| Author | Message | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Rating: N/A |
So me and my girlfriend have an issue with the interior design. I spent hours measuring everything I could think of on my bus ('82 RTS for those who haven't been following me). I have a good floorplan template now, and plenty of copies to screw up.  I'm happy with a shower, but she wants the whole long hot bath thing. I have yet to find a floorplan that shows a bathtub. Has anyone else done a bathtub in theirs ? How do you fit it in without loosing too much space? Oh ya, you don't. I'm trying to be cooperative, without killing off too much space. My big thing is I don't want to lose too much space between the kitchen and drivers seat, so I have enough room to enjoy my TV. We're going down to Home Depot to measure showers and tubs. Your suggestions are still very helpful. | ||
| JimH Rating: N/A |
I have a tub in my Eagle. It is set into the floor. The issue is not space - it is water usage. Having enough hot water and storage for fresh and gray water is the issue! | ||
| Jack Gregg (Jackinkc)
Rating: N/A |
This soak tub will fit in 47” x 29” ; the only problems are $5,800 and 75 gallons of water. click here | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
and if a long winded technical speech about center of gravity/excessive water storage/frame loading doesn't help her understand; you may be left with the compromise of having to delete from your design the heavy/bulky fridge and stove to "re-balance the bus" for the bath tub option (you could always keep a ice chest in the bath tub for baloney sandwiches) or perhaps stretch the bus to 45' like the high end model with bathtubs have had to be. Of course that kind of major modification might use up all the finishing budget and take another 2 years to complete. It may be cheaper for her to just buy you a slightly used 45' Newell for $750,000 and forget about compromising on the conversion. Ah there is no compromise like being single! | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Rating: N/A |
We have a 54" tub in our bus. We have a side aisle design. My wife wanted it mainly for bathing our young grandchildren. The 10 gallon water heater we have is a bit of a limitation. FWIW Dave Dulmage (MC-8) | ||
| Nick Morris (Nick3751)
Rating: N/A |
I'm putting a neo angle tub (though not suited for soaking) in mine with no loss of space compared to a shower. Fits in the corner 39x39. As for hot water put in a Aqua hot or the like. | ||
| Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A |
I have a 5 foot long jetted bathtub in my bus. Heating the water is a challenge that I hope I've solved but haven't tried yet. I have an 11 gallon hot water tank with heat exchanger hooked to my Webasto and have a flat plate heat exchanger, also in the Webasto coolant loop, 'preheating' the water entering the hot water tank. Hopefully with this setup I'll be able to fill the tub. To avoid loosing so much space I built a closet, that is on rollers running in tracks on the ceiling and side wall, which is normally over the tub. To use the tub the closet rolls back into the bedroom over one of the twin beds. Regards Jerry 4107 1120 Jerry 4107 1120 | ||
| Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Rating: N/A |
Why not compromise Show her the "RV Garden Tube" it's only 24" by 36" and has a seat - she can set the shower on water saver mode and sit down and enjoy http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-pumps-water/rv-tub-seat.htm Pete RTS/Daytona | ||
| t gojenola
Rating: N/A |
You have three choices: give in and change your floor plan take charge and change girl firends get a trailer and build one of these: http://www.hottubrental.com/pic.htm | ||
| Al Johnstad Rating: N/A |
I had the very same obstacle to overcome. Never did find a tub that would fit our design so I made a tub. (Not for anyone not acquainted with using fiberglass) I made it fit my design and now my wife and I are both happy. Al RTS/Mystic | ||
| Bill K Rating: N/A |
I built a SS tub to the size I need. also installed a shower head. | ||
| Geoff (Geoff)
Rating: N/A |
I told my wife a tub wasn't gonna work in the bus, so she uses the shower and takes baths at home. Sometimes you just have to put your foot down... (Hope she doesn't read this) --Geoff '82 RTS AZ | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Oh, ok.... invention time.... You have plenty of room -under the bed-, to build a nice big tub. Tilt the bed up and walah, bath time. (thought I was going to suggest using the waste tank, didn't ya') | ||
| Jason Whitaker (Jeepme)
Rating: N/A |
Here's what I put in mine, can't beat the price. https://www.rvsurplussalvage.com/catalog/display.php?product_id=201 Not exactly a soaking tub but it's a tub! Brian Brown built a bunk over his existing fullsize tub. His website seems to be down right now though. | ||
| Eric Lake (Dc_bus_nut)
Rating: N/A |
You have two choices - 1) Install the tub. Plenty of rigs have them. 2) Trade in the woman. I like conflict...particularly with my woman. So, get a new one. Every 5 years is my motto. (Been with my present for 6 years, just to qualify myself). Eric P.S. Buy plenty of bubble bath! | ||
| Dale Fleener (Dale_mc8)
Rating: N/A |
I also have a 5 foot jetted tub for my coach (not installed yet) and plan to install it across the bus using a side aisle. On paper it will not take any more front to back space than a shower. Your paper may vary. Dale MC8 | ||
| Craig (Ceieio)
Rating: N/A |
I have a side isle design with the tub teed off the wall. The shower head is in the "middle" of the bus, which can help with roof curvature (like my MC7 has). Craig - MC7 Oregon  | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Rating: N/A |
