leakey Shower RLS315

7Iron · 10-18-2020, 07:12 AM

Our shower floor is a little "bouncey" it gives especially around the drain. Our last trip I noticed a wet area in basement and chased it to the drain.

1. Should I beef up under the shower floor to prevent movement?
2. Has anyone removed the drain and resealed with plumbers putty?
3. Any other ideas/inputs/insights

**chuckster57** · 10-18-2020, 11:39 AM

Any additional support under the shower pan would help. I have used plumbers pipe sealant (white) on the threads.

7Iron · 10-21-2020, 08:33 AM

When I began to unscrew the drain "nut" the tube just fell off and the nut was still on the drain.

The "nut" is supposed to swivel around a flange/lip on the tube end fitting but apparently it was "cock-eyed" either from poor installation or due to the flexing of the drain....and popped out of the flange. I popped the nut back on the tube end fitting and I think it will work as designed...(poorly??)

You can see in the pic that the leak has been with us for a while (the white chalky dried soap).

I think that I will use insulating foam to fill the gap, I recall that there is a type that has less aggressive expansion properties...? Any input wrt to using the foam??

Bill-2020 · 10-21-2020, 08:54 AM

My in-laws have the same squishy shower pan in a Forest River Hemisphere. We were just discussing the same thing about supporting the pan around the drain. I've found leaky drains before on fittings that were not tight. (and on the in-law's at their PDI I attended) Can't speak for the foam however.

**JRTJH** · 10-21-2020, 08:54 AM

Foam, whether "non-expanding" or "expanding" is a "more or less permanent installation"... I would not even consider putting any foam under the shower pan until you are "absolutely, 100%, positively, without a doubt certain" that the leak is fixed and there won't be a future problem with drain leakage.....

If you have the access panels in the shower base, so you can get into the shower pan/floor space, you might want to brace the area with a couple of 2x4 blocks, cut to the proper shape/size, to stiffen the floor around the shower drain fitting. We were told, back in 1993, when we took delivery of our Holiday Rambler, to NEVER step on the drain fitting as it was the "weakest link in the shower plumbing"..... I know on our Cougar, it's even weaker than it was on that old HR trailer....

So, along with fixing the leak, I'd hold off on any "permanent repair" until you're sure, and in the meantime, block the floor for a little more support and avoid stepping on the drain fittings.

Slapshoot · 10-21-2020, 09:16 AM

We had the same thing happening and it would just pop off! Then all the water would drain into the underbelly. The service centre put a “T” brace under the shower near the drain and it has worked good ever since.

Bill-2020 · 10-21-2020, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Foam, whether "non-expanding" or "expanding" is a "more or less permanent installation"... I would not even consider putting any foam under the shower pan until you are "absolutely, 100%, positively, without a doubt certain" that the leak is fixed and there won't be a future problem with drain leakage.....

If you have the access panels in the shower base, so you can get into the shower pan/floor space, you might want to brace the area with a couple of 2x4 blocks, cut to the proper shape/size, to stiffen the floor around the shower drain fitting. We were told, back in 1993, when we took delivery of our Holiday Rambler, to NEVER step on the drain fitting as it was the "weakest link in the shower plumbing"..... I know on our Cougar, it's even weaker than it was on that old HR trailer....

So, along with fixing the leak, I'd hold off on any "permanent repair" until you're sure, and in the meantime, block the floor for a little more support and avoid stepping on the drain fittings.

The drain on the FR is right at the front of the corner shower pan (curved glass doors), they have to nearly step on it to enter safely as well as exit. Poor design.

7Iron · 10-21-2020, 09:55 AM

Thanks Bill, JR and Slapshoot...

This forum is great!! I now have a plan, reinstall drain tube (with new washer) and see if the nut continues to pop out. if so replace fittings with better design, and add a T brace.

The T-brace will probably be a "donut ring" with load transferred to basement floor...

a 4-6" pvc pipe with flange and notch for tightening the nut and slot on bottom for the 90 degree drain pipe turn. I think that would be the most attractive, professional looking and easy to install. Need to noodle if quartered/halved/full vertical slots...?? Or maybe this design is a bit of overkill

It would appear as if the drain was a 6" drain pipe ;-)

The T or donut brace would provide much better load transfer than the foam..

Thanks again for your time and thoughts!!

**JRTJH** · 10-21-2020, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill-2020

The drain on the FR is right at the front of the corner shower pan (curved glass doors), they have to nearly step on it to enter safely as well as exit. Poor design.

Our Cougar has the "Neo angle shower pan" and the drain is exactly centered on the door opening, about 6" back from the edge. It's "impossible not to step on it" exiting or entering the shower, but somehow we manage to avoid stepping on it.... Awkward? Yep, Poor design, Yep, impossible to avoid, not once you get used to just stepping around it.

**flybouy** · 10-21-2020, 11:09 AM

If I had that shower pan I think I'd see if I could find something like this teak wood shower mat to fit or have one made. https://www.amazon.com/Bare-Decor-30...307182&sr=8-20

7Iron · 10-21-2020, 11:25 AM

We will step on the drain, during the shower, getting in and out.....so I need to noodle a design revision/improvement that does not put any (very little) stress on the edge of the shower pan drain opening.

A column (flange with pipe) transferring load where it takes the stress/load off of the diameter of the pan drain opening. So I will replace the drain and replace with a drain with a flange radius of 2 foot so the load is evenly loaded over most of the shower pan.....I looked but couldn't find a 1 1/2 inch drain with a 4 foot diameter flange or a flange the was the same size and shape of the shower pan....;-))

So my best idea so far is an inverted flange that supports the pan near and around the drain and screwed into the wood decking below the pan....$12-20...[I am not proud of drawing but I think it provides my thinking]

Or the flyboy's teak shower mat would distribute the load over the entire shower....$140

or the 2x4 T brace (double T or quad T--which would be a square box with 2-4 legs) $6-8

Not stepping on it wont work in my family....maybe if only me and Ms Connie used the shower.....

Stircrazy · 10-22-2020, 07:28 AM

personaly I would use a low expanding foam. I did this under the tub in my old trailer and I am setting up to do it under the shower in my 5th. just fix the flange first make sure the repair is good then pull it off again and spray your foam in. just one for windows as they are low pressure and wont buckel anything and spray it so it stops about 1" back from anything you have to work on. you could put vasaline on the pipes and threads for your drain to prevent it from sticking to it then trim it back but its easier to not have to do that in the first place.

Steve

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