New Newmar orders.... Don't get the shower seats! Pay to have them removed.

[JRS]

Highly recommend not getting the shower seats installed.
Our shower seat failed. The chrome circular plastic mount covers actually split. We really never used it as I sat on it like once....We ordered a new one from Newmar for $400 plus (they don't sell parts) just the entire unit. Today i worked on taking the old unit off. IMHO a poor design.... What occurred is the soap ended up accumulating in the chrome plastic mount covers to the point where eventually it swelled enough to crack them when they received water to split them. Pretty gross. They were filled with dry soap. Prior to taking them apart, I guessed it was rust that split them.... No rust at all...
After taking quite some time having to use vice grips to take the rods out (by cutting sections of the plastic covers) to remove the seat, the phillips head screw on the low side of the mount stripped. When the lower screw head stripped, I cut off the plastic mount to gain access to the 3 upper screws holding both mounts. All 6 upper screws sheared off... Then, I had to drill out the lower screw heads on both mounts to remove the mount. There was enough of the head to use the vise grips to shear off the lower screws. They used some kind of glue to hold the mount to the shower mall and had to use vise grips to leverage them off.
So in order to reinstall the seat, the mount will have to be moved to drill new holes. Both the DW and I think it looks so much better w/o the unused seat. So tomorrow I'll head out finding a material to fill in the 8 approximately 3/16" holes.
On the bright side, no interior damage to the wall....
We'll keep the seat and I'll install it when it comes time to sell the unit.
A friend just purchased a new 2022 Allegro Bus and his shower has the same seat....
One last note... we full time so the shower is used often.

 

[purring along]

I have had thoughts about removing our seat as well, you may have just convinced me.

 

[FLSteve]

We ordered our coach without the seat. Don't use it, gives us more room and also less to clean. That Newmar special cost us $156.

FLSteve

 

[JRS]

I have had thoughts about removing our seat as well, you may have just convinced me.

Still don't know what to use to fill the holes. Don't want to use silicone.... Will bring our sink cover with me tomorrow while searching.
Oh... After using the razor blade scraper to remove the bulk of the silicone, I used naptha to help soften the silicone caulk. After a couple of soaks the razor blade scraper took even more off.

 

[Neal]

Plastic hole plugs?

Amazon.com

 

[JRS]

Plastic hole plugs?

Amazon.com

Nah..... But thanks for suggestion. I'm thinking there's an epoxy filler for counter tops. Our shower walls made of the same stuff as our counters.

 

[LMHS]

The only thing a shower seat is good for is to prop one's foot on while shaving legs or pumicing one's feet. I installed a short handicap type grab bar from Home Depot in my shower stall. It's a sturdy bar as opposed to a "pretty" flimsy bar. I made sure that the screws were strong and they go almost thru the 2x4 studs that are in the shower wall.

 

[JRS]

To fill the small 8 holes left behind after taking off the shower seat, I ended up using DAP Kwik Seal Plus Premium Adhesive Sealant (white) and it's working thus far. It's a latex based product so it was easy to clean up and smooth out the application. Just a very slight indentation at the surface of the holes. The ACE Hardware Rep suggested it because it's what he's used for sink applications to counter tops. IMHO it's the product to use for this situation.
Both DW and I don't miss the shower seat at all... DW uses the ledge that's approximately 1 ft above the wall to help shave her legs.

KWIK SEAL PLUS KITCHEN & BATH ADHESIVE SEALANT | DAP Global

Specially formulated siliconized latex that provides maximum adhesion and flexibility for a watertight seal.

www.dap.com

 

[Rich W.]

Nah..... But thanks for suggestion. I'm thinking there's an epoxy filler for counter tops. Our shower walls made of the same stuff as our counters.

If the Dap doesnt hold up, try marine epoxy in white

 

[dmp1991]

I'm very thankful for our shower seat and I hope you all never have to be with yours though.

We bought our coach new in 2020 and did many "specials" but we decided to leave the seat in because it doesn't take up much extra room in our large shower and it may help with resale down the road.

Just one year later and I've had multiple strokes. Can no longer stand up for a shower but that seat is a lifesaver for me as I can sit on it and get clean. Even if you don't want the shower, I'm sure there are a decent number of people who need the "help" of being able to sit. And then there's that resale thing too.