Bath horror story

J

james bolick

New member
Mar 3, 1998
164
0
0
. I hope there are no hairline cracks in the
fiberglass of the shower pan. Sounds a little 'crunchy' when
stepping in. Sure hope sealing/tightening the drain and (if
necessary) taking care of the door seal cures it.

Toby, sooo your shower floor sounds a little crunchy when you step in, so
does mine. I also have a 1973 GMC 26' and one of the bad things GM did that
first year was not adequately anchor the refrigerater/bath module to the
body/chassis frame work and over the years it breaks loose and moves. In my
case the module slid out at the bottom and in at the top (counter clockwise
motion). It did this very gradually over years. I've had my GMC 11 years.
About 4 years ago I first noticed a widening gap between the exterior wall
and the refrigerator module to the left of the entry door. Old age and a
sagging floor was the reason given by the GMC experts at the time. As the
years dragged on I noticed one day that the highest point on my shower floor
was the shower drain and the trim work around the lower bathroom cabinet,
where the hotwater tank and toilet tissue are located, were no longer flush
with the bath module. That is when the experts told me about the faulty
install job GM did in 1973. Various suggestions were made for a remedy,
none of which I really liked the sounds of. When I first noticed this
situation I had to get down close to the shower floor and use my bifocals to
see the tiny cracks, now you can see them with the naked eye. Now for the
best solution, Jim Bounds was not in the GMC business when my situation
first developed, I have since discussed this with him and he suggest
removing the refrigerator, taking the refrigerator/bath module totally loose
from the body/chassis frame work and reposition the entire module back to
the original position and then anchor it to the body/chassis frame work. I
haven't had this done yet but I definitely am. I fear severe damage is
already done to the shower floor. That crunching sound you hear when you
step on the floor is the fiberglass cracking because it is not sitting
solidly on the supporting frame work. You need to talk to Jim Bounds about
this.

Jim Bolick
'73 Painted Desert
 
Well, there just seems to be no end of ways to spend weekends,
huh?

I'll keep close watch on it. It's not really bad. Just a couple of spots,
and I have to hunt for them. Of course, when I'm not paying attention,
it seems as though the whole floor crunches. I'm getting some wide
gaps, as well.

I need more eyes to keep on all these things.

Thanks for the heads up. This will go in my notebook.

Toby Maki
73 Glacier 230

> . I hope there are no hairline cracks in the
> fiberglass of the shower pan. Sounds a little 'crunchy' when
> stepping in. Sure hope sealing/tightening the drain and (if
> necessary) taking care of the door seal cures it.
>
> Toby, sooo your shower floor sounds a little crunchy when you step in, so
> does mine. I also have a 1973 GMC 26' and one of the bad things GM did that
> first year was not adequately anchor the refrigerater/bath module to the
> body/chassis frame work and over the years it breaks loose and moves. In my
> case the module slid out at the bottom and in at the top (counter clockwise
> motion). It did this very gradually over years. I've had my GMC 11 years.
> About 4 years ago I first noticed a widening gap between the exterior wall
> and the refrigerator module to the left of the entry door. Old age and a
> sagging floor was the reason given by the GMC experts at the time. As the
> years dragged on I noticed one day that the highest point on my shower floor
> was the shower drain and the trim work around the lower bathroom cabinet,
> where the hotwater tank and toilet tissue are located, were no longer flush
> with the bath module. That is when the experts told me about the faulty
> install job GM did in 1973. Various suggestions were made for a remedy,
> none of which I really liked the sounds of. When I first noticed this
> situation I had to get down close to the shower floor and use my bifocals to
> see the tiny cracks, now you can see them with the naked eye. Now for the
> best solution, Jim Bounds was not in the GMC business when my situation
> first developed, I have since discussed this with him and he suggest
> removing the refrigerator, taking the refrigerator/bath module totally loose
> from the body/chassis frame work and reposition the entire module back to
> the original position and then anchor it to the body/chassis frame work. I
> haven't had this done yet but I definitely am. I fear severe damage is
> already done to the shower floor. That crunching sound you hear when you
> step on the floor is the fiberglass cracking because it is not sitting
> solidly on the supporting frame work. You need to talk to Jim Bounds about
> this.
>
> Jim Bolick
> '73 Painted Desert
>
 
>> I'll keep close watch on it. It's not really bad. Just a couple of
>spots,
>
>Hi Toby!
>
>You would be surprised at how much additional strength you would get
>if you
>sprayed some insulation foam in areas under the fiberglass pan.
>
Just a word of caution!!! If you use expanding foam, be sure to put some
weight on the floor as the foam may push the floor up or if it has
cracks, break it!