Guys, Thanks! I don't think going with the "it'll take too much water" option will fly. She's been mostly patiently listening to me talk about options, and I was looking at tanks today. Despite popular opinion, the RTS's have huge areas underneath. Underneath areas are 20" tall and 5' wide. Somehow I forgot to measure how far apart the skirts are though, so I'm not exactly sure of the width at the bottom, but I know it's in the ballpark of 8'. Moving the fuel tank and removing the radio box gives me the front two completely empty sections. The 3rd section would then be fuel and air tanks, and the fourth section has batteries, the old wheelchair lift (to be removed), and an odd section with a X support already in. I believe I can put the house batteries in the middle of the 4th section. I think I will go with the tub going across. I was trying to avoid putting it across, because I wanted to use up as much space along the walls as possible with high cabinets, but it looks like some of that will need to be left out. I like the idea of pushing the bedroom cabinets over the bath. I may persue that, but we'll see how the drawings go. My roof line measures like this with the interior ceiling removed: 6' 8.25" at the center 6' 7.25" at 22" from the wall 6' 5.00" at 12" from the wall 6' 0.00" at the windows. I stand 5' 8", and she's is 5" 6", so it would be best to have the shower head in the middle, rather than the wall, and it'll give me a bit more room for plumbing. As for trading her in ... Well, relationships come and go.. We've been together for over a year now. I haven't managed to stay in a relationship more than 3 or 4 years, but that could be different this time around. If she sticks it out through the first few weeks of living in the bus, I hope she'll be impressed with seeing the country. The bus is at the shop for the oil leak, and a whole list of other things. A retired truck driver took it to the shop, and said the steering absolutely sucked. The 10 degrees of play was too much for him. I know it was a bit rough for me driving on the interstate, but I'm not a seasoned truck driver. They're looking at that. It looked like the tie-road ends (I assume they're the same as cars) are worn, but we'll see what the shop says. I didn't have a good look at it, I just happened to notice it when I was showing off how far the front wheels would turn. I also have the shop hunting down gears. He said he just threw away an axle with 4.11 gears that would fit (dammit), but will find more. I asked him to pull the stock air conditioner. We were trying to figure out how the hell to dispose of it. If we used a fork lift to remove it, what do we do with 900 pounds of scrap metal? The shop is a friend of a friend shop, and the friend promises they'll give me a good deal on everything. We'll see how that works out. | ||
| DebDav (Debdav)
Rating: N/A |
I also am putting a "T" jetted tub in. The side aisle will be a bit different. No wall. The bath will be private by pulling both the kitchen and bedroom sliding door to the passenger side of the bus. Of course in practice only one door should be requred to be closed. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A |
Think about a shower head on a flexible hose and a shutoff valve at the head, instead of permanently mounted head. IMHO it is mucho greater. Richard | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Rating: N/A |
. | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Rating: N/A |
We have a flexible hose/shower head assemby:  . | ||
| Cory Dane Rating: N/A |
I researched this for awhile and wanted a tub. BUTT the ole RTSII won't store enough water and forget where you will drain to. Use of such a tub would have been limited to campground hookups entirely with instant hot water heater in the bus to be able to heat all that water. on the road, "Navy" type showers are the norm and the tub is OUT. Broke down and just made a shower for the above reasons. Good luck, hope this helped. CDane | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
Tub time , i put a jetted tub in too and really worked out well , It's a side isle and the pooper is next to it. the isle comes in from the drivers side and goes back to center to the back state room the sink is in the corner so basically the bath is 5 ft long all the way across and i have privacy from the front of the coach with a pocket sliding door. I use a Titan tank less and a pump to circulate the hot water it takes about an hour to warm up, and feels great after a hard days work in the plant. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Hey JW.... A real man would just toss her a buck and drop her off at the Y. (just kiddin'; don't get hurt.... we don't want another Lorena Bobbitt story) | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Rating: N/A |
Go to a travel trailer dealer with lots of units on display. I've seen them there ( some nice compact units) as we were contemplating getting a tub several years ago as our kids were small and wife wanted one for bathing.By the time we got serious into the motorhome, the kids grew up and was no longer needed. | ||
| Cory Dane Rating: N/A |
Well, if cost is concern, why don't you look at the RV grave yards. There are almost new rv and 5th wheels that were accidnet victoms (don't take much to kill them) with tubs that can be had for fairly cheap. Might get an idea how to place in the room as well. Just a thought CDane | ||
| Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A |
RV tubs are often very thin and flexible to save both weight and money. You would probably need a tub out of a high end RV to get any real quailty. The shower pan in my travel trailer was real thin plastic and flexed a lot. Sometimes it felt like you would step right through it. They could have at least put solid OSB or plywood underneath it. A lot of us are building conversions to stay away from RV quality junk, though sometimes we don't have a choice due to budget and/or other concerns. Brian Elfert | ||
| Cory Dane Rating: N/A |
(((( The shower pan in my travel trailer was real thin plastic and flexed a lot. Sometimes it felt like you would step right through it. )))) When they intalled my fiberglas tub in my home, they set it in Gypsum cement. They did it to firm up the bottom of the tub. I spoke to another installer and he said they set shower pans in the same material to make the bottom firm. Perhaps the rv industry has not found this cost effective. I can state that my tub is very firm and has absolutely no weak areas when stepping in it. With the shower pan set in this material, the actual pan material can be thin and since it no longer acts as the strength of the material, will act as the water proof liner. Also, with the flex removed from the equation, the shower pan should last the life of the coach. CDane |