Bighorn Handicapped Shower

[wdk450]

Group:
We went out on our maiden voyage in the BH 3670RL last weekend to the HOG meet in Oroville, Ca. I bought the only shower chair with a back that i could get to fit in the shower area as a surprise fro my wife. Unfortunately with the chair on the floor, there was not enough room for HER to get in too. She tried using the builet-in seat, but had to sit on the far end of it, and then learned (the hard way) that the shower controls are very loose, and got unexpected hot and cold sprays as she bumped the knobs. I went to WALMART and got some rubber bands (red and blue), and wrapped them between the control knobs and the control base to make some friction on the controls.
We still haven't solved the shower chair problem. Have any of you come up with anything using the existing shower stall?
I was envisioning a rectangular or triangular seat plank that would be attached to the existing seat with a hinge (so it could be folded up) with one or two locking support legs at the end. Is this possible?

Bill Knight
2008 3670 RL
2004 Dodge RAM 3500 w/ D-Celerator

 

[JohnDar]

Any way you could adapt this to your needs?

http://www.themedicalclub.com/Compact_Padded_Fold_Up_Shower_Seat_p/akw-02000p.htm

 

[leftyf]

Group:
We went out on our maiden voyage in the BH 3670RL ...
We still haven't solved the shower chair problem. Have any of you come up with anything using the existing shower stall?
I was envisioning a rectangular or triangular seat plank that would be attached to the existing seat with a hinge (so it could be folded up) with one or two locking support legs at the end. Is this possible?

Bill Knight
2008 3670 RL
2004 Dodge RAM 3500 w/ D-Celerator

Welcome to the Handicampers Forum.

I'm having the same problem. The seat is too small, the knobs hit me in the back, it's to easy to slide onto the floor. My solutiion, while it's not elegant is to purchase two of those plastic step stools. One in the shower, one outside the shower door.

One problem that I continually have is getting into the toilet or shower. I'm and AB amputee. So, when I remove my prothesis, things get a little iffy in the control department. The step stool is my tool to independence.
I sit on one stool and transfer to the other and then bath. It's not elegant, but it works.

I'm in the process of removing the current shower and having a custom job put in. Multiple grab-bars, and other mixer and control for the shower. If Heartland had done it deliberately, they could not have found a worse place to put the shower seat and the shower controls. The shower control is a cruel joke.

Bill, according to my rebuild guy, there is zero, zip, zilch, nada anywhere around the shower that is strong enough to put a swing up seal in. I'd looked for one that would fit over the shower seat and be screwed down there. The seat is just not strong enough to take the vertical strain should one of the legs fail.

They are putting 3/4 marine plywood on two sides of the shower to give me grab bars...and a built in shower seat.

You are looking at some major work here to get your wife what she needs to have. The shower is going to have to be removed to put the reinforcements in. Go ahead, she's worth it.

 

[leftyf]

Any way you could adapt this to your needs?

http://www.themedicalclub.com/Compact_Padded_Fold_Up_Shower_Seat_p/akw-02000p.htm

That's a great idea, John. Biggest problem with it is that it's just smooth too big. Just about anything off the shelf is gonna be too big. All this stuff is designed and sold for home use...even the smallest one is just too big for the current shower stall.

The Heartland shower stalls are just about 3 inches too short in all directions for any of this stuff to work. If the shower seat was not there...then your seat would be a winner...and I've be saving $2,000 on upgrades to mine.

I've had a lot of friends sent me pictures of stuff that they thought I could use. Made me feel bad, when all I could do was thank them...and explain it's just too big.

If you find stuff that we could use...please don't hesitate to post it. It may be the one thing that some of these guys need and didn't know about.

If Heartland wanted to sell more RV's to the Handicappers...a different shower (with no seat) as an option would make life a lot easier

 

[jmgratz]

Hey Lefty, our classic Landmark Golden Gate shower has no seat. Too bad they don't still use that shower.

 

[leftyf]

Hey Lefty, our classic Landmark Golden Gate shower has no seat. Too bad they don't still use that shower.

It would have saved me over $2500 if there was no seat.

 

[JohnDar]

That's a great idea, John. Biggest problem with it is that it's just smooth too big. Just about anything off the shelf is gonna be too big. All this stuff is designed and sold for home use...even the smallest one is just too big for the current shower stall.

The Heartland shower stalls are just about 3 inches too short in all directions for any of this stuff to work. If the shower seat was not there...then your seat would be a winner...and I've be saving $2,000 on upgrades to mine.

I've had a lot of friends sent me pictures of stuff that they thought I could use. Made me feel bad, when all I could do was thank them...and explain it's just too big.

If you find stuff that we could use...please don't hesitate to post it. It may be the one thing that some of these guys need and didn't know about.

If Heartland wanted to sell more RV's to the Handicappers...a different shower (with no seat) as an option would make life a lot easier

Lefty, if I see anything that might help handicappers out, I'll certainly post it. Occasionally, ideas come up on a woodworkers forum I frequent. Not that I'd recommend putting lumber in the shower .

As for the handicapped shower option, that sounds like something Heartland could easily explore. Might not be feasible in all floorplans, but who knows. Might not involve anything more than installing reinforced mounting points in the walls behind the shower units they currently use so you could attach grab rails, etc.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is an AB amputee?

