Sunseeker Construction

[vjstangelo]

I note that Forest River Sunseeker Class C advertises no wood construction in the walls. What does this realistically mean?
If water gets into the wall will there be no structural damage?
What about the floors/roof?

My current TT uses composite wood construction and water will cause delamination/destruction of the luan. I swore that the next camper I buy will not be of wood construction.

[Extremist]

I think FR has come a long way. My 2013 3011DS Forester appears to be very well built. I've done a lot of wiring in vehicles (used to be in that business) and am impressed by the amount of wire ties used and attachment points. All holes aree well filled with sealer and wires passing through them are immobilized by the sealer.

Haven't found any spots that I thought would rub or wear so far and I have installed a lot of aftermarket stuff (TriMetric battery monitor, hardwired surge protector/EMS, mobile Blu-ray/DVD player, additional wireless camera etc).

[mwebber78]

I haven't had a massed produced trailer at a mass market price range that didn't have debris, wires, and plumbing in a tangle behind dead panels. Crossroads, FR, and Jayco - all the same. With that said my FR Forester, a well equipped Sunseekser with paint, was well built for what I paid. The same floor plan and options on the Winnebago models was $15K more; that buys a lot of vacuums and wire ties.

[Dakzuki]

Snowman9000 wrote:
My impression is that Forest River is shooting for the more quality for the buck market. I hope I'm right. We are seriously wanting to look at a FR Solera (Sprinter Class C).

I was looking at FR when I was shopping a few years ago. On paper, it looked really good. When I saw one in person and started looking at wiring and the build quality underneath things (opening access panels, etc) I was turned off. One can use the best materials around but if the care is not there in the build, it will do little good. That is my opinion on a single example of a FR RV (Sunseeker) 3 years ago. Things could have easily changed since then.

[ron_dittmer]

It is good to read that Forest River is waking up to making a better unit.

Four to six years ago, new Forest River owners were complaining they saw sunlight beaming inside their hanging cabinets inside the motor home. This from a very poor roof-to-wall design and workmanship. Dealers solved it with caulk. Yikes! I remember thinking that is one manufacture I'd like to see go out of business.

I was determined to help people identify shotty construction and consider spending the same money on a lightly used quality built rig. That lengthy reply of mine that you run into now and then, got longer and longer.

[tvtommy]

Does anyone know how long Forest River has been installing fiberglass roofs
on sunseekers ? Is this a relatively new practice ?

[carringb]

Snowman9000 wrote:
My impression is that Forest River is shooting for the more quality for the buck market. I hope I'm right. We are seriously wanting to look at a FR Solera (Sprinter Class C).

That has been my observation. If I ever moved to a C, it would be on my short list (among Coachmen, also a Forest River coach).

[Lumpty]

ron.dittmer wrote:
Lumpty,

Does the fiberglass roof roll over to the sides? If so, that sounds like a winner to me....of coarse with the 5 sided rear wall and seamless front over-the cab bucket option you mentioned.

Actually, minor correction to what I said about the wall/roof seam. The roof laps over an aluminum trim cap that is continuous down the length of the house between the cabover and rear fiberglass. The side cap in turn laps over the sidewall with a gutter at the bottom. Both laps have mechanically attached trim that is also sealed.

Not perfect, but the best box by far for what is considered a close to entry-level price point unit. It still takes a twice a year lookie-loo to do Dicor touch-up, but in my 2 years of ownership the window gaskets and the radius at the bottom of the cabover-house joint have required far more attention than the roof.

[Snowman9000]

My impression is that Forest River is shooting for the more quality for the buck market. I hope I'm right. We are seriously wanting to look at a FR Solera (Sprinter Class C).

[ron_dittmer]

Lumpty,

Does the fiberglass roof roll over to the sides? If so, that sounds like a winner to me....of coarse with the 5 sided rear wall and seamless front over-the cab bucket option you mentioned.

[Lumpty]

Yes, they are vacuum bonded, so the glue that can be a problem is in there. There is also some wood in the house under the roof fibergalss and in the floor. The house walls, roof and floor are similar to other "C" units, but with the composite material instead of wood in the walls, the crowned fiberglass roof which does wrap over into the top of the walls, and the fiberglas end caps. As I said, the house construction is as good as it gets for a regular Class C, especially at the transaction prices these go for. Cut and pasted from the brochure PDF:

MULTI-LAYERED LAMINATED ROOF SYSTEM
1 Crowned fiberglass roof
2 Luan decking
3 Block foam insulation
4 Dual A/C ducts
5 1.5" tubular aluminum framing
6 Interior ceiling material

2-INCH VACUUM-BOND LAMINATED SIDEWALLS

7 DECORATIVE INTERIOR WALL BOARD
8 1.5" TUBULAR ALUMINUM FRAMING
9 EGS METAL BACKERS
10 BLOCK FOAM INSULATION
11 OPENING FRAMED IN ALUMINUM
12 SUPERLITE COMPOSITE
13 SMOOTH GEL COAT FIBERGLASS EXTERIOR

VACUUM-BOND LAMINATED FLOOR SYSTEM

14 FIBERGLASS BOTTOM BOARD
15 BLOCK FOAM INSULATION
16 SEAMLESS FLOOR DECKING
17 BEAUFLOR FLOORING (IN SOME AREAS)
18 CARPET WITH PAD (IN SOME AREAS)
19 1.5" ALUMINUM FRAMING

[ron_dittmer]

Lumpty wrote:
Sunseekers have an aluminum frame, and utilize Azdel composite in the sidewalls instead of the more common luan. Azdel will not soak up water and swell like luan does, greatly reducing/eliminating the chance of delamination. That, combined with a crowned fiberglass roof and standard rear and optional front fiberglass caps makes for a very durable house, probably the best construction available in a conventional "C".

It sounds like "The Right" Sunseeker may be "Built To Last". Interesting about that new interior wall material. Do you know if the walls are vacuumm bonded?

BTW, you are right about aluminum wall & ceiling framing. I stand corrected on that being the material of choice. I am fixing my earlier reply.

[Snowman9000]

Azdel sounds like good stuff. It'd be neat to see a delamination experiment involving filon glue to luan and filon glued to azdel.

[Lumpty]

Sunseekers have an aluminum frame, and utilize Azdel composite in the sidewalls instead of the more common luan. Azdel will not soak up water and swell like luan does, greatly reducing/eliminating the chance of delamination. That, combined with a crowned fiberglass roof and standard rear and optional front fiberglass caps makes for a very durable house, probably the best construction available in a conventional "C".

[carringb]

They stopped using wood for cars a long time ago.... I think they might be onto something.