Cracked Shower Tray Successfully Repaired

[Guest Had Enough]

Towards the end of our last trip I noticed that the shower tray in my four-year-old Hobby Van had cracked. Fortunately I hadn't showered whilst it was cracked so I had no damp problems. Replacing the shower tray would have been an expensive nightmare. Hobby wanted about £300 for the tray assembly and the fitting cost would have been high as the lavatory has to be removed.

 

I found a firm that offers a spray-on solution, but their nearest dealer was in Sheffield, too far away for me, and that still wouldn't have solved the original reason for the crack, which was lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid.

 

Then I came across Towtal in Stoke-on-Trent. They lift up the cracked section and squirt in a foam which sets hard and gives a solid base for the tray to rest on. They then repair the tray and finish the job by spraying on a rubberised coating.

 

The coating was only available in white or cream and my shower tray is silver. I chose white and it looks fine. They extended the coating all around the lavatory so there'd be no differing shades.

 

The coating is rubberised and non-slip and has a nice dimpled texture.

 

Towtal's website gives a better idea than my pictures, which I'll show anyway. The first one is the finished job, the second is the original shower tray and the last one is a close-up of the crack. This forum's limited file size means that I can't post a picture that does the finished job justice though.

 

Here's Towtal's website http://www.towtal.co.uk/motorhome-caravan-servicing/shower-tray-repair

 

Whilst it was there I also had a towbar fitted so that I can mount one of these: http://goo.gl/WdOVIo

 

It's worth watching the video on Thule's page. The bike rack is a superb bit of kit.

 

It's a towbar-mounted bike rack for two heavy e-bikes. Towtal also removed my Hobby bike rack, which is no longer needed.

 

So the message is, if your shower tray cracks there is a remedy which may be cheaper and less troublesome than replacing it. Towtal charged me their standard £195.

 

 

 

 

 

[PJay]

We had exactly the same problem, with our shower. OH did the same , bought the expanding foam, drilled 2 small hole to put in in, when dry, he then filled the holes you would never know it had been done. Ours is white , so I guess that made it easier.

 

Had a problem with the bathroom tap coming loose, and not being able to get to it. So he drilled a hole below tightened the nut, and I found silver shank type button, which fitted the hole and over lapped , so stuck that on, again looks as if was always there, and should we need to get to tap again , just have to remove the stud(button) and restick after.

PJay

[Mel B]

Nice job - to be perfectly honest I think that the 'new' white finish looks a heck of a lot better than the silver did anyway ... I've never been a fan of 'coloured' bathroom fittings ... no avocado for me! (lol)

[robertandjean]

A very good repair job, sure you are pleased Frank. Must say in past have had vans with this type of arrangement where shower area forms part of toilet area also and found a real pain having to mop shower tray out before could use toilet again. In our present van these areas are separate so better but even better, we hope, in New Rapido we have on order,as shower cubicle one side island bed, toilet area on other. Can now understand Frank why you prefer using site showers as clearly less hassle and more room.

All the best.

Robert and Jean

[Guest Peter James]

Had Enough - 2014-07-18 7:10 PM

 

Towards the end of our last trip I noticed that the shower tray in my four-year-old Hobby Van had cracked. Fortunately I hadn't showered whilst it was cracked

Well if it hadn't cracked in 4 years of use what cracked it.

Did you polish it till you could see your face in it and then smile 8-)

[sshortcircuit]

Delighted you have had a repair done that was easy to do and looks good

 

What does trouble me is a certain gent on this forum lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid." Somebody going to get shot at dawn

:-D

 

Have a good weekend

[Guest Had Enough]

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 10:16 PM

 

Delighted you have had a repair done that was easy to do and looks good

 

What does trouble me is a certain gent on this forum lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid." Somebody going to get shot at dawn

:-D

 

Have a good weekend

 

On the whole I'm delighted with my Hobby motorhome but like most things it's not perfect. The only other thing that's bugged me is the Dometic oven, which is also a poor design in that it's side opening and the locking system is poor. I've just had it removed and am in the process of putting a cupboard in the space. We'll then look at double skillets and stuff.

