Fiberglass Shower Shelf Problem

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shackdweller

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I've recently made some big improvements to my bathroom, including getting support under a once saggy floorboard, and also new floor covering, and other improvements.

One fairly "small" but extremely annoying problem I have put up with since purchasing my shack in 1996,
is a pipe, or a rod on a shelf in the shower.

I have a fiberglass combination shower stall and bath tub, and this rod, or pipe, which is probably for a wash
rag, has never been firmly in place, and keeps coming loose.

There is some defect in the mounting rings that keeps them from holding this rod firmly in place.

I have some photos which I will be posting later to show more specifically just what the problem is.
 
Here is my first photo. How things should be on the shower shelf.

40515931945_70ff93a33d_b.jpg
 
Now, here what has happened over and over again since 1996 when I have put a was rag onto the bar, or pipe, whichever you call it, or taken the wash rag off of the pipe. Of with no wash rag on the pipe, as in the photo, reached for those shampoo bottles.

40515931985_4857e6277a_b.jpg
 
So, what do I do about this problem? The white plastic rings on each end of the pipe, should hold it in place and prevent what I showed in the last photo, but they don't, and I'd go into more detail, and also post some more photos with closeups of those white plastic rings.

One possibility is just to give up the wash rag bar, or pipe, altogether, still using the shelf to keep the shampoo bottles on. But, I would have the problem of water getting into the holes in the fiberglass, so the holes would have to be plugged up.

My guess is that the figerglass wall is, at least where the pipe holes are, is 1 / 8 the of an inch thick.

And, the holes are probably and and 1 / 8th of an inch in diameter. Below is a closeup of one of the tholes.

40515932035_00843275b6_b.jpg
 
What's the long term plans for that bathroom?
Forgive me but it looks long over due to be redone.
A simple quick temporary cheap fix would be to add some locking collars to keep it from moving side to side.
Google locking collar to see what I'm talking about.
 
If the rod usually slides front to back, slide the grommet, on one end onto the rod, remove the grommet from the other end and wrap some elec. tape around the rod and reinstall the removed grommet over the tape. Insert the rod into the front hole, then force the other end of the rod and grommet into the other hole, the insert the front grommet into the hole.

The Idea is to, hopefully, expand the grommet enough with the tape to keep it in place.
 
Thanks for the replies everybody. I'll check out the leads you've given me, and also take some more photos to post here.
 
you could drill a small hole in the rod, inject some "great stuff" foam into the tube. the foam will expand in the tub and into the space behind the area of the tube . If you work fast, you could inject the foam and turn the rod so the hole is in the back and unseen
I did this in a area that had a loose water pipe and made rattle sounds whenever the water was turned on. I drilled a small hole in the drywall injected the foam, no more rattling noise
 
So Joe, why exactly is that a bad idea?
 
From the color of the shower unit, I'd say it's due to be replaced, but if you don't have the budget, I think the locking collar thing & maybe some caulk might work.

Soonyb, what was that stuff you recommended instead of 100% silicone? I know you told me before, but I can't remember what it's called right now.
 
It's POLYSEAMSEAL by LOCTITE. Works with your dampened finger.
Thanks. I'm going to paste that into a notepad file so I remember. I wonder if that would help with the situation here. It looks to me like water has already been getting in.
 
Yes, the OP need to arrest the thrusting involved with the placement of the washcloth.
 
Thanks for the replies everybody. I had a real high priced specialist in bathrooms to put in a new toilet bowl, a new sink cabinet, and also brace a sagging floor board.

I asked him if any water could have gotten into the floorboards? or are there any floorboards under the shower/tub combo? and he said he didn't think so and that other than the one sagging plywood panel, which he blamed on a construction defect, the bathroom floor was solid. It does have a layer of cement on top of the plywood floorboards.

I will continue to work with this gentleman on making needed improvements around my shack.
 

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