Why 25FB Shower Pan has a Seat?

[KJRitchie]

I've always thought the shower floor had the half seat because of the wheel well but when looking outside the trailer the wheel well finishes under the fridge not even near to the shower. Does AS need to do this for some plumbing or wiring? It would sure be nice to take a shower without that seat in the way.

The 25RB has a full seat in the shower. Must be more difficult to take a shower.

Kelvin

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I've always thought the shower floor had the half seat because of the wheel well but when looking outside the trailer the wheel well finishes under the fridge not even near to the shower. Does AS need to do this for some plumbing or wiring? It would sure be nice to take a shower without that seat in the way.

The 25RB has a full seat in the shower. Must be more difficult to take a shower.

Kelvin

Kelvin.

The shower seat provides a place to sit down, so you can better scrub you ankles and toes.

It also helps saving water when 2 people shower together, along with other fringe benefits.

Plus on many models, it does go over the top of wheel well covers.

Andy

Andy

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I've always thought the shower floor had the half seat because of the wheel well but when looking outside the trailer the wheel well finishes under the fridge not even near to the shower. Does AS need to do this for some plumbing or wiring? It would sure be nice to take a shower without that seat in the way.

The 25RB has a full seat in the shower. Must be more difficult to take a shower.

Kelvin

The seat-type shower pans can be used in other models where the wheelwell or outside shower would interfere with a full-stall shower. It makes more sense if there were only a couple of different showers than one for every single model.

[KJRitchie]

So if I wanted to get an Airstream renovator to put in a shower pan that was full size then it shouldn't be an issue except for how to pay for it.

Kelvin

[AWCHIEF]

My 23 Safari also has a shower seat. Use it all the time. It is at the aft of the trailer, no where near wheel well and the the space underneath has no exterior access. Seems like waste of good storage space to me.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

My 23 Safari also has a shower seat. Use it all the time. It is at the aft of the trailer, no where near wheel well and the the space underneath has no exterior access. Seems like waste of good storage space to me.

That's fixable. Cut a hole in the top to provide access, use a hinged plywood cover as a new seat (waterproofed, of course), and make sure you put a gasket around the hole you cut to prevent water penetration while showering. Inside the seat would be a great place to store cleaning supplies.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

So if I wanted to get an Airstream renovator to put in a shower pan that was full size then it shouldn't be an issue except for how to pay for it.

Kelvin

Kelvin.

Most likely the labor will cost far more than the shower pan.

Andy

[dwilderman]

I believe the major reason is because of the necessarily small space. Most of us could not get to our lower legs & feet without the seat.

[KJRitchie]

I never used the seat. Sometimes I'll lift my legs on it one at a time to clean my feet but AS doesn't really need to make the seat that big to do that. If it was half as long it would be easier to stand in the shower. Having the seat extend all the way across like in the 25RB must make it impossible to turn around without your shoulders hitting the shower door and making you loose your balance.

Kelvin

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

That's fixable. Cut a hole in the top to provide access, use a hinged plywood cover as a new seat (waterproofed, of course), and make sure you put a gasket around the hole you cut to prevent water penetration while showering. Inside the seat would be a great place to store cleaning supplies.

Several years ago we installed a screw-out deck plate (for a boat) on the side of our seat. It gives us water-tight access to that formerly unused space as well as a nice inspection port to see if there are any leaks associated with either the shower or our Bambi's exterior.

Tim

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I never used the seat. Sometimes I'll lift my legs on it one at a time to clean my feet but AS doesn't really need to make the seat that big to do that. If it was half as long it would be easier to stand in the shower. Having the seat extend all the way across like in the 25RB must make it impossible to turn around without your shoulders hitting the shower door and making you loose your balance.

Kelvin

After hundreds of showers in our 25RB we see no problems with the shower seat. None.

If looking for a new Airstream the shower seat as designed is a complete non-issue, I can't stand upright next to the inward curved wall anyway, and I like the seat for washing my feet. The showers in all Airstreams are small, but how much of our day do we spend there.

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

Several years ago we installed a screw-out deck plate (for a boat) on the side of our seat. It gives us water-tight access to that formerly unused space as well as a nice inspection port to see if there are any leaks associated with either the shower or our Bambi's exterior.

Tim

Hey Tim,
Do you happen to have a picture of your modification you could post?

[Goin camping]

Over 6 foot here. Seat makes the shower in such a confined space easier.

[CJ Winch]

From a women's point of view.....we shave our legs, so having a place to sit helps! Also, my husband and I have made a habit of using campground showers rather than our own - for several reasons...less grey water to dump, no need to dry out/clean shower stall afterwards and we use our shower for our cat litter box, as well as storing other items. We do wear sandals in campground showers and that's a bit of a pain - but no big deal.

[hmsteader]

Since the shower stall is reasonably generic and used in most if not all A/S, I'm sure i"ve seen the water heater recessed under the shower seat. Of course all this is dependent of the age and floor plan of the trailer.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by CJ Winch

no need to dry out/clean shower stall afterwards

One thing that helps with that, wax your shower stall, all but the floor (textured floors are hard to wax). Automotive spray wax is easiest. Water beads up and runs to the floor rather than clinging to the walls. If water beads up but doesn't run to the floor, a tap on the wall is usually all it takes to knock the water droplets loose. I picked up that idea years ago from a book on sailboat maintenance, and I've used it ever since. I usually wax mine twice a year.

I've just about decided to start waxing the inside of the fridge to make it easier to clean, too.

[gecko]

I our 28' 2009 International, the shower seat goes all the way across the back. This effectively cuts the shower size in half. It is almost impossible to shower without banging elbows. For those who need the seat, half seat should be enough, but for those of us who don't, oh please get rid of the full bench! Not strong enough to wash one foot at a time without a bench? Gently lean into the side of the shower to take much of your weight that way balancing against your grounded foot, bend the other leg at the hip and knee and--no problem!

Oh well--that's what makes all of this so much fun!

[MelGoddard]

Save water; shower with a friend.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, if my shower didn't have the seat, I would have to use twice as much water in the tub to give Dusty a bath. And that's just wasteful.

[KJRitchie]

I'm surprised more like the shower seat then don't. I just want to be able to spread my legs out in a normal stance to face the shower head. None of the houses I've lived since I can remember had seats in the shower stall.

I wonder if a fiberglass expert could cut the seat down by half and then patch it and blend it in to match the rest of the pan.

Kelvin