 

My first 'van was British, a Lunar Telstar and that was extremely reliable in the three years that we owned it. We only changed because we'd learned a lot and like the idea of fixed beds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest pelmetman]

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 10:16 PM

 

What does trouble me is a certain gent on this forum lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid." Somebody going to get shot at dawn

:-D

 

 

Progress eh? :D................

 

 

[Guest Peter James]

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 10:16 PM

 

lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid."

But if it didn't crack in 4 years use as a shower -what its designed for, then it cracked, what did crack it?

[sshortcircuit]

Peter James - 2014-07-19 10:30 PM

 

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 10:16 PM

 

lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid."

But if it didn't crack in 4 years use as a shower -what its designed for, then it cracked, what did crack it?

 

Absolutely no need to get personnel :-D

[Guest Had Enough]

robertandjean - 2014-07-19 8:31 PM

 

A very good repair job, sure you are pleased Frank. Must say in past have had vans with this type of arrangement where shower area forms part of toilet area also and found a real pain having to mop shower tray out before could use toilet again. In our present van these areas are separate so better but even better, we hope, in New Rapido we have on order,as shower cubicle one side island bed, toilet area on other. Can now understand Frank why you prefer using site showers as clearly less hassle and more room.

All the best.

Robert and Jean

 

Actually, I don't necessarily prefer site showers and am very comfortable using my own shower. The loo swivels out of the way, plastic walls slide round the shower area, which means that nowhere else gets wet and I have no problem space-wise. In my own shower I can also guarantee piping hot water, which I love.

 

As I continually tell you, we wild camp and use aires but, if we want to stay a few days, we prefer a site as we like to spread out and get out the recliners and barbecue, ride our bikes around the local area and generally relax.

 

If the site has a nice shower block and it's handy I'll use it. If however it's a distance away or the water is lukewarm I'll use my own shower. I have to say though that these days, decent sites usually have impeccable shower facilities and, as they're included in the price, it seems silly not to use them.

 

It's no different from EHU really. I have an extra leisure battery, a large solar panel and all LED lighting so am totally self contained. But if hook up is included in the price then I'm going to use it.

 

Edited to say: I'm sorry that once again a couple of the forum clowns have decided to turn a serious thread into a typical Chatterbox idiot fest.

 

 

 

 

[Guest pelmetman]

Peter James - 2014-07-19 10:30 PM

 

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 10:16 PM

 

lauds German engineering and you have the temerity to say "lack of support under that section of the shower. A bit of poor design I'm afraid."

But if it didn't crack in 4 years use as a shower -what its designed for, then it cracked, what did crack it?

 

Maybe old Franks a bit more porky than he lets on ;-)...................

 

 

[Guest Peter James]

Had Enough - 2014-07-19 10:39 PM

Edited to say: I'm sorry that once again a couple of the forum clowns have decided to turn a serious thread into a typical Chatterbox idiot fest.

 

 

 

OK, serious question Frank.

You said 'Fortunately I hadn't showered whilst it was cracked so I had no damp problems'

So if using it as a shower didn't crack it, what did? (?)

[sshortcircuit]

Had Enough - 2014-07-19 10:39 PM

 

robertandjean - 2014-07-19 8:31 PM

Edited to say: I'm sorry that once again a couple of the forum clowns have decided to turn a serious thread into a typical Chatterbox idiot fest.

/QUOTE]

 

Well, well, well. What a silly little man you are. Its Saturday night and a bit of fun was entered into your posting and you come back with the above, pathetic.

 

I was going to post I agreed with the earlier part of your recent posting and would now say yes, get out as much as you can in your motorhome and get a life with real people rather than post such rude and uncalled for comments, maybe your style thought?

[Guest Peter James]

pelmetman - 2014-07-19 10:39 PM

Maybe old Franks a bit more porky than he lets on ;-)...................

 

 

In which case it must have cracked whilst being used as a shower.

So foul water will be under it now rotting away the floor.

Will he sell the van before the floor drops out?

[Guest Had Enough]

Peter James - 2014-07-19 11:15 PM

 

pelmetman - 2014-07-19 10:39 PM

Maybe old Franks a bit more porky than he lets on ;-)...................

 

 

In which case it must have cracked whilst being used as a shower.

So foul water will be under it now rotting away the floor.

Will he sell the van before the floor drops out?

