Please Tell Me This Isn't WRV Original Work

[wbhubbert3]

All my paint is very, very good except the top quarter-round sections on the left and right edge of the roof. Clear coat is pretty much gone and alot of paint is worn/faded. The lower edge along the trim piece on the left and right sides has absolutly the worst sealer application I have ever seen in my life! Does this look like other Alpine Coaches?

As there is no paint oversprayed on it I presume this was done by the previous "non-detail oriented" owner. The interior is immaculate with no evidence of interior water leaks.

Next month the coach goes to the body shop to have the top quarter-round sections repainted to original specs.

Based upon others experience, should I:
1. Remove this sealer (clear silicone?) with a plastic scrapper and PROPERLY apply a new sealer? As it wasn't smoothed down it should be easier to remove and sand.
2. If replacing, use 3M #5200 Fast Dry Marine Polyurethane Adhesive Sealant?

Thanks

[Mr_D]

Certainly not a WRV factory job!

[alpinedrvr]

If the old silicone is still pliable then you should be able to get it off with a plastic scraper,if not then you may have to carefully use a utility knife and then clean up the residue with something like acetone. I haven't used 5200 fast cure but the long cure is fairly runny and hard to work with. You might use a good silicone or some other marine type sealant that is not an adhesive. Take painter's tape and tape along the upper edge where you want to seal and then a second line just below .Lay down a bead and then smooth it out with your finger and water with a little soap (have a dish of it nearby). When it has skinned up a bit you can remove the tape and then smooth over again to smooth out the ridges formed by the tape and your done Better than factory.

Geoff

[Algoma]

If it were me I would leave it alone. Not pretty but you stand a very good chance of damaging the paintwork trying to remove it.

[wbhubbert3]

Reminder: Due to the condition of clearcoat and paint on alot of the left and right corner radius, this area will be painted by the body shop next month.

[Clayobx]

Paint will not adhere to silicone, you have to remove it. 5200 is a terrific sealer and adhesive. It can be painted. As mentioned tape and prepare the service. Preparation is the key to a successful job. (Boat yard owner twenty years in FL) while wet the 5200 can be cleaned and shaped using your fingers, rag etc. you will need mineral spirits to achieve this task. MS cuts the polyurethane. Use the slow cure and allow 72 hours for a complete cure. Remove the tape while still wet, slowly!! Again clean up with MS. The job will never fail!

[Algoma]

I guess I misunderstood your definition of the corner radius. If you are having the roof edge repainted on both sides the whole length of the coach then you don't want that sealer there. If it is silicone the paint won't adhere to it. I don't know of a solvent for cured silicone so it will mean a lot of rubbing to get it all off. After painting I am not sure I would add a sealer again. I am sure the factory did not apply any. Having said that I have put sealer along the edge above the basement doors on my coach, but I don't have full body paint. I used GE Silicone 2 from Home Depot and it has lasted a few years now.

[EngineerMike]

Elbow grease to remove, then paint, then pure silicone for the body/floor/basement seam & 5200 for the roof or Acryl-r sealant (google). The roof seam will take some serious manual labor to clean out the track if WRV used the same stuff they used on mine, but it comes out a little at a time.

[Renipladlo]

To remove this stuff, don't use paint thinner, acetone, lacquer thinner or Goff off. Those items will remove the paint.

A razor blade device could scratch/remove the paint as well. If you are real careful, it might not hurt it, did I say be real careful, like shaving with a straight razor careful.

Rubbing Alcohol won’t hurt the paint, but it might not remove the residue of the caulk either. Diesel fuel might not hurt the paint; I don't know for sure, gasoline will most likely.

Good Luck or you can pay a body shop to fix it, or as recommended leave it alone.

[NV_Alpine]

How much did the body shop charge you to repaint the entire upper quarter rounds?

I had to do mine last year and it was a ton of work.
Seems as WRV had a major problem putting any clear coat on the top of the rig.

Maybe their painter had short arms

[wbhubbert3]

$2,500.00 - it's at the body shop until next Tuesday.

But, I'm having a little body work included. The previous owner seems to have been in the trees on the top right (passanger) rear edge. I had a couple of 1 inch puncture holes which he filled up with silicone. Those will be cleaned out and done professionally with fiberglass.

I cleaned out all the old junk sealer along the edge and replaced with 3M 5200 fast cure. I now have a nice little smooth line which will be painted. Thank you everyone for the tips. Especially about using the blue painter's tape.

Both the left and right side top corner radius, as well as above the front clearance light to the front cap seam, will be completely refinished. It's a top notch body shop, and Parts Plus in town carries Diamont/BASF (WRV's OEM brand) paint. Industrial Finishes in Oregon was very helpful and furnished the paint technician with the original WRV paint formulas.

"Boat" stands for "Break Out Another Thousand." I'm going to start thinking this is a boat on wheels. But it's all fun and challenging, and that's the point isn't it?

[alpinedrvr]

HI

Good to hear it all worked out well. How did you remove the old sealant and how did you clean up the residue??

Geoff

[wbhubbert3]

I removed the majority of the old sealer with bevel-edged plastic putty knives, and then carefully used the corner (90 degree) of a metal putty knife to clean out any remaining residue. Wiped down the area with 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, followed by Acetone.

A 1/8 inch bead was more than adequate; followed by my finger and a fine mist of water. The mist aids in smoothness and curing. After the tape was removed I ran my finger down it again to press the edge onto the fiberglass. I used the 3M 5200 Fast Cure (1 hr.) with no problem.

As the original front and rear roof seams were dried and cracking, I did those also. The blue painters tape and a heated detached garage were my saving grace.

[alpinedrvr]

Bruce

Thanks for the info. I will be in Tacoma soon so you can do mine too!!

Geoff