mountainmansteve Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Greetings: After nearly 9 months, I feel the need for a shower. OK, in my 1986 Dolphin. The repair I need to undertake is to repair or replace the shower pan. It is cracked in several spots. I have run water into it, and it comes out under the Dolphin, so I know this shower pan's integrity is shot. So, do I try to repair it, perhaps by re-fiberglassing the bottom? Or as I suspect, when I remove it, I'll need to put some type of structural support under the new or re-glassed shower pan. I realize the Dolphin was designed for folks not quite my size (6' 2" 250lbs), but I REALLY like my Dolphin and want to keep it functional in all respects. I know there are many of you whom are quite good at many fixes for Dolphins ( I have gotten great advice and direction) Please help oh wise and knowledgeable Dolphin Masters Truly, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyohome Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Steve, Too bad you didn't get a reply. I could have used the answer on my shower pan. Same problem. What did you finally do to solve the problem? How difficult is it to remove the pan? Have you considered shooting Great Stuff under the pan. That would insulate it and styrofoam is very strong. Once dried, I'll bet it would support you easily. You would probably have to fiberglass the underside of the pan first though to stop the leaks. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 I repaired mine by putting down a layer of fiberglass.http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3741 John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyohome Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 John, That looks like a great fix. I was thinking about removing the pan and doing the glassing on the underside. Is it possible to remove the pan without getting into a bunch of problems with the drain connection? Or must I do the repair with the pan in place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Do it with the pan in place. make sure you scratch the pan with 30 grit to get a good bond. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Thanks, toyohome for getting the ball rolling on this topic, and thanks for the great ideas from everyone so far. I haven't looked closely or if I can see under the the pan from under my dolphin. That being said, my concern the stability of the pan if I glass it from above; I am 6'2" 250lbs and the pan in its current state sags significantly when I use the shower. I just came off of a 4-day trip to Rifle Falls State Park, CO which I highly recommend. The pull-through sites have the best afternoon shade in the hot season. I am working 4-days in a row (12 hour shifts) before I can look at the shower project, again. So, check back on this topic as I plan to resolve this soon, and yes, I plan to take pictures. Truly, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 This is the last major project on my '88 Escaper. The shower is currently unusable and I want to get it repaired. I hope to get it done this fall before winter storage. Many thanks to Waiter for the link to his previous post on repairing his pan. I hope that my repair goes well. I love the idea of supporting the shower pan with the foam. I know that it is very tough and should really help in preventing future cracks. My wife would like to have the shower usable for future trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyohome Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Do it with the pan in place. make sure you scratch the pan with 30 grit to get a good bond. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Waiter, I did the repair as you stated with the West system It's pricey, but works great! I like the little packets of epoxy resin. No need to mix up large quantities. Instead of using a V shaped can opener to clean out the cracks, I used a Dremel with a cutting disc. It cuts fast and deep and that part of the job was completed in short order. I really do appreciate your help, John! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 After nearly three months, I was able to make enough time to get going on the shower pan project, again. I considered trying to repair the shower pan without removing it, but looked at the drain connection and decided I could probably handle it. Besides, the pan is quite damaged and I really wanted to investigate the mechanism of the pan failure.I started by removing the trim around the top of the shower pan. The trim was 4 pieces and was screwed in. Next I went to the access panel for the drain and loosened the nut (the white one in the pictue). This connects the shower pan part of the drain to the holding tank part of the drain.With the white nut loose I was able to remove the pan. I next removed the shower pan part of the drain by loosening the gray nut. This one was quite brittle and broke, but this is an inexpensive and stand nut easily obtained from a local DIY or plumbing supply store.I found that the mechanism of failure started with a cracked pan that was not addressed. The leaking water rotted the piece of wood under the pan and the pieces of 2x4 that supported this board pushed through, further damaging the shower pan..I haven't had the time to put this back together, yet and I am still working on some ideas to make the shower a bit more friendly for my 6'2" 250 lb body. But, I wanted to get the demo part of this posted for those of you whom have wondered what is under the shower pan.......More at another timeTruly,Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyohome Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Stephen, Great pictures. I just repaired mine with the West System and it seems to have worked well. I just had a very few hairline cracks in mine though. I left the pan in during the fix. But since you have yours out, have you considered fiberglassing the bottom of the pan? Then use the West System to clean up the topside cracks. After replacing the plywood base, that should hold up well and should support a good amount of weight also. If necessary, you could put a double layer of glass on for even more strength. Good luck and please keep us posted on your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I wish that my Escaper pan was that easy to remove. Mine has a tiny access panel inside the RV and I can't even see the drain. I did not get it done this fall so I guess it happens in the spring. We are forecast to get snow this week so I am cleaning out the RV and putting it in storage tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Thanks for the feedback Toyohome. My shower pan is now in as many major pieces as one can see cracks in the photo, but they go together like a jigsaw puzzle. I am hoping to fiberglass the bottom and getting enough stability from plywood on top of the 2x4's under the pan. The wood that was there was some composite that fell apart when it got wet ( well before I owned my Mighty Dolphin aka The Rapid Deployment Vehicle). I'll have to investigate the "west system" you refered to as I am not familiar with it. But, yes, I will need a new surface for the "footies" side of the shower pan. Interestingly the 2x4's that support the shower pan are toenailed in, I may use some support brackets for more stability on those 2x4's. Anyway, more pictures as the project progresses. Truly, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi Bob C: Snowing now in Evergreen, expecting 3" tonight, but we are due for 40's up here after this front, so I continue to live in my Dolphin while I look for suitable storage where I can work on it through the Winter. I have seen some heating pads for the holding tanks, but not sure if I want to go down that road of making her a 4-season rig. Last Winter was mild and I only had to run South once for a warm-up,; don't think this winter is going to mild enough to stay in her up here. Truly, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 In another build, glassing 1x2 foam to make for support was talked about. That way you would have water proof support instead of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi WME: Thanks for the tip. I was definitely planning to waterproof the support plywood, just to prevent even condensate from wreaking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmansteve Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Hi Corbin:: I am kicking some ideas around. I have looked, but so far unable to find the 20x22 pan that fits this space. I have a small sink and vanity adjacent to the toilet and shower. I am considering removing the vanity and making the shower larger to be able to use a stock shower pan. All up in the air right now, but check back to see what I come up with and thanks for your input Truly, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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