Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Continuing with the tub-shower-sink removal.

After removing all rivets and running a putty knife between the tub-shower combo and the end cap, I was able to pick it up and move it forward in the trailer. This is where I learned something else. When lifting all of this fiberglass by yourself, you can't see a damn thing. The drain for the sink is a really tight fit. In my case, it caught and broke off the drain line that I worked so hard to save. Oh well, it broke so easily that it must have become brittle over the last forty years so I will add one more thing to the list of repairs. If you are going to remove your combo, I would recommend that you cut the drain line at the same time you cut the water supply lines.

The next step is to drill out the rivets that secure the sink surround to the tub. The unit , when assembled, will not fit out the door. The faucet must be taken off and is almost impossible to get to while assembled. Besides that, my sink is really messed up and will be replaced with one I got from Scott Goranson. Thanks Scott! Here is a photo of the mysterious "Hidden Rivets". The yellow area is the back side of the tub.
This is the area behind the tub where most of you folks post pictures of rotten or missing plywood. I guess I got lucky. Moisture but solid wood.
After all of this, this is what you end up with.

The final step was to remove the end cap which is pretty straight forward. I drilled out the rivets and replaced them with "Clecos". After getting all of the rivets out I started removing the Clecos and balancing the end cap till it dropped. It then goes out the door. The final picture shows one last surprise. More farking Olympic rivets!! More water leakage. There are about 100 of these holding on the end panels. Accepted repair method my ass. Everyone of them leaks as you can see in the photos.
Next step is to drill these out and replace with bucked rivets. Then I can continue sealing up all the leaks and run new electrical. The fun just keep happening.

5 comments:

utee94 said...

" There are about 100 of these holding on the end panels. Accepted repair method my ass. Everyone of them leaks as you can see in the photos."

Stoopid freaking single-use clecoes. Expensive too.

Glad to see you back at it, keep up the good work. I was wondering how best to remove the endcaps, now I know. I pray I never have to do it, though!

-Marcus

Frank Yensan said...

YEAH JOHN IS BACK!!!!

I have railer on about the misuse of those rivets for a while now. the Problem is that they pinch the flat plates together only. Vibratioon works them loose. The solid rivets fill the hole and pinch together. Wish I could buck some with you....

Anonymous said...

Woo Hoo! I was starting to go into withdrawl! Glad to see you're back.. and more evidence that I need to get a rivet gun.. (need to anyway for the interior panels around the door.

(I hope you got my earlier "thank you" for the jerky... I still think of it!)
Marc

alumanutz said...

One of the other problems they cause is that when they work loose, they cause the bucked rivets on the other side of the panel to start moving and working. Next thing you know, your bucked rivets are working loose. I need to hit those with the gun or reseal. Damn Olympics! Shoot me a PM with your mailing address for more "samples"
NUTZ

utee94 said...

Well amigo, where have you been? We're missing your updates!

-Marcus