RV help

[Chubs]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum but not detailing. I've been enjoying it for over 8 years now. I learned on a rotary and have just discovered the PC over a year now and love it. I'm always looking for davice to do a better job, and thats why I'm here. I have a question I need to do this RV a Forest River Sunseeker. 36 ft with tip out. What I want to know is what type of paint is on them. It is white with graphics on smooth panels. Are these gel coats or something different. I don't tink it's a gel coat for BC/CC. It's in good shape and just need lightened back up, I'm just not sure about putting a rotary to it. I will probably just use the PC but I still want to know what is on those panels.
Thanks ahead of time for your comments.

[2000]

I too, am a rv'er. can't answer the paint question but I can say your pc will save you a LARGE amount of time doing your rv. good luck with your question and hope you enjoy the forum.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Chubs,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!


Many of the higher-end RVs are being painted with the bc/cc paint systems for a number of reasons, beauty and durability being the top two.

Older, and entry level RVs often have gel coat finishes and are prone to oxidation.

The best thing to do would be to take a little paint cleaner, polish, or a cleaner/wax and rub on an inconspicuous area to see if you're pulling color. This will tell if it's clear coated or not. If it's not clear coated, then chances are its a gel coat finish, or there is another very popular type of finish used to make the exterior panels of RVs, I'll try to dig that name/substance up.

Mike

[Mike Phillips]

Off the cuff, and without seeing the condition of what your working on, I would shoot for a cleaner/wax and one step it with the PC using a W-8006 foam pad.

Mike

[Chubs]

Thanks Mike for your help. The RV is only 2 years old and in good shape, no fading, just starting to get those black streaks running down the panels. I was thinking some DACP or SP with soft buff pad on PC then a coat of collinite insulator wax. I lnow. I know it's not Megs. I love meg products and have tried most of them with great success but I haven't found anything that can compete with the durability of collinite. The stuff has a great shine and good depth and just won't quite beading up. Enough of that. You also mentioned the paint I don't thinks its gel coat at all since it has no fading. Thinking its either BC/CC or that other stuff. For a lack of better wording it looks like a dry erase board. It's white and shiny and has a wierd ripple type bumps on it. hope that helps trying to find what that other stuff is Mike.
Thanks again.

[2000]

keeping in mind that I have rippled sides, cleaner wax on the pc takes those black streks off fine, saves a whole step. those streaks are caused by your rubber roof. just incase you didn't know, the cleaner you can keep your roof, the less streaking you'll get throught the summer

[Superior Shine]

We do 3-4 travel trailer/RVs a month. I can tell if it is painted or gel-coat just by looking at it. Usually the paint will be shiner than gelcoat. If your unsure call the manufacturer and find out. It is important to know because painted surfaces are detail different than gel coat.

Also, water beading on the surface isn't an indication of durability.

[Chubs]

Hey
Just wanted to say thanks for all your replies. It's pretty cool I think that after eight years of detailing for either companies or myself as a money making hobby I'm still learning something new all the time. I love this forum.
Hey superior I have a call into the manufacturer and waiting a call back. I know water beading isn't a sign or durability but I like to see the visual ques of it though. It's just that even a pretty clean surface can bead water and not have any protection on it.
Thanks again!

[Chubs]

Just to let everyone know Forest River Sunseeker model RVs are not painted!?!
They are fiberglass panels, no BC/CC, no gelcoats. They said they call them feiylon (misspelled) panels. They said you can polish and wax them just like a boat. We will see I will submit pics of before an after when I do the RV

[2000]

does it show (and feel) the hair in the mold? my buddies trailers are like that and we tried waxing and it was a nightmare as all the wax dried in these hair cracks and was a real son o* ***** to get it all out.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
The best thing to do would be to take a little paint cleaner, polish, or a cleaner/wax and rub on an inconspicuous area to see if you're pulling color. This will tell if it's clear coated or not. If it's not clear coated, then chances are its a gel coat finish, or there is another very popular type of finish used to make the exterior panels of RVs, I'll try to dig that name/substance up.

Mike

I did some checking and as near as I can find out, except for aluminum, most/all RVs being built are using gel-coat or bc/cc paint systems over gel-coat.

Sounds like you found out right from the horses mouth what you're working on so good luck.

By the way, the reason I recommended using a cleaner/wax was because RVs tend to be large and offer a lot of surface area to maintain. A quality cleaner/wax will clean, polish and protect in one step.

This will save you some time and effort and still give you excellent results. You could always go back over it again with a dedicated wax product later.

Mike

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

As someone who owns a large travel trailer, I can tell you that it would be wise to use a really good cleaner/wax like Meguiar's #66 Quick Detailer as you want the cleaning ability but also good durability. It takes a LONG time to detail one of these things!!! I would also suggest using a PC to apply the wax. Your arms will thank you!!

Tim

[Chubs]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Think I'll try a cleaner/wax. Never really been a big fan of them. Probably because I never really use them. Most certianly I will use my PC. I'll do the cleaner/wax and If I not happy enough with that I'll try some NXT on top of it.

Hey Mike, I haven't tried NXT yet and I believe I saw a thread that you can't use NXT on top of vinyl decals. I've always waxed decals before WHATS IN IT? I know then you would have to shoot me. What should I use on the decals then.

Thanks for everything guys!

[STG]

Nxt wax works just fine over vinyl decals on my Mach1. Your vinyl may ber different, so test first.



The Mach1 has vinyl stripes below the doors and on the hood.

[Mike Phillips]

Like STG said,

Test on your vinyl graphic first. Some vinyl graphics like the one on STG's Mach 1 the NXT Tech Wax made the vinyl graphic look better.

On some vinyl graphic material, some waxes will whiten or dull it.

So test first. A product that usually works pretty good for vinyl graphics is Meguiar's Gold Class Gold Class Trim Detailer. Wipe on a thin coat and allow it to penetrate for a few moments and then softly wipe off any excess residue using a microfiber polishing cloth.



Mike