By Nanci Dixon
It can be hard to find a part for your RV these days. With brick-and-mortar stores carrying a lot fewer items and online sales the new normal, finding a simple replacement part for an RV has gotten much harder.
I just spent $106 to get a $3 plastic bracket that broke on the shower spray bar in my RV’s shower. What the heck?! The little plastic bracket was shattered. No amount of gorilla glue would have put it back together.
What are you doing about finding small, but important replacement parts?
Here’s the frustrating, time-consuming process I went through for this plastic bracket.
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Looked for the shower bar name
With a magnifying glass, I checked the shower for a brand name. The name is evidently “Made in China”. That obviously didn’t help.
Called the RV manufacturer
I contacted the motorhome manufacturer and was told that they don’t sell the bracket, but I could buy a whole new shower replacement kit for $106. After a long conversation, they finally told me the name of the distributor.
Called the distributor
I called the distributor of the shower bar. I was told they don’t deal directly with the consumer.
Emailed the distributor
I did find the email contact info for the distributor. I emailed them and got a response almost immediately! They didn’t have individual parts and didn’t know who made it. Well, at least I got a response…
Called local stores
That was an exercise in futility. Glad I have unlimited minutes…
Should have…
Here is where the sleuthing process totally fell apart. I should have asked the manufacturer to open the shower replacement kit box and tell me the maker of the shower bar. But instead…
Bit the proverbial bullet
After trying to shower with the wand on the floor for several days (not great), I bit the bullet and bought the entire replacement kit: new shower bar, brackets, sprayer and wall mount.
Lesson learned
I opened the box of my brand-new, expensive replacement kit and, low and behold, right on top was an instruction manual from the shower bar manufacturer, installation procedures, part names and place to order. Hmm … that was a little late.
Could I have returned the whole thing, called the shower manufacturer and probably saved lots of $$$? Maybe, but at that point, after a few unpublishable words, the allure of a good shower was just too tempting.
How are you finding simple replacement parts for your RV? Do you think parts are harder to find during the pandemic than before, or do you think it’s about the same? Has something like my experience ever happened to you? Please leave a comment below.
##RVT968
Ours was a similar bracket- I googled shower hose brackets & several photos came up. I scrolled til I found ours- low & behold I could order from Amazon for $23 or from my local Lowe’s store for $14! Shipping included from both places. I ordered two just to be on the prepared side. Less than a week later I got the replacement parts delivered straight from the manufacturer.
I would do a web search for place(s) that do 3-D printing. If there was a place nearby, they could probably scan the part(s) you had and then “printed” a replacement (ain’t technology amazin’)! I’ve seen 3-D printers in libraries. If a local library (or school) had a 3-D printer, I’d play “20 questions” with the Reference Librarian to see what they could do / recommend. If this worked out, I’d pay to have TWO replacement parts made 😉
I had the problem with my shower and bought it at Bob Hurley’s RV in Tulsa. I didn’t pay that much for it and my grandson in law was able to install it. I have also had similar problem with kitchen sprayer but was able to get replacement at Lowe’s.
Here is what I did when my Shower head Holder broke. I went to Amazon and bought a new one for $8 Search for (shower head holder) they have several different kinds of them The one I bought was not an exact replacement but looks good and works just fine.
Mel
EXACTLY!! There is NO WAY I would pay that kind of money, find another way to attach it!!
Certainly nothing approximating your frustratingly difficult search has befallen us — yet. In fact, I called our manufacturer (REV/American Coach) today (2/24/2022) to order/buy a new light socket for a tail light. I did have to purchase the entire wire harness, which included the light socket, but it was in-stock, $25 ($40 including shipping and taxes), and ships out today. I have bought many parts from REV/American Coach over the last couple of years and it usually has gone well.
You can buy replacement parts for tail lights at any auto parts store, and a lot of truck stops.
A women being told you can do anything. Sorry Nanci but this was a no brainer item to fix.
Any part in an RV can be replaced with a part found at any HD or Lowe’s store! You remind me of a neighbor who would spend $5 to save a nickel!
I don’t want to sound cruel Nanci, but this is all on you. If you spent $106 on this $3 item, you deserved what you got and should not be allowed to purchase any repair items in the future. You made such a simple repair into a major undertaking. I find it hard to believe this actually happened.
Well, the upper right wall of the Aliner, being a plastic material, has suffered in a normal Texas summer so it warped in the heat. I would have to tow the Aliner back to the manufacturer as these popups are hand built with no blueprints. No, not worth it.
No comment chalk it up to journalism.
It is much harder to find anything. Greedy corporate world holding back to raise prices after largest tax break ever
Are you for real? Home Depot carries items you can replace it with and so does Walmart and Amazon. Heck, Amazon has suction cup types that you can cover over the screw holes with the cheapest at less than $7.00. Look, it might not be an “identical” part but for a cosmetic look, in an RV bathroom, $106.00?
for less than $50, you can buy a complete shower replacement kit….shower, head, hose, bracket and screws….remove old replace with new….may have to drill some small holes for the new kit, but works fine. I just did that within the last year. All available on line or at WM.
Typical RV crap. Go to ACE Hardware or any big box store and look around. You can make something work and to hell with the manufacturer.
I feel your pain. I always try to find the OEM part number then I google it. I just priced a solinoid from Winebago parts for $177. I found it for $35 plus $7 shipping. It’s worth the time spent shopping around.
I find using the google photo search sometimes yields a response… Another place I’ve sometimes had luck with is sending a parts photo to one of the RV parts recycling (Wrecking/salvage) companies and asking if they have anything that matches up. I’ve been lucky and found what I was looking for 5 out of 8 times I’ve tried that 🙂
You will pay more than retail at those places, what I found out anyway!
On our second trip in our new to us Rv, the tiny piece that rotates the ball in the commode broke. Due to COVID we could not just buy the broken piece and have it any time in the foreseeable future. It was quicker to just replace the entire thing!
Use Sugru to make permanent repairs and parts. https://sugru.com/buy?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5eX7BRDQARIsAMhYLP-Qidx8m6dCNuwNRQhK_Ja_I95zSqUvmR1T9tSXq5RP-m_bfIcIGYIaAt0oEALw_wcB
For $106 you could have bought a whole new shower head that would have included the bracket.
Never have used the holder for the shower – prefer holding it in my hand. When not in use I bought a wreath holder that hooks over the glass shower wall that I put it across. Started doing this because the hose was breaking where it bent over the bracket it goes through on the shower wall. Also have a shut off valve on it which saves water.