 

Why are you doing this? You seem determined to turn a helpful thread into another argument. Are you so dumb that you can't understand that this small room is more than a shower? It's a toilet, it has a wash basin and a couple of cabinets. Prior to it cracking we were using a site and hadn't used it as a shower for six days. However we must have stood on the floor several times a day as we used the loo, had a wash or brushed our teeth etc.

 

Like the forum's village idiot you appear to have entered this thread for no other reason than to have a go at me and start another argument. You are now accusing me of lying by suggesting that it could only have cracked whilst having a shower. Fortunately, all that does is prove even more how dumb you are. Now do everyone a favour and stop polluting sensible threads with your stirring.

 

[Guest Had Enough]

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 11:15 PM

 

Well, well, well. What a silly little man you are. Its Saturday night and a bit of fun was entered into your posting and you come back with the above, pathetic.

 

I was going to post I agreed with the earlier part of your recent posting and would now say yes, get out as much as you can in your motorhome and get a life with real people rather than post such rude and uncalled for comments, maybe your style thought?

 

But if you really knew these two you'd know it's not just a bit of fun. In both cases it's personal because we've clashed in the past and they can't resist the opportunity to have their snide little digs. I like a bit of fun but this wasn't a bit of fun, it was just another opportunity to have childish little digs. You'll note I hope that their silly remarks were actually directed at me and weren't just jokes as such?

 

Pelmetman is a clown with an agenda and Peter James is an arch stirrer. All of a sudden a thread about a cracked shower tray is about me lying by saying that no water leaked through to the underneath. No water did leak through by the way, as confirmed by Towtal when they examined it.

 

So once more a perfectly ordinary thread goes t*ts up because a couple of Chatterbox idiots can't resist trying to take a bit of petty revenge for past clashes.

[Guest Peter James]

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 8:02 AM

 

a thread about a cracked shower tray is about me lying by saying that no water leaked through to the underneath. No water did leak through by the way, as confirmed by Towtal when they examined it.

.

OK Serious question. If you don't know when it cracked how can you be so sure it wasn't cracked when it was being used as a shower. More importantly - How can you know that no water leaked through a cracked shower tray without taking it out to have a look underneath?

I say again, serious question, because if there is a way of doing this I'm sure that a lot of people (me included) would like to know the answer to that one.

[Guest pelmetman]

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 8:02 AM

 

 

So once more a perfectly ordinary thread goes t*ts up because a couple of Chatterbox idiots can't resist trying to take a bit of petty revenge for past clashes.

 

Revenge Frank? :-S................not at all *-).................just can't resist poking that massive ego of yours :D....

 

(^)maybe that's what caused the crack ;-)................you dropped your ego on it :D..........

 

 

[Guest Had Enough]

Peter James - 2014-07-20 8:18 AM

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 8:02 AM

 

a thread about a cracked shower tray is about me lying by saying that no water leaked through to the underneath. No water did leak through by the way, as confirmed by Towtal when they examined it.

.

OK Serious question. If you don't know when it cracked how can you be so sure it wasn't cracked when it was being used as a shower. More importantly - How can you know that no water leaked through a cracked shower tray without taking it out to have a look underneath?

I say again, serious question, because if there is a way of doing this I'm sure that a lot of people (me included) would like to know the answer to that one.

 

I see that you're up to your usual tricks of trying to prolonging arguments by constantly introducing spurious questions that have already been answered. It should have been clear to anyone that this is not just a shower room. The photographs and my opening post make it clear that it' also the toilet compartment, something that you couldn't work out - or could you?

 

But to try call a halt to this I shall tell you again, in the simplest possible terms, what happened and why I know that there is no damp under the shower tray. After that I shall not reply to you again. I know that you'll come back and try to goad more responses, that is what you do, but I shall ignore you.

 

This crack is very visible. You can't miss it, especially when sitting on the loo with noting to do but look around.

 

After a shower I always wipe down the shower tray with a micro fibre cloth as the compartment is not just a shower and it needs to be dry. No could could miss this crack whilst wiping the floor.

 

We were on a site in the Dordogne and it had a superb shower block. We hadn't showered in the 'van for several days so we know for certain that the crack appeared about five or six days after our last shower.

