Shower Base Replacement in a Jayco Silverline

If you own a Jayco Silverline, then you already know the problem.

The factory shower base is made from thin moulded plastic. It flexes underfoot, creaks, and eventually cracks. (To Jayco’s credit, I understand this has finally been addressed on the 2023 models.)

Ours was no exception.

Early Attempts (That Didn’t Quite Work)

When we were on the Gold Coast, I tried to get it repaired at Ronic Caravans, as they’d developed a repair method that seemed to work well — but we couldn’t get a booking. Back in WA, I contacted several local repairers, but no one seemed interested in tackling the job.

Clearly, none of them own a Silverline… otherwise this would’ve been solved years ago.

As expected, our shower base eventually cracked in several places. I started experimenting with fixes:

  • Expanding foam from underneath to fill the cavity and stiffen the base
    → Unfortunately, I removed the weights too early and ended up with a bulge in the middle. Not ideal.
  • Shalex coating applied to the base (the grey finish you’ll see in the photos)
    → Hard to tell if it helped structurally, but either way I was left with a bloated, creaky shower base.

At that point, I’d had enough.

The Turning Point – A Proper Solution

I discovered that replacement Jayco shower bases were being sold on Facebook Marketplace for around $450 — which felt expensive for the same flawed design.

Then I came across a post on the Silverline Facebook group from someone who’d done a proper DIY upgrade. I’d considered this approach before, but couldn’t work out how to maintain correct fall to the drain.

His solution was simple — and brilliant:

  1. Remove the factory shower base
  2. Build the floor up with plywood
  3. Install a standard shower base from Bunnings on top

That was the moment it all clicked.

The Process (Step by Step)

Removing the Original Base

  • I used an angle grinder, screwdriver, and small crowbar
  • Took about 90 minutes to remove and clean up
  • You can see the old expanding foam inside the base once it’s out

Tip:
Close the shower door while cutting and wear a mask. It keeps plastic dust out of the van and out of your lungs.

Where possible, I left sections of the original base “walls” in place so they could tie into the new floor.

Building the New Floor

  • Cleaned the area thoroughly
  • Built up the height using 2 × 18mm plywood sheets — this ended up being the perfect level
  • I cut the ply into three sections instead of one large piece
    • Much easier to fit around the shower door
    • Avoids wrestling the floor into position

Drain Alignment (Critical Step)

  • The new base has a 120mm drain recess with ~20mm fall
  • I used a 140mm hole saw in the plywood to allow lateral adjustment
    • This saved me when I realised the drain was sitting close to a structural beam
  • A 90mm hole was drilled in the original floor for the pipework below

That extra clearance made all the difference.

Installing the New Shower Base

  • Shower base used: Estilo shower base from Bunnings – $155
  • Trimmed to size using a circular saw (a finer blade would’ve helped)
  • Test-fitted before fixing
  • The base sat perfectly.

Plumbing & Final Fixing

  • The shower drain thread is 50mm
  • I used a 50mm female to 25mm female threaded reducer, plus additional fittings to connect to the existing plumbing
  • The plywood was screwed down
  • The shower base was fixed using Liquid Nails (and black adhesive silicone when I ran out)
  • Once set, I sealed all edges with silicone. Some gaps were wider than I’d like, but everything sealed up well.

The Result

Solid. Silent. No flex. No creaking.

Total time: ~8 hours
Total cost: ~$300 in materials

What I’d Do Differently Next Time

  • Use a finer saw blade for cleaner cuts
  • Cut plywood into multiple sections from the start
  • Account for the drain nut size when choosing hole saws
  • Cut the ply slightly larger to reduce edge gaps
  • Do it sooner

Final Thoughts

This fix completely transforms the shower experience in a Silverline. It feels how it should have from factory.

If you need one done, I’d be happy to consider it. I mainly specialise in caravan weighing, diesel heaters, and WiTi security, but there are plenty of frustrated Silverline owners in WA who’d love a proper solution to this problem — and I may be able to add this to my services.

Credit to Mark Gamble for the original idea that inspired this fix.

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