Above Knee Amputee

 

[leftyf]

Lefty, if I see anything that might help handicappers out, I'll certainly post it. Occasionally, ideas come up on a woodworkers forum I frequent. Not that I'd recommend putting lumber in the shower .

As for the handicapped shower option, that sounds like something Heartland could easily explore. Might not be feasible in all floorplans, but who knows. Might not involve anything more than installing reinforced mounting points in the walls behind the shower units they currently use so you could attach grab rails, etc.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is an AB amputee?

Above Knee Amputee

 

[ChopperBill]

Hey Lefty, our classic Landmark Golden Gate shower has no seat. Too bad they don't still use that shower.

Ours got caught up in the change over and we ended up with no seat. If there was any way to swap some one out with their seated shower that would be great. I don't want it for a seat but to put a foot on for my assorted shower needs.

 

[leftyf]

Ours got caught up in the change over and we ended up with no seat. If there was any way to swap some one out with their seated shower that would be great. I don't want it for a seat but to put a foot on for my assorted shower needs.

I'm still working on the shower. Nothing is easy.

 

[wdk450]

Our shower stool solution

Gang:
My wife needed a stool to sit on in the kitchen due to her bad back and ankle. We found one like this at WalMart for about $20.

http://www.closeout.com/tc-82-3668blk.html

She then tried it in the shower, and it works great, so we are buying another one, rather than constantly move the one we have.

 

[ChopperBill]

Gang:
My wife needed a stool to sit on in the kitchen due to her bad back and ankle. We found one like this at WalMart for about $20.

http://www.closeout.com/tc-82-3668blk.html

She then tried it in the shower, and it works great, so we are buying another one, rather than constantly move the one we have.

You folks be careful with that seat. I inherited one of those from my mom and I sat on it and it bent and sent me to the floor. I do overload most average chairs and ladders though.

 

[leftyf]

I just bought a plastic step stool at Walmrt. It works best for me in the Bighorn shower.
About $15.00...no rust and it's strong.

 

[StephenKatSea]

This is a very "shade tree/quick & simple" solution, but it works VERY well for me. Yes, the seat in the shower of our BH3670 is just about useless, other than a place for the ladies to place their feet and shave their legs. So, I've found that placing a plastic 3-5 gal bucket to the rt. side of the shower, as you enter (one not brittle from the sun) with a lid (also in good condition) with a towel on the seat and another towel beneath (to prevent slippage) really works great for me. A "pedestal/bucket" of this size fits snugly into the rt. corner of the shower and the shower configuration provides a back rest from the back wall and sides of the shower. Some upper body strength is needed for safe entry and exit. Rt. hand on the mfr. provided seat and the lft. holding the overhead shower door cross member, along with my fortunate use of ONE functioning leg, is all that is needed when entering & exiting. For me, this works great. I really hope others find that this arrangement may help them, also.

Then safely get out of the shower ! ! and GO fishing, camping, boating, exploring, relaxing, visiting, outdoor cooking and chasing grand kids & dogs etc. ENJOY ! ! !

 

[leftyf]

This is a very "shade tree/quick & simple" solution, but it works VERY well for me. Yes, the seat in the shower of our BH3670 is just about useless, other than a place for the ladies to place their feet and shave their legs. So, I've found that placing a plastic 3-5 gal bucket to the rt. side of the shower, as you enter (one not brittle from the sun) with a lid (also in good condition) with a towel on the seat and another towel beneath (to prevent slippage) really works great for me. A "pedestal/bucket" of this size fits snugly into the rt. corner of the shower and the shower configuration provides a back rest from the back wall and sides of the shower. Some upper body strength is needed for safe entry and exit. Rt. hand on the mfr. provided seat and the lft. holding the overhead shower door cross member, along with my fortunate use of ONE functioning leg, is all that is needed when entering & exiting. For me, this works great. I really hope others find that this arrangement may help them, also.

Then safely get out of the shower ! ! and GO fishing, camping, boating, exploring, relaxing, visiting, outdoor cooking and chasing grand kids & dogs etc. ENJOY ! ! !

Being a member of the mono-pod people, myself, I can attest that deep sea diving is easier than getting out of the shower...getting in ain't too bad...but, the getting out part is very entertaining.



This is what I got...no cracks, splits, gaps, twists, turns, slides...NOTHING to trap soaped errant parts of the body. TRUST ME on this one. Makes getting ina and out of the shower much easier. It's a Moen...and bought for less than 1/2 the price quoted by this vendor.

 

[JohnDar]

Being a member of the mono-pod people, myself, I can attest that deep sea diving is easier than getting out of the shower...getting in ain't too bad...but, the getting out part is very entertaining.

View attachment 15984

This is what I got...no cracks, splits, gaps, twists, turns, slides...NOTHING to trap soaped errant parts of the body. TRUST ME on this one. Makes getting ina and out of the shower much easier. It's a Moen...and bought for less than 1/2 the price quoted by this vendor.

Put another runner on that thing, Lefty, and you can hit the slopes. Good to see you back!

 

[leftyf]

never left just reading with few posts...