What is the best way to remodel my shower?

Outbackman57 · 09-23-2022, 03:22 AM

Can I kickstart this thread! Worth a shot, 😂 I want to remove the step tub from my ‘06 Outback and replace with a flat shower pan and FRP panels on the walls. Believing the fresh water tank is at the back of the rig and the two greys are nested between the frame so what is under the step? Best answer wins! The plan is to get up under and remove the frost barrier as soon as it’s not 95° here in God’s Waiting Room. Thank you for indulging even my dumb questions.

**flybouy** · 09-23-2022, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outbackman57

Can I kickstart this thread! Worth a shot, 😂 I want to remove the step tub from my ‘06 Outback and replace with a flat shower pan and FRP panels on the walls. Believing the fresh water tank is at the back of the rig and the two greys are nested between the frame so what is under the step? Best answer wins! The plan is to get up under and remove the frost barrier as soon as it’s not 95° here in God’s Waiting Room. Thank you for indulging even my dumb questions.

You'll likely get better responses if you started a new post. This thread is about what folks have already done.

**JRTJH** · 09-23-2022, 06:00 AM

I moved this question to a new thread. Hopefully, it will generate ideas on how the OP can remodel his shower area without detracting from the thread where it was originally posted. I've never heard of anyone removing a tub and installing a shower pan, but no doubt it can be done with the correct parts. The "rub" (I'd suspect) is going to be locating the correct size shower pan and shower surround that will fit the existing wall structure, or you'll probably need to "shore up the current walls" to fit the new shower pan/shower surround...

Additionally, traditionally the tub models have a drain at the "faucet end of the tub". Shower pans typically have the drain at the center front of the shower pan, so there WILL be a "challenge" in using the existing gray water tank. In fifth wheels, there's a passthrough space in which to route the drain plumbing, in travel trailers, no such "luxury" exists, so you may find that you'll have to seal the current drain fitting in the top of your gray tank and install a new one under where the shower pan drain is located ????? With only a couple inches of "headroom under the shower pan" that may be a challenge. Finding a pan with the drain in the same place as the existing tub would be ideal, but may not be even on the market.....

dutchmensport · 09-23-2022, 06:25 AM

I always said, it's nothing but wood, plastic, wires, and some metal. Anything can be done with the right imagination, enough money, time, and skill. And my philosophy has always been, if someone else can do it, I can do it too! And that has saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars on labor costs over the course of my lifetime!

Well, back to subject: I've done a massive amount of home remodeling projects, "helped" restore older RV campers, and done lots and lots of repairs and fixes on my own campers over the years.

Before doing anything, measure everything and try to get a good understanding of how things are put together right now. Measure, measure, and measure again. Write it down on paper, sketch it out. Take photos and study the available space and the potential change out.

Next, fix a plan in your head. Sometimes, the "AH HA!" moment takes time. I've got a project I'd like to do in my current camper. It's been 4 years now and I still have not had the "AH HA!" moment how to do it yet. So, I'm still waiting.

Meanwhile, now that you truly have your strategy in mind, find an purchase all the known parts you'll need. Oh, ... you can study the dimensions of parts on-line or from a work sheet, but there is nothing like having the actual product right there with you when you do the job. Besides, if you plan on tearing things up and then getting the parts .... remember ... parts for just about everything has been short for the last couple years. Get the parts first before dismantling anything, or you could find yourself in a real pickle and never be able to fix it, and now the old is destroyed and unusable too.

Get the shower pan, get the plumbing parts, get the screws, bolts, glue, everything. Once you tear stuff apart in the camper, there's no going back.

Now, you have all the parts. It's just a mater of very carefully dismantling everything to replace with the new. And yes, you will run into new discoveries. You'll need to make some serious modification, and you'll run into problems and need to figure them out as you go along.

No one can tell you how to do it as each and every camper is built different. That's why you need to really study out what your currently have opposed to what products and parts are actually available in today's marketplace, and what you need to joint the old and new together.

However, we can recommend the process you have to go through to accomplish your goal. And this is my recommendation. It can be done! It's just plastic, wood, a bit of wire, metal, some plumbing, glue, and sealers. You can do it. One step at a time.

Outbackman57 · 09-23-2022, 06:57 AM

Yes Fly, was hoping someone else had already done it! That said thanks for moving this to a new thread. I always think a question isn’t worth starting a new one but will going forward. I found a shower pan and the FRP panels, new fixture, etc, just wanted to see if anyone knew what, if anything, was under that step in the tub. Have not been able to get under it yet and thought someone else may have experienced this. Standing in the tub at the front of the step puts my face right at the showerhead. With a flat pan I could back up. No need to shave my legs so don’t really need the step. I’ve said before Keystone’s mostly generic literature is not very informative, on older models at least. In spite of shortcomings Winnebago’s diagrams, parts lists, etc were nicely detailed.

**chuckster57** · 09-23-2022, 07:06 AM

I would be willing to bet the step is either hollow underneath or filled with styrofoam.

wiredgeorge · 09-23-2022, 07:09 AM

Have the same "bath tub" in my camper. Never could quite figure out how you could take a bath in in but suppose if there were little bitty kids, a tub might make sense. I didn't replace the pan but did replace the surround; it isn't difficult and I used adhesive rather than the push pins which were installed and were points where the surround had begun to crack.

travelin texans · 09-23-2022, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I would be willing to bet the step is either hollow underneath or filled with styrofoam.

I would also suspect either of those, but wouldn't be too surprised to find a birds nest of wires stuffed in there.
I sometimes think those assembly guys get paid by the foot when wiring these things up. You can bet there's either going to be 3-4' extra or just barely enough to reach.
I remodeled an older Layton 5th wheel, it was only about 20' long & to this day, especially at my age now, I swear I'll never do that again. You have to be a contortionist & double/triple jointed to get into some of the corners.

**chuckster57** · 09-23-2022, 09:03 AM

They also get paid by the pounds used in staples/brads.

jasin1 · 09-23-2022, 01:15 PM

if the drains don’t line up you my be able to build a raised plywood platform above the floor in the original tub location..maybe just 3” to give you room to elbow over to the old drain location…that’s providing you have the headroom

wiredgeorge · 09-23-2022, 02:54 PM

I have the same tub. Recpro has a pan that likely will fit right where you tub base goes. I chose white because the yellowy stuff is ugly (just my opinion). I bought a new surround and glued it instead using the push pins with industrial adhesive. I did keep the yellowy color in the surround since I didn't change the base. When you put in the shower, use some bracing under the pan; lots of bracing so the fiberglass doesn't flex.
https://www.recpro.com/rv-shower-pan...rain-in-white/

I am wider than 2' so when I shower, don't like to wear the shower curtain. We have a Stromberg-Carlson expanding shower curtain rod which really helps:
https://www.campingworld.com/extend-...ish-44143.html

wiredgeorge · 09-23-2022, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I would be willing to bet the step is either hollow underneath or filled with styrofoam.

I would guess hollow with a bit of bracing. I didn't change my pan but did change the surround which was all cracked where they used push pins with a lot of pushing. I think Recpro has the right pan. Our tub/shower end abuts the wall and there is an access plate on the outside of the wall and you can see under the pan a bit. We have the same "tub" as the OP.

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