Nothing is wrong with your tub. The white brackets at the bottom of the tub and the clips for the end panel are turned sideways on purpose before the tub is crated, so they sit tucked in and protected during shipping. Before you fit the end panel, loosen them, rotate them out to their working position and tighten them again. It takes a wrench and a screwdriver, and it is a normal part of uncrating an Ella walk-in tub.

What the Brackets and Clips Do

The brackets and clips are what the end panel attaches to, and the end panel is the piece that closes off the open end of the tub when it sits in an alcove or against a wall. The brackets bolt to the bottom of the tub and the clips are held with two screws each. Both need to face outward toward the panel to do their job, which is exactly the position that would leave them exposed to knocks in transit. Turning them in for shipping keeps them from bending or breaking, and turning them back out is your first step before the panel goes on.

Turning the Brackets Out

1. Find the white brackets at the bottom of the tub. They will look rotated or crooked relative to the tub body.
2. Loosen the bolt on each bracket. You do not need to remove it.
3. Turn the bracket out so it faces the end where the panel will attach.
4. Retighten the bolt firmly.

Turning the Clips Out

1. Remove the two screws holding each clip.
2. Turn the clip out to its working position.
3. Screw the clip back in with the same two screws.

If the Panel Goes on the Other End

The bottom brackets can be moved to the opposite side of the tub if that is where your end panel attaches. Loosen the bolts, take the bracket to the other end, and tighten it in place. Decide which end gets the panel before you position the tub, because it is much easier to reach the brackets while the tub is still out in the open.

Other Things You May Notice While Uncrating

The tub is fastened to its pallet with a screw driven into one of the feet. Remove that screw when you take the tub off the pallet so the foot is free before you level. Among the panel pieces in the crate, the toe kick is the long one. If you find pieces you cannot place, there are extra parts in the crate I cannot place identifies the usual suspects, and extension panels and filler kits explains how extension panels fill an alcove. For the caps that finish the front panel screws, see where do I get the white screw caps and trim.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.