Hello from new-ish owners with 2023 Spirit 25B

4x4Winnebago · 06-26-2023, 12:06 PM

Hello everyone. I wanted to introduce myself. My wife and I are a family of 4 plus dog. We recently purchased this 2023 Winnebago Spirit 25B. We've done some work to it -- a 4x4 upgrade, 6" lift kit, onboard air, and some recovery accessories. All that work was done by UJoint Offroad, who was great to work with. In the winter, you'll find us camping and skiing at Pacific NW Mountains, and we have a mix of mountain biking, fishing, and hiking in the summer time. Looking forward to contributing on here.

-Craig

**Eagle5** · 06-26-2023, 10:47 PM

Hi Craig,
That rig is so cool! The 25B gives you the extra space you need for your family of four, plus the dog can sleep on the sofa. In the 22M, I must make-up the dinette into a bed for the dog to sleep there, so we lose our table for the night. Since you have no slide-outs, then no worries about somebody parking right next to you in a ski resort parking lot. Plus, of course, the 25B has great basement storage for the ski gear.
Did you get any special upgrade for the rear axle, such as a Detroit Locker?
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

4x4Winnebago · 06-27-2023, 10:33 AM

Thanks for reaching out, Eagle5. The front end has locking hubs, but the rear end is mostly stock components. A Detroit Locker would be a cool addition. I went back and forth on the 22R and the 25B. I liked the 22R for shorter overall length, and the living space was workable, but I really wanted two forward facing seatbelts since my kids are 4.5 and 6 months old. My wife also really liked the kitchen layout on the 25B, but I was torn. I went to the lot in the middle of summer with all of my longest skis to test the fit in the 22R and 25B, used models for each were available on the lot at the time. My 190cm skis all fit inside the 22R with creative placement, but the 25B gives a little extra space to make them fit comfortably. Nice to have everything accessible vs. a rooftop box on the Sprinter that I used to work with.

**Eagle5** · 06-27-2023, 10:45 AM

Yes, the Detroit Locker works just fine on the larger differentials. I have one on my 1988 F-350, and the backlash is only about 2º. It did not work well on my 2008 Mustang, because on the smaller 8.8" ring gear, the small size hugely increases the backlash to over 30º!
Sounds like you are really going to enjoy that motorhome!
Below is a picture of my dog Grace asleep in the dinette bed. At 115 pounds, she is pretty-much a bed hog.

Thanks, Eagle5