Modifying the Shower Space in our New Motor Home

Our original shower layout 2008 Navion IQWe recently purchased an Itasca Navion IQ, a small motor home built by Winnebago.  Before we made the decision, we researched and found a solution to the one big drawback we identified, a too small shower space.

Shower rod kit used in our new 2008 Navion IQThe photo on the left shows the shower screen that came with the camper still in place.  To use the shower, a plastic screen was pulled out of the box against the wall.  It was guided by tracks to the opposite wall, where it was latched in place.

I’m a big guy and this arrangement was just too tight for me.  I would have been destined to be finding my way to the campground showers wherever we stopped and that’s just not something I really want to do.  Before we could commit to buying the RV that we were leaning toward, we had to find a solution. That solution was an offset RV shower rod kit — Shower rod installed in our new 2008 Navion IQshown in the two images on the right — from Cii RV Specialties.

Shower screen removed - 2008 Navion IQThe kit  required a small amount of fabrication for installation.  I had to use one hollow wall anchor for one wall screw, but the other three screws went into solid materials, two of them into wood and one into metal.  I don’t think this shower rod will be coming down easily.

For stability, the offset shower rod also required a ceiling anchor point.  Because it was going to be very close to the ceiling, I cut off a very short piece of the supplied threaded rod.  One end had to be ground down to fit into the supplied anchor plate.

The hardest part of the whole process was removing the adhesive used to install the shower screen and the silicon caulking used to seal it.  I ended up using Scrappers Solution adhesive remover — which isn’t available any longer due to not meeting California clean air standards.  Some minor residue is still on the shower wall, but you have to look close to find it.

While I haven’t tried the shower out yet, it gives me 12 more horizontal inches at the top and middle — where I need it.  I’ll be using in the next couple of days, after we hit the road for our September trip, currently delayed due to torrential rain from the remnants of Hurricane Gustav.

Update — September 12, 2008:

We’ve used the shower a couple of times and it is working well.

Before we left, I made one final modification to the shower.  I installed a small picture hanging loop on both sides of the shower.  After drilling a pilot hole for the screw, I screwed the screw in and then back out.  Then, I applied silicon sealant to the hole and around it, so that with the loops installed, the penetration is sealed so that no moisture gets into the wall.

With a bungee cord connected between the two loops. the shower curtain has a natural drop so that spray from the shower will drop into the shower.  The shower curtain has small suction cups that can be used to hold it to the shower wall.  Karen uses the suction cups while I use the bungee cord.  Both seem to work.

An added benefit for the bungee cord is restraining our laundry basket from moving in the forward direction.

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