Resolving Stiff Sliding Seats in 2025 Sunseeker Class C RVs

[Barbara A_859]

The problem seats are in our new 2025 Forest River, Sunseeker Classic, e450 Ford chassis, 2440ds, swivel captain seats.

The swivel part works just fine.

The forward and backward takes me calling my guy neighbor (who is 6'2 and weighs 240 pounds) to come do it. I took it back to the dealer, they said the wrong "grease" was used at the factory and it had "hardened".......but Forest River declined to approve the work order with no explanation.

So 4 months later, I am still messing around trying to figure it out.

By loosening the 2 "seat to rail" bolts a tad at the back side of each seat, it gets a bit better, but loosening too much or tightening it makes it harder.

So I'm leaving it that way.... for now.

I am thinking I may have to buy new seats but every time I think that, I get to feeling resentful that Forest River and/or the dealer are aware and acknowledge there's a problem but will not/cannot fix it.

I know there are those out there that have far worse problems with their new rv and are fighting a much bigger and difficult battle.

It's just so hard to reconcile the huge $$$$$$ we spend on rvs and then to have to fight to get what we're paying for, just slays me.

Anyway, has anyone here had this same experience with these seats that was resolved and if so, how, or does anyone have any suggestions, helpful hints, tricks or tips they could share that I might be able to try?

 

[Oaklevel]

So did you contact Forest River or Sunseeker? Guessing someone will be along from the mortorized division.

 

[S. Todd]

Our 2025 Forester front seat slides just fine so it may not be a common problem. I wonder if some part of the slide mechanism got bent at some time before final installation. If it was a wrong grease issue, I would think it could be resolvable with WD40 and some dry lubricant.

 

[NCWanderers]

Have you compared the seat mounts to another E450? Perhaps you would see what the problem is.....

 

[Barbara A_859]

Our 2025 Forester front seat slides just fine so it may not be a common problem. I wonder if some part of the slide mechanism got bent at some time before final installation. If it was a wrong grease issue, I would think it could be resolvable with WD40 and some dry lubricant.

We wondered the same thing, maybe a rail was damaged or bent but it's unlikely because it's both seats.... but not impossible.

 

[Barbara A_859]

Have you compared the seat mounts to another E450? Perhaps you would see what the problem is.....

I haven't but that's a good idea, thank you

 

[Barbara A_859]

So did you contact Forest River or Sunseeker? Guessing someone will be along from the mortorized division.

Yes, repeatedly, left messages, no call backs, when i did get a hold of someone at the dealer, they said they would get some answers and call me back....3.5 months later, still waiting for those numerous call backs to start rolling in

 

[NCWanderers]

Yes, repeatedly, left messages, no call backs, when i did get a hold of someone at the dealer, they said they would get some answers and call me back....3.5 months later, still waiting for those numerous call backs to start rolling in

Go to dealership, take a LOT of photos of the seat mechanism and compare them to yours at home.

 

[karykatz]

BA - This is a seat mech that we install. It sounds like there may be an issue with the mech itself. please send me an email with your vin number and contact info so I can have our Servcie Team reach out.

kkatzenberger@forestriverinc.com

 

[Barbara A_859]

BA - This is a seat mech that we install. It sounds like there may be an issue with the mech itself. please send me an email with your vin number and contact info so I can have our Servcie Team reach out.

kkatzenberger@forestriverinc.com

Thank you, i have sent you an email, and I am so grateful for your help

 

[Barbara A_859]

Thank you, i have sent you an email, and I am so grateful for your help

UPDATE-
In the blink of an eye, so fast my eyes crossed, this "months long" issue has suddenly and completely changed course and is now headed in the most positive direction. Thanks go to the intervention of the folks at Forest River, specifically K. Katzenberger and Ryan Stratton. I cannot begin to describe how truly grateful and thankful I am, it's just a huge relief and a weight lifted. Thank you both and Ryan, thank you for letting me know I can reach out to you in the future if I need to. Kind people doing kind and helpful work

 

[karykatz]

Barbara

we are sorry this took so long, but very happy we could help. thank you for being part of the Forest River Family.

 

[Barbara A_859]

Barbara

we are sorry this took so long, but very happy we could help. thank you for being part of the Forest River Family.

Kary, no apologies needed, I was just asking the wrong people..... repeatedly, and the minute you and Ryan got involved the seat issue is currently being addressed and hopefully fully remedied soon, but also, I sent Ryan a bunch of questions that I have been asking the dealer sales people, the dealer service people, google, ChatGPT, random campers at campgrounds, strangers at Target () and ended up with answers that ran a wild gamut.... some outlandish!! Ryan, well, he took the time to answer every single one, his answers all made sense and I trust and have confidence that I'm a better FR Sunseeker owner as a result. I'm very grateful to you both

A side note, our NPS generator stopped abruptly yesterday, I called NPSRVPower for assistance, and Evan was there to help diagnose. He determined, through video, the noise it was making and a description of what was happening when it stopped, that the fuel pump is faulty, so he would send a new one with a youtube video of how to install it. My question is, if after watching the youtube video, I don't feel confident doing the replacement myself, with everything under warranty, would my Forest River dealer install it for me?

 

[karykatz]

Barbara

i have sent this to Ryan S. he will be contacting you so he can help you get the generator issue resolved.

 

[Kathie-FRF]

The problem seats are in our new 2025 Forest River, Sunseeker Classic, e450 Ford chassis, 2440ds, swivel captain seats.

The swivel part works just fine.

The forward and backward takes me calling my guy neighbor (who is 6'2 and weighs 240 pounds) to come do it. I took it back to the dealer, they said the wrong "grease" was used at the factory and it had "hardened".......but Forest River declined to approve the work order with no explanation.

So 4 months later, I am still messing around trying to figure it out.

By loosening the 2 "seat to rail" bolts a tad at the back side of each seat, it gets a bit better, but loosening too much or tightening it makes it harder.

So I'm leaving it that way.... for now.

I am thinking I may have to buy new seats but every time I think that, I get to feeling resentful that Forest River and/or the dealer are aware and acknowledge there's a problem but will not/cannot fix it.

I know there are those out there that have far worse problems with their new rv and are fighting a much bigger and difficult battle.

It's just so hard to reconcile the huge $$$$$$ we spend on rvs and then to have to fight to get what we're paying for, just slays me.

Anyway, has anyone here had this same experience with these seats that was resolved and if so, how, or does anyone have any suggestions, helpful hints, tricks or tips they could share that I might be able to try?

I have the exact same problem on my 2025 Sunseeker 3010 and used the link from this thread to e-mail Forest River. I heard back right away and will be hearing from the service department Monday. I actually thought the seats were in a fixed position and could not understand why there was a lift bar for seat adjustment. I finally took a closer look, and it looked like they should move but somehow they will not move. So glad you posted this!!!!