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.
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
You outlined the steps and frustration for sure. I have additional steps to add, where I will scour the internet and once I know I’ve exhausted every reasonable avenue, I’ve asked for help from others in RV Forums. This last step has been the most useful. There are so many folks out there that have already solved the problem I’m facing and thankfully, they are willing to share! Example: Dometic will not provide a parts list for the Refrigerators. What a chore and story that one was for us! Luckily I ended up being guided to an $80 part from eBay, vs. leaving the RV at a Service Center for the Season and no doubt potentially much more money.
Going to YouTube college has been the savior for us with many trailer problems. Someone, somewhere, knows how to fix it and has a ‘class’ on YouTube college.
Amen brother!
Ebay or Amazon
I figured out alot of stuff is thrown out as junk because a small plastic part broke. Before all this COVID started, I tried a new hobby called 3D printing. With some online software and a few clicks, I have been able to bring things back to life by making suitable replacement parts. Stuff like knobs and small handles, hinges and do-hickies. Often it takes a couple of tries to get it just right, but I get the satisfaction of keeping something perfectly good out of a landfill.
Local town library has a 3D printer and they will “print” any pattern that will fit on machine base. Charge is only for the amount of plastic used. There is open source software that will allow you to design parts without the expensive professional cost.
I print all plastic parts I can also.
We needed a O ring for the jack leveling system couldn’t get one had to order new hydraulic lift oil Motor just to get O ring🤐.
Search O ring sets on Amazon. You usually can buy a whole tray of of different sizes for around $15 bucks, and then you have multiple sizes on hand. Suggest you remove the old O ring with a pick, and size it. O rings usually fail due to age and loss of compression ability.
I bought a set like that about 25 years ago. Doubt I’ve used 4 pieces from it. With only a selection of about 50 sizes, the odds are totally against you.
I was rebuilding a hydraulic cylinder recently. Just went to our local o-ring store (in my instance “Lee Specialty Seals”), gave him all the old rings, seals, back up rings etc. He measured them and went to the back 5000 sq ft of o-ring storage and got everything I needed.
The springs for my slide topper on my super slide stopped working, so I had to roll it up by hand every time we brought the slide in. I checked on how much new ones would cost, but there are so many different ones they needed the part number for the ones on my rig. I took the springs out only to discover that the only numbers on the whole thing are on the tube the topper rolls up on. I found out they would be $100 each plus shipping and that’s if and when they could even get them. I also discovered the springs were perfectly fine and it was just the cheap plastic retainerS that were broken. I made an impression of the end of the tube on a piece of cardboard and took it to a machine shop. The shop has made me two half inch thick aluminum parts that far exceed the quality and strength of the original crappy plastic retainers. The cost was only $100 for both of them together.
Now that’s good ole fashioned movie. Seems I’m always trying to beat the man on stuff. After a while, you get a knack for it, and when you beat the system, not much feels better in the instant.
Long story short… spending $106 for a $3 part is a little less painful than spending $82,000.00 for an Airstream that’s touted to be a premium quality built and iconic product, but many DIY fixes later… same cheap plastic overpriced parts made in China that are installed on every other RV out there!
Sounds like great marketing by Airstream
Don’t you mean Thor?
The very first thing I always, always do is search online for a Users Manual or parts list. The vast majority of the time that gets me the info I need to find a particular part.
She didn’t know the manufacturer, until she bought the whole kit??
i would have found a good plumbing supply store. There are many home items that are and can be used in an RV.
I am in the Plumbing & Heating business/profession. I get the same CRAP from the supply house, manufacturers rep, and lastly the actual manufacturer. My family ran a business for 103 years on a hand shake and true customer service. Can you guess WHY we sold out?
I was raised by my grandfather who lived though the great depression I was brought up with hand shakes. We worked on all the local farmers equipment and it was always finalized with a hand shake. Not anymore But Sad.
By strange coincidence I replaced the same part just last week! $4 at Lowes. I’m sure it’s not the exact same brand but it looks original. I resented even paying $4 for a silly plastic bracket…
America consumers are getting gouged by big business as usual. The same business which recently got a huge tax break. Go figure.
I’ve been pretty lucky on replacement parts. Just last week, the door to our electrical cord storage compartment blew off somewhere down the highway, and I had a drawer latch in the galley break. One call to Mobility RV on Monday, and I had the perfect replacement parts upon my arrival back home on Thursday. Same situation last year for a replacement driver’s side Velvac Mirror. Called Winnebago and they had the correct glass replacement to me in three days. Perfect fit!
In actual, you really didn’t spend $106 on a $3 part, it was the kit that cost $106. A simple “you tube” search and trip to Home Depot or Lowes and DIY touch would have fixed your problem.
The tip of the thermocouple in my oven broke off, since Dometic bought the company out and no longer carries the $10 part we had to buy a whole new stove, somewhere in the $600 range. And, yes, we combed the internet for a replacement.
Debra, I found an alternative source for parts like the one you describe. I found them at the end of a very long search. They aren’t a single company but instead a business model where folks take apart a broken discarded product, and “part out” the components, just like we used to see at a Junkyard for car parts. Luckily I found my part on eBay (of all places) from just such a small business. (I only add this comment in case it helps anyone else in the future)
A thermocouple is a thermocouple mostly. Just get one that is about the right length.
Thermocouples are different for different temperatures and locations. So, Type J, K or T ? Brass or Stainless Steel ?
Did you consider getting a 3D “printed” replacement? 3D Printer services can take the parts, “reassemble” and scan them and then, “print” out a new intact part. I expect this would cost significantly less than what you paid (although, you did get a complete set).
With the advances in technology and the lack of mfgr. information and parts details – if it weren’t for YouTube and EBay – I would be in a world of hurt. Use them both “extensively” for parts and even just to research details. A “wonder” what you can learn! ON EBay, it may take awhile for a particular part – but sooner or later – Walla! (Remember: “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”!)
I had exact same issue w/ a BodySpa shower set by Oxygenics. The plastic holding clip for the shower head was developing cracks. Before it broke altogether, I bought a white PVC pipe connector with an inside diameter (i.d.) to fit tightly around the original shower head clip. (Take the bracket with you to the store!) Used a hacksaw to cut out a section in the front wide enough to fit the hose back through, and cut another segment out of the bottom skirt in the back so it wouldn’t impede mobility around the ball socket. A little judicious filing smoothed the cut edges. To increase strength, I also dripped a little epoxy down the top between the coupler and the original clip. I already had the hacksaw, epoxy & small files in my tool kit, so the repair cost me less than $2. The shower clip is a bit oversized but has worked perfectly for 3+ years – far longer than the original clip would have, I’m sure.
Custom engineering. I have to do that often on my 43 year old motorhome and I also find a lot of times it’s better than the original.
Have saved thousands of dollars over the years from Youtube Vids and Ebay
Resist the Gouge
There is always a better way to Get Er Done.
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.
For $106 you could have bought a whole new shower head that would have included the bracket.
Use Sugru to make permanent repairs and parts. https://sugru.com/buy?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5eX7BRDQARIsAMhYLP-Qidx8m6dCNuwNRQhK_Ja_I95zSqUvmR1T9tSXq5RP-m_bfIcIGYIaAt0oEALw_wcB
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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?
It is much harder to find anything. Greedy corporate world holding back to raise prices after largest tax break ever
No comment chalk it up to journalism.
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.
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.
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!
A women being told you can do anything. Sorry Nanci but this was a no brainer item to fix.
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.
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!!
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.
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 😉
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.