 

And the compelling evidence. Towtal removed a large section of the shower tray and before replacing and repairing it injected expanding foam, which then provides a firm base for that section of the shower which was previously not well supported Towtal assured me that there was no evidence of any dampness or water staining. I asked them to check, not because I suspected a shower leak, but because last year a water pipe detached itself from a manifold in the garage and water leaked out.

 

Since that happened I've had a habitation service and a damp check, which was fine, but I thought that it would do no harm to double check that no water had leaked from the garage into the underneath of the shower compartment. It hadn't.

 

I have already stated that Towtal told me that there was no water leakage. I have already told you that this crack happened after we'd last showered. Why are you trying to prove that I'm lying, what purpose does it serve apart from satisfying your usual penchant for stirring up rows?

 

I posted this information to try to pass on something that may be helpful to others as I believe that cracking shower trays are not uncommon. I hope that most people will be grateful and file away the information for future use. One person just sees an opportunity to prolong his obsessive vendetta and you, as usual, try to turn it into something that it isn't to satisfy this craving that you have to start arguments.

 

I'll be happy to respond to any sensible questions about my shower repair but as for you - goodbye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Had Enough]

pelmetman - 2014-07-20 8:55 AM

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 8:02 AM

 

 

So once more a perfectly ordinary thread goes t*ts up because a couple of Chatterbox idiots can't resist trying to take a bit of petty revenge for past clashes.

 

Revenge Frank? :-S................not at all *-).................just can't resist poking that massive ego of yours :D....

 

(^)maybe that's what caused the crack ;-)................you dropped your ego on it :D..........

 

 

I'm beginning to think that you may be right about gassing and that you may well have been gassed in the past. Oxygen deprivation can do serious damage to the brain cells and in your case it's evident that there's something wrong.

 

Ps Why do you feel the need to poke 'my massive ego' in a serious thread about shower repairs? This isn't Chatterbox although it's clear that you have problems differentiating between Motorhome Matters and the idiots' section. This obsession with me is unhealthy and it really is time that you learned when it's appropriate to desist from this childish behaviour. Once more you have disrupted a perfectly sensible thread with your playground antics.

 

 

[sshortcircuit]

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 8:02 AM

 

sshortcircuit - 2014-07-19 11:15 PM

 

Well, well, well. What a silly little man you are. Its Saturday night and a bit of fun was entered into your posting and you come back with the above, pathetic.

 

I was going to post I agreed with the earlier part of your recent posting and would now say yes, get out as much as you can in your motorhome and get a life with real people rather than post such rude and uncalled for comments, maybe your style thought?

 

But if you really knew these two you'd know it's not just a bit of fun. In both cases it's personal because we've clashed in the past and they can't resist the opportunity to have their snide little digs. I like a bit of fun but this wasn't a bit of fun, it was just another opportunity to have childish little digs. You'll note I hope that their silly remarks were actually directed at me and weren't just jokes as such?

 

Pelmetman is a clown with an agenda and Peter James is an arch stirrer. All of a sudden a thread about a cracked shower tray is about me lying by saying that no water leaked through to the underneath. No water did leak through by the way, as confirmed by Towtal when they examined it.

 

So once more a perfectly ordinary thread goes t*ts up because a couple of Chatterbox idiots can't resist trying to take a bit of petty revenge for past clashes.

 

My apologies for being so rude. I do not wish to be any part of ongoing bickering and had only put in a flippant comment. Have a good day.

[Guest Peter James]

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 9:03 AM

 

After a shower I always wipe down the shower tray with a micro fibre cloth as the compartment is not just a shower and it needs to be dry. No could could miss this crack whilst wiping the floor.

...large clouds of waffle removed.....

 

And the compelling evidence. Towtal removed a large section of the shower tray ......more waffle removed....

 

Big cracks begin as small cracks which open up when you stand on them. So it was unlikely to be visible when wiping the floor because there was no weight on it.

 

I have to say the thread has not been very informative so far because anybody can just prise the crack up to squirt foam under it and then paint over the crack.

Initially you told us they lifted up the cracked section. But now you tell us they 'removed' 'a section' of the shower tray so they could check properly for damp. Thats a big difference Frank.

But how did they remove a section? That sounds like the clever bit. Could they not replace the section with new instead of trying to repair the crack? It would be a shame if you have thrown your toys out of the pram and I have seen you off just as it starts to get interesting.