We don't want to turn this into a worse horror story!

Dave Greenberg
GMC MOTORHOME REGISTRY
Seagate Towers 200 MacFarlane Dr PH4
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
 
When I had the interior of my Dodge van sprayed with urethane
foam (both for insulation and acoustic value -- I use the van as my
location audio/video production vehicle) I was amazed at how much
that stuff expands. The guy that did for me (a set maker for Disney
and Fox) told me that 1/8" - 3/16" liquid would expand out the full 2"-
2-1/2" required. The stuff he used was the industrial-strength kind,
not spray cans. He had a large compressor, pots, special guns and
hoses, and a very special "moon suit" to protect himself. A non-
believer, I watched it happen. Truly amazing stuff. And once it gets
going, there ain't no stopping it until it wants to stop. And if you stop
it going one direction, it'll force it's way in the path of least
resistance.

And (for those unfamiliar and doing a large area) there is a very big
buildup of heat as it cures. The walls of my van were untouchable
for a half-hour after he sprayed in the foam. Not enough to damage
the paint, but he cautioned me to not have anything confined in
areas where the heat couldn't dissipate -- like wires, or heat-
sensitive plastics. Just a heads up. Caution advice well taken.

Toby Maki
73 Glacier 230

>
> >> I'll keep close watch on it. It's not really bad. Just a couple of
> >spots,
> >
> >Hi Toby!
> >
> >You would be surprised at how much additional strength you would get
> >if you
> >sprayed some insulation foam in areas under the fiberglass pan.
> >
> Just a word of caution!!! If you use expanding foam, be sure to put some
> weight on the floor as the foam may push the floor up or if it has
> cracks, break it!
>
> We don't want to turn this into a worse horror story!
>
> Dave Greenberg
> GMC MOTORHOME REGISTRY
> Seagate Towers 200 MacFarlane Dr PH4
> Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
>
 
ROFL!

Only if a girl with the last name of Zappa show up. Gotta dress for
the occasion, you know.

TMaki

> Do you have to wear a moon suit in your studio now?
>
>
> Regards... John 74 Glacier (now Custom) near Washington, DC
>
 
Toby and Dave...

Thanks. I just saw your comments on this oozziinn stuff. Moon suit?
Do you have to wear a moon suit in your studio now?

Regards... John 74 Glacier (now Custom) near Washington, DC
 
Could a hydraulic body shop gadget be used to just
push the bottom back in?

Bill
'74 Glacier (date code late '73)

Hi Bill, The same day I made my original post I left for a five day rally
and just returned home and read your post. Now for the even longer bath
horror story and what I have done so far to stop the sliding. The interior
wall to the left of the entry door on my coach had slid out so far that I
could easily get my hand in it up to my wrist. I opened the exterior
refrigerator compartment door stuck my head in and looked toward the entry
door. There is a metal wall rib right by the entry door that had three
holes already drilled in it. I put an eyebolt in the center hole, the eye
of the bolt on the refrigerator side of the rib and put my hand through the
wall separation on the entry door side and managed to get the nut on the eye
bolt finger tight. You can't get a wrench in there. Now, open the closet
door that is located on the refrigerator wall, there is a partial self
along the bottom that is covering the wheel well, using 3/4" plywood, cut a
piece that will fit the top edge of this shelf, that is exposed, when you
open the closet door and use four screws to secure it in place. Then screw
a large eyescrew in the center of this piece of plywood. Next, using a hole
saw, cut a hole in the left side wall of the closet so you can attach a
steel cable to the eyebolt and the eyescrew. Before you attach the steel
cable, use a hydraulic jack to jack the refrigerator module back in place
or at least close to being in place. Secure the steel cable before you
release the jack. This will at least keep it from sliding more out of
whack. Keep in mind you will hear all kinds of creaking, groaning and
moaning out of the module as it moves and it will scare you to the point
that you think you are tearing something apart and maybe you will. I
didn't, but also keep in mind that I am a rank amateur, really don't know
what I am doing and am just stumbling along. After I did all this work, I h
ave since found out that other GMC owners used large "L" shaped metal
bracket's screwed into the floor and base of the cabinet beneath the
refrigerator to anchor their modules. You have to use the jack on an angle,
it will not work if it is laying horizontal on the floor. I hope some of
this makes sense to you. I will eventually get over to Jim Bounds for the
professional repair. You are probably wondering what size's, measurements
etc., my GMC is 2 1/2 hours from me right now, I bought every thing at my
local hardware store.

JIm Bolick
'73 Painted Desert
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Applied GMC
GMCMI Fall 2026 Rally

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom
Back