Questions, replacing shower surround and diverter in Journey

[smlranger]

I've traced a stubborn water leak to the neo angle shower surround in my Journey. The thing is just loose and worn....10 yrs old. I'd like to replace it with a brushed nickel surround and also replace the diverter valve to match.

Has anyone done this upgrade? If so, do the neo angle surrounds you see at Lowe's/HD match up in terms of fit?

I looked into the hole behind the diverter and it will not be easy to deal with the fittings in the tight space so looking for any suggestions there also.

[John Hilley]

Is there possibly access on the back?

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by John Hilley

Is there possibly access on the back?

Nope. One side is against the exterior wall and the other against a thin wall that forms one side of a pocket for the sliding pocket door. Once I have the shower surround/door removed, I did think I might pull the plastic surround away from the wall which wo\uld allow me to really do a nice install of the new plumbing. However, if Winne glued any part of the surround to the wall, that might be a problem. I have even considered trashing the entire shower and doing a tile shower but that would surely be a big deal.

[bobmac]

I have had mine repaired twice. The plastic liners are held to the walls using double sided tape in my 2009 Journey and should easily pull off the walls. If you check with owner relations they should be able to tell you if they were installed the same way in your coach.

[SoIlBoy]

I replaced the shower surround a couple of months ago. I could not find any surround in stock or that could be ordered from any stores. I ended up ordering a new one thru Winnebago. If I were to do it again, I would replace the whole shower unit. It would be much cheaper, the surround was over $1,000 when shipping was included.
The shower had also faded a lot from the light that streams in, so I had to paint the shower.
New shower valve and accessories, surround and paint, about $1,200 total cost.
Easy to remove the shower, just pry it loose from the double stick tape.

[Wizard]

Are you talking the entire shower stall or the diverter and its plates. I replaced the diverter and it was a bear but doable. Be sure to have a angled plumbers wrench made for faucet valves. It really helped to have that angle. Put tape around the tubing below the fittings so the fitting can't slide down the tube. Remove the shower pipe and loosen the drop elbow so it can be maneuvered to make a little more room.

I used a Delta, no scald, and it really works better than the old one. Can't remember the model number but could look it up.

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by Wizard

Are you talking the entire shower stall or the diverter and its plates. I replaced the diverter and it was a bear but doable. Be sure to have a angled plumbers wrench made for faucet valves. It really helped to have that angle. Put tape around the tubing below the fittings so the fitting can't slide down the tube. Remove the shower pipe and loosen the drop elbow so it can be maneuvered to make a little more room.

I used a Delta, no scald, and it really works better than the old one. Can't remember the model number but could look it up.

I am referring to the enclosure (the two glass sides and the door) and the diverter. I saw a Vectra at a local shop where they removed the shower door, the plastic surround, installed the Schluter waterproof membrane and did a beautiful tile shower. However, that floorplan had a square shower with only a door. Mine has the goofy neo-angle framed glass and door and I have not been able to locate a neo angle enclosure that will fit.

[Pusherman]

Originally Posted by smlranger

I am referring to the enclosure (the two glass sides and the door) and the diverter. I saw a Vectra at a local shop where they removed the shower door, the plastic surround, installed the Schluter waterproof membrane and did a beautiful tile shower. However, that floorplan had a square shower with only a door. Mine has the goofy neo-angle framed glass and door and I have not been able to locate a neo angle enclosure that will fit.

And a nice job they did on that Vectra, especially the pebble shower floor. Don't consider the added weight but it sure did look nice!

Looking forward to your solution, Gary.

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by Pusherman

And a nice job they did on that Vectra, especially the pebble shower floor. Don't consider the added weight but it sure did look nice!

Looking forward to your solution, Gary.

Don, if I can find a reasonably-priced neo enclosure, I think I can solve the problem. Since folks say the plastic shower walls are held by double stick tape, I am hoping I can remove that to do a proper job of installing a new diverter and shower head, the reinstall the plastic wall. I'd love to have tile but that will certainly complicate the job. Not sure I can do tile and keep the same shower floor. Also not sure what substrate I would use behind the tile....1/4" hardi backer might work but that plus tile is a bunch of added weight.

[Pusherman]

Gary, if you can find the shower base and walls, I have a glass guy that could probably do the glass door enclosure for you if you need those parts.

P.S. There is a new mastic product for tile which is a flexible sheet material with adhesive on both sides. I'm dying to try it in a motorhome.

[SoIlBoy]

Here is what the walls behind the shower look like behind the shower on my 05 36G.

This is the tile adhesive mat in the stairwell. It is the grey stuff on the risers.

This is with the tile in place.

[KIX]

Originally Posted by smlranger

I've traced a stubborn water leak to the neo angle shower surround in my Journey. The thing is just loose and worn....10 yrs old. I'd like to replace it with a brushed nickel surround and also replace the diverter valve to match.

Has anyone done this upgrade? If so, do the neo angle surrounds you see at Lowe's/HD match up in terms of fit?

I looked into the hole behind the diverter and it will not be easy to deal with the fittings in the tight space so looking for any suggestions there also.

I had a leak in the piping behind the diverter valve. Winne Cust. Relations said the only access was via the hole behind the diverter escutcheon plate. They also advised that the mirrors on the other side of the wall, behind the diverter valve were not removable without breaking. I discovered that after removing a piece of trim wood at floor level allowed the mirror to "drop" about an inch. After the drop the mirror was able to disengage from brackets that held to the wall. With the mirror removed there was access not only to the diverter and piping but almost all the rest of the bottom of the shower too. The mirror was not damaged and I was able to re-install it.
I don't know if this info would help you or not solve your issue but I hope it helps you.

[okmunky]

You would have nothing but leaks if you install tile in your shower. Grout would crack and fall out due to the flexing all motorhomes must do.

[charles tuit]

Gary:I replaced the shower valve/diverter with a Moen. Not hard to do by just removing the old valve. You should have enough room to install the new without removing the fiberglass. I had to use a small hole saw to give enough clearance for a casted boss in the back of the valve. Otherwise it was easy.Any custom shower door shop should be able to fabricate a new custom enclosure. Charlie Tuit02 JourneyXL-7 toad

[John Hilley]

I need to do something with the shower head on my 2003 Adventurer 38G. When the shower head arm is tight, the head points in the wrong direction. I was hoping there was access behind the mirror to access the elbow. Has anyone removed the mirror on an Adventurer?

[mrschwarz]

Originally Posted by John Hilley

I need to do something with the shower head on my 2003 Adventurer 38G. When the shower head arm is tight, the head points in the wrong direction. I was hoping there was access behind the mirror to access the elbow. Has anyone removed the mirror on an Adventurer?

Have you tried wrapping (more) teflon tape on the threads. That should make it tight with a different orientation.

[John Hilley]

I did try more teflon tape. I did add another elbow on the end of the shower arm to get it to work, but that doesn't look very nice.