Community Forums

GraciesMom · 08-28-2008, 09:45 AM

I've posted about getting the stripes and oxydation off of my RV . . . now I was facing $2,000 in a new striping job . . . but, I got online and found a company that I can order wave stripe kits from for 1/4 of the price or less.

http://www.stripeman.com/Merchant2/m...mv?Screen=SFNT

I'm getting two sets of two different wave patterns - maybe three - and rubbing them on myself with some help. Then I'll put the gloss over the whole thing and be ready to roll. I am SOOOOOOO excited. I was just going to drive it plain white with the green paint on the bottom - but this is going to look cool - and custom!! I think I'm even going to add a hint of red to make it match the TOAD!!

GraciesMom · 08-28-2008, 09:45 AM

I've posted about getting the stripes and oxydation off of my RV . . . now I was facing $2,000 in a new striping job . . . but, I got online and found a company that I can order wave stripe kits from for 1/4 of the price or less.

http://www.stripeman.com/Merchant2/m...mv?Screen=SFNT

I'm getting two sets of two different wave patterns - maybe three - and rubbing them on myself with some help. Then I'll put the gloss over the whole thing and be ready to roll. I am SOOOOOOO excited. I was just going to drive it plain white with the green paint on the bottom - but this is going to look cool - and custom!! I think I'm even going to add a hint of red to make it match the TOAD!!

RV Wizard · 08-28-2008, 11:08 PM

Bev, you will find that if you use a spray bottle of water and a drop or two of dishwashing detergent in it, that you can work the vinyl out before it sticks to the surface of the coach. A plastic spreader with be a good tool as well. What type of gloss are you going to put over the coach once the vinyl graphis are on?

GraciesMom · 08-29-2008, 01:14 PM

Mike - I'm using Poly Prep to get the oxidation off and I'm going to use the Poly Glo when I'm done with the striping.

RV Wizard · 08-30-2008, 12:06 AM

great! Good luck with the project and post some photos when you are complete. Take care and have fun.

GraciesMom · 09-09-2008, 10:12 AM

