Help with Bigfoot TC Faucet Replacement
I would like to replace bath sink and shower faucets in my 2001 25C10.6 BF TC. However, I am having trouble getting access to the underside (or backside) of these faucets in order to replace them. ...
Forum Discussion
The short story: bath sink faucet removal/replacement can be accomplished by removing the exterior shower box AND shower faucet removal/replacement can be accomplished by removing a panel that is behind the dinette back-rest cushion (that shares the shower wall in the subject Bigfoot TC model). Details are provided below with the hope that it might help those poor souls that might face this task some where down the road.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to lift the pedestal up (per suggestions). As indicated earlier, it was also impossible to pull the pedestal away from the walls. So, I decided to bite the bullet and pull the exterior shower box. When I did, I was able to see a portion of the pedestal backside, and I found it was attached directly to the walls by means of 6 screws that were driven from inside the pedestal! Only 3 of those screws were actually visible, while the other 3 were located by feel. Given the "geography" and the limited access, it was very clear that Bigfoot never anticipated removal of this pedestal.
However, using a mirror and a flashlight, I was able to see the sink faucet and flange nuts. Luckily, I was also able to put one arm through the exterior shower box hole and reach them, although they were near the end of my reach. Of course, it turned out that the faucet nuts were too tight to remove by hand (although I could turn the flange nuts). After a trip to Home Depot for a basin wrench, I managed to find a single wrench position on each nut with enough room to get about 1/8 of a turn at a time. With a good dose of patience (and a quite a bit of cussing), I was finally able to remove the old faucet.
The shower faucet and flange nuts could also be seen using a mirror and a flashlight through the exterior shower box hole. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no way that I could reach the nuts, but I found that I could just barely get a grip on them with the basin wrench fully extended (and some trickery holding the jaw open with string until it felt like I was in the right spot). I'm pretty sure that I could have removed the nuts through the exterior shower box hole (given enough time and a lot more cussing), but I knew that there was no way that I would ever be able to start nuts on the new faucet from this position outside the TC.
By then, I was discouraged, tired, and ready to give up for the day, but for some reason I went inside the TC and started pulling the dinette apart. I really got lucky when I found a panel, attached by screws, that was behind the dinette back-rest cushion on the wall common with the shower stall. I really wasn’t expecting that removing the panel would be helpful, but to my surprise that was exactly what was needed to access the backside of the shower faucet.
Had I known all of the above, it would not have been that big of a job. However, I found nothing on line and didn’t get any support from Bigfoot until I was all done. Maybe the next guy will have a better shot at this.
Happy Trails!
Unfortunately, it was impossible to lift the pedestal up (per suggestions). As indicated earlier, it was also impossible to pull the pedestal away from the walls. So, I decided to bite the bullet and pull the exterior shower box. When I did, I was able to see a portion of the pedestal backside, and I found it was attached directly to the walls by means of 6 screws that were driven from inside the pedestal! Only 3 of those screws were actually visible, while the other 3 were located by feel. Given the "geography" and the limited access, it was very clear that Bigfoot never anticipated removal of this pedestal.
However, using a mirror and a flashlight, I was able to see the sink faucet and flange nuts. Luckily, I was also able to put one arm through the exterior shower box hole and reach them, although they were near the end of my reach. Of course, it turned out that the faucet nuts were too tight to remove by hand (although I could turn the flange nuts). After a trip to Home Depot for a basin wrench, I managed to find a single wrench position on each nut with enough room to get about 1/8 of a turn at a time. With a good dose of patience (and a quite a bit of cussing), I was finally able to remove the old faucet.
The shower faucet and flange nuts could also be seen using a mirror and a flashlight through the exterior shower box hole. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no way that I could reach the nuts, but I found that I could just barely get a grip on them with the basin wrench fully extended (and some trickery holding the jaw open with string until it felt like I was in the right spot). I'm pretty sure that I could have removed the nuts through the exterior shower box hole (given enough time and a lot more cussing), but I knew that there was no way that I would ever be able to start nuts on the new faucet from this position outside the TC.
By then, I was discouraged, tired, and ready to give up for the day, but for some reason I went inside the TC and started pulling the dinette apart. I really got lucky when I found a panel, attached by screws, that was behind the dinette back-rest cushion on the wall common with the shower stall. I really wasn’t expecting that removing the panel would be helpful, but to my surprise that was exactly what was needed to access the backside of the shower faucet.
Had I known all of the above, it would not have been that big of a job. However, I found nothing on line and didn’t get any support from Bigfoot until I was all done. Maybe the next guy will have a better shot at this.
Happy Trails!
