Replacing shower drain gasket

[patrick p]

I have a 2010 30' Classic Limited that the shower drain gasket has begun to come out. When I cleaned the drain because of slow draining, I found the gasket was blocking part of the drain catching hair. According to AS tech, I must remove the bedroom wall on the shower side to get to the nut holding the drain in place. Does anyone know how to remove the carpeted panel on the outside wall? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Siegmann]

If your 30' has the round furnace vent on the bedroom side of that wall, you can remove the cover, push the flex duct to the side, and reach in to access the drain. It's tough to get hold of the drain parts, but I've heard others have been able to do it.

[patrick p]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I do have the furnace vent however, the carpeted short wall has been installed so that it covers the wall side of the vent and makes it impossible to remove the vent without breaking it. If knew how to remove the short carpeted wall I could remove the vent. Thanks again for your help.

[Siegmann]

I have a short carpeted wall on the bedroom side of the wall, but on the other side of the room, opposite the sink. If yours is like mine, there are 2-3 screws that hold the plywood panel to the wall near its edge. They are hidden below the pile. Look for a minor indentation in the pile or try using a strong magnet to find them.

[Siegmann]

I just looked at my vent. It appears to have one edge of the round vent cover covered by the wall, but that side of the vent cover is actually a straight edge, hidden by the carpet. It can be removed by shifting it too the side after removing the screws. Maybe they put in a full round one on yours and built the wall over it?

[patrick p]

Siegman, thanks. That certainly would be my luck because when I tried to take it out it was pretty well stuck behind the wall. I also have another question. How do you remove the clear shower door piece that prevents the shower door from leaking. Mine has become brittle and is making the door difficult to open. I thought it might be easy just removing the three screws that hold the panel down but found I couldn't budge the panel once I removed the screws.

[Siegmann]

I think our doors may be different. Mine has a flexible vinyl strip +5ft long on the hinge side. It slides into a track on the frame. Looks like it could be slide out vertically after the door and the top hinge piece is removed (if it can clear the top crosspiece of the wood framing). I never tried it though. Mine is 16 years old and still flexible.

[Siegmann]

Oh, and regarding the non-removable vent. That plastic isn't that tough. You could probably cut the stuck edge off with multiple passes of a very sharp box cutter, or better yet, with a small power tool (dremel, etc). If you're careful, the cut could be hidden behind the carpet pile.

[patrick p]

Siegmann... thanks again for the follow up. My shower is different from yours. It has a rubber sweep on the bottom threshold of the shower door. I have removed all three screws that hold it in place. If that is the only thing I have to do then they must have glued it down with something akin to Gorilla Glue. I certainly hope I don't have to remove the entire door to just get the rubber sweep out.

[Siegmann]

I have a bottom sweep/drip-edge too. It is a stiff plastic. Always has been. It has aged in appearance over the years, but doesn't impact the door frame. Maybe your door needs to be raised? Mine has a nylon washer between it and the bottom hinge pin. You could possible add a washer to raise the door bottom. My door easily lifts up and out after removing the top hinge pin brackets two screws. Regarding the sweep, mine looks like it is glued or attached with some sort of double-stick adhesive tape. Removal looks problematic.

[patrick p]

Well, as an update to my shower door dilemma, I contacted AS and they really could not help me but did give me the name of the vendor that supplied the shower door and that is Irvine Shade and Door out of Elkhart, Indiana. They said all I had to do is slide the plastic seal/sweep out from the side. Not possible. The sides of the door frame are butt up against the bottom track and will not allow the plastic seal to be removed. It is very likely I will have to remove the entire door to just replace the plastic seal. Not very good planning by AS.