 

[Robinhood]

.....I'm inclined to agree with your opinion of the majority of the other respondents, Frank.

 

It has become beyond boring - but you do bite too easily :-S

 

In the interests of imparting hopefully useful information (and in the spirit of your original post).....

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-19 10:28 PM

 

On the whole I'm delighted with my Hobby motorhome but like most things it's not perfect. The only other thing that's bugged me is the Dometic oven, which is also a poor design in that it's side opening and the locking system is poor.

 

 

We quite like the oven, but would agree that the door catch is rather tight. Judicious use of a screwdriver to widen the internal catch, combined with a little high melting-point grease, improves things tremendously.

 

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 9:03 AM

 

I asked them to check, not because I suspected a shower leak, but because last year a water pipe detached itself from a manifold in the garage and water leaked out.

 

 

This appears to be a common problem on the type of manifold used on Hobbys. Last year, I had to inform the German guy in a Hobby Van on the next "pitch" to me at the Stellplatz in Wintrich that he had water coming from somewhere under his garage. He was going to pack up and go home, saying it was the third time it had happened. Having had similar problems twice, I was able to resolve it for him. The tightening process for the "collar" on the pipe is counter-intuitive, it tightens anti-clockwise, appearing to be screwing outwards!.

 

---

 

I'm more than happy with my (similar) Hobby motorhome. After 4 years it is probably the best of the (good few) 'vans I've had, and in overall terms, has lasted better than the others......

 

.....including my Rapido. ;-)

 

 

 

[Guest Had Enough]

Robinhood - 2014-07-20 11:33 AM

 

.....I'm inclined to agree with your opinion of the majority of the other respondents, Frank.

 

It has become beyond boring - but you do bite too easily :-S

 

In the interests of imparting hopefully useful information (and in the spirit of your original post).....

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-19 10:28 PM

 

On the whole I'm delighted with my Hobby motorhome but like most things it's not perfect. The only other thing that's bugged me is the Dometic oven, which is also a poor design in that it's side opening and the locking system is poor.

 

 

We quite like the oven, but would agree that the door catch is rather tight. Judicious use of a screwdriver to widen the internal catch, combined with a little high melting-point grease, improves things tremendously.

 

 

Had Enough - 2014-07-20 9:03 AM

 

I asked them to check, not because I suspected a shower leak, but because last year a water pipe detached itself from a manifold in the garage and water leaked out.

 

 

This appears to be a common problem on the type of manifold used on Hobbys. Last year, I had to inform the German guy in a Hobby Van on the next "pitch" to me at the Stellplatz in Wintrich that he had water coming from somewhere under his garage. He was going to pack up and go home, saying it was the third time it had happened. Having had similar problems twice, I was able to resolve it for him. The tightening process for the "collar" on the pipe is counter-intuitive, it tightens anti-clockwise, appearing to be screwing outwards!.

 

---

 

I'm more than happy with my (similar) Hobby motorhome. After 4 years it is probably the best of the (good few) 'vans I've had, and in overall terms, has lasted better than the others......

 

.....including my Rapido. ;-)

 

 

 

I think that I must have a different oven from you. Mine's an RMS 8500 and it locks with a spigot on the body of the oven, which pushes into a spring on the door. The spring has broken three times and the door has a tendency to come open when driving.

 

The water problem is very annoying. I'm aware of the anti-clockwise tightening of the nuts and learned that quite quickly, but I can assure you of one thing - as your 'van ages the end of the tubes will soften and the problem will recur. I'm sure you know this as you're clearly more technically-minded than I am!

 

As you also know, getting your arm around the Combi and reaching the tightening nuts is a forearm-scraping job whilst leaning into the garage from outside.

 

I've solved this by having an aperture cut in the wall of the 'boiler room' and, at the same time, my servicing man jubilee-clipped every connection. (See Photos.) The problem has not recurred since but the best thing about this is that I can see the manifold and it is obviously much easier now to check and adjust the fittings as the hole was made large enough to get my hand through.

 

On the subject of my bike rack, having checked the link that you gave me I decided that I'm unlikely to get blanking plates for my mountings. I had a rethink and decided to put back the rear half of the rack. This weighs next to nothing. The real weight is in the fold-down section where the bikes stand.

 

It looks far nicer than the exposed mountings and gives us something to hang clothes on after washing them.