We have a 4' weekender LQ that has a shower in the small bathroom. It's a crowded affair, and we often use the space for boots, hat boxes and the like. We also have a cowboy shower in the first stall. It affords more room, no hassles, and is much easier to use. It is a very practical alternative.

Our other trailer has a larger bathroom with a separate shower enclosure. This is fine as is, and there is no need for a cowboy shower addition.

We are presently building a similar 4' LQ in another trailer, and the allocated shower space in the bathroom will be used instead, for a clothes closet and boot racks. This trailer too, will have a cowboy shower installed in the first stall like ours.

Gard

Installing a cowboy shower is not very difficult, especially if you have an open dressing room or non finished LQ. The most difficult part is routing the plumbing, which I would most highly recommend using flexible PEX.

My LQ was finished before the installation of the cowboy shower was started. The routing included going behind a refrigerator, several cabinets and through two bathroom walls.

The plumbing for the newer build we are working on, is much easier to install. Under the sink in the galley are two water feed lines, a hot and cold that go to the faucets. Cut these lines and install a "T" in each one. These will become the source for the shower assembly. With the lower cabinetry and refig not yet installed, access to the outside wall is easy. After drilling a hole through the bathroom wall, the PEX was routed along the floor/wall seam to the acute wall angle corner behind the toilet. The cold line was cut and a "T" was installed that will feed the toilet.

Another line was attached to the "T" and the two lines were then run vertically, in the corner of the outside and slant walls to the ceiling. They then ran along the ceiling towards the center of the trailer about 2 1/2'. The cowboy shower head and valves will be fastened on the other side of this wall at that location.

The shower assembly should be mounted as high on the wall as possible, while still being able to reach the valves. If you plan on utilizing this stall for a horse, you will not want any part of the installation within reach of its body. The shower head should also be kept towards the curb (butt) side for the same reason. Stand in the spot of which you want to utilize, and place a mark over your head when you feel comfortable in your space. This is where the shower will be installed. You can mount it more outboard towards the curb, and aim the water towards the center, but the water will be sprayed over a greater surface area.

By having the shower directly overhead, the water will come straight down, generally collect at your feet, and run out at the curb side floor/wall seam drain holes. If the water is sprayed into the trailer's middle or street side, it will travel through your tack area.

There are several types of shower head/valve installations. Some are surface mount, some are inset mounted. The surface mounts look like an add on, the insets look more like a factory installation. Both work the same, but connect to the plumbing in slightly different configurations.

After the shower head is installed, the two lines are connected to the respective hot/cold valves and that's it. Various trim pieces, moulding, cabinetry etc will cover the lines. They should first be supported against chaffing and movement.

Gard