standard dining table height, and I moved the pedestal 3 inches toward the window. Now the table is centered in the dinette. If you heat the flooring it will self heal and mostly hide the old screw holes. A little colored putty will hide the holes completely.

Next I made a slide-on extension piece to enlarge the table. We use it for longer stays where the table tends to become cluttered with this and that as the days go by. The extension has copper pipes attached that slide perfectly into CPVC tubes on the main table. The extension is the same type piece that is used on the kitchen counter and it was ordered from Forest River. We store the extension in a basement bay for travel or when not needed.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:35 PM

To eliminate short cycling of the fresh water pump, many RV owners have added accumulator tanks. For our motorhome, I installed a 2 gallon well pressure tank inside the galley cabinetry next to the water heater. I included valves to isolate the tank from the water system, if desired, and to be able drain the tank directly through the floor. It was also a good place to put a water pressure gauge.There is an extension hose for the tank Schrader valve, and it can be accessed by removing the adjacent drawer.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:40 PM

Owners of motorhomes with Firestone Ride-Rite rear air bags know what a pain it is to keep the air spring pressure adjusted correctly.I installed the AirLift Wireless One air compressor inside a basement storage bay. There is a wireless remote control on the dash. Pressure in the air springs is automatically maintained or you can change the pressure up or down anytime on the fly.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:47 PM

Our floor plan has a sliding door for the bathroom. It hangs from a rail at the top and swings a bit loosely in a guide at the bottom. This results in a fair amount of movement during travel. I installed a locking thumbscrew bolt that goes into the wall, to lock the door down for travel. There wall has little substance so there is a threaded spacer going through the wall and is anchored on the other side. Much of the hardware is stainless or chrome plated. The door is now secure in place when we travel.

Truth be told, we never close the door and it has been locked in the open position for the last year anyway.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 04:57 PM

The bed sits a little high, so I made a little permanent step at the foot of the bed. There were carpet scraps in the motorhome when we took delivery, so I made a wooden box and wrapped it with carpet, and screwed the step to the floor. The wife really appreciates the step.

kenandterry · 01-25-2021, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BehindBars

Our floor plan has a sliding door for the bathroom.

Truth be told, we never close the door and it has been locked in the open position for the last year anyway.

TMI!!!

My eyes!

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 05:05 PM

The motorhome has a motion sensor in the entry step well, but it is not always good because it is triggered constantly while we're driving down the road. We also like very dim lighting outdoors in the evening, and the awning LED light strip was way too bright. So I rebuilt the switch panel in the entry area to include a switch for the motion sensor light, and a dimmer for the awning LED strip light. We now love the soft glow of the awning light when it's dimmed to it's lowest setting. Before and after pictures attached.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 05:33 PM

Forest River installed a cooktop backsplash on the back wall only, which makes little sense because the glass stove cover folds up and protects the back anyway. Having wall protection to the side seems more important. So, I ordered another identical back splash and placed it on the side wall of the cooking area.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 05:53 PM

There was wasted wall space in the bathroom where I thought a cabinet could be added. So, using the wood grain seam tape and the cabinet door I ordered from Forest River, I built a cabinet for that space. It exactly matches the style and color of the other cabinets in the motorhome. Before and after pictures attached.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 06:22 PM

I dislike the buzzy little bathroom vent fans that Forest River installs in the Sunseeker, so I swapped out the bathroom vent for a Maxxair bathroom vent/fan. It included a low profile rain proof roof cover, and inside it has a ring of LED lights surrounding the fan. I added a dimmer to the LEDs so it can be dimmed down almost to a night light level, or full bright for more bathroom light.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 06:33 PM

Upon entering the motorhome, we would have to go up the steps, turn around, and switch on the lights using the switches on the main Convenience Center panel. This was awkward. So, I installed a dimmer and switch on the side of the cabinet easily accessible when entering the RV. The dimmer and switch controls all six kitchen and dining room ceiling lights, but I can still use to the Convenience Center switches to deselect one bank of 3 lights or the other 3, if desired.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 06:42 PM

The motorhome came with little wall mounted corner shelves in the bed slide out, which we like, but they were not supplied in the dinette slide. I ordered two more shelves and installed them in the dinette area. Since I have matching wallpaper, the shelf support blocks could be made to match the wall.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 06:48 PM

Added a Pioneer subwoofer in the cabinet above the entry door.

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 07:06 PM

If your Sunseeker or Forester E-series chassis is new, you may want to get the front end alignment checked. Our was out of spec as delivered to us, so we had the alignment corrected and Forest River reimbursed us for that expense.

RandK-M · 01-25-2021, 07:12 PM

Excellent work! I always love doing mods to personalize and make things worlk the way I like them. Thanks for sharing yours!

Ray

BehindBars · 01-25-2021, 09:05 PM

One more: Forester and Sunseeker Classics (Ford) are in a motorhome minority as they actually do come with a spare tire. I wouldn't buy a motorhome without a spare, or at least a place to put a spare. However, Forest River mounts the spare in a way that does not make it at all easy to handle. I purchased parts from Lippert to install a winch to raise and lower the spare wheel. The parts Lippert sells will get the job done, but you are totally on your own as to how to install them. The winch extension shaft exits below the body at the rear of the motorhome, and once I unbolt the safety bar from the wheel, I can crank the wheel down to the ground with Lippert's crank handle. Attached pictures show how I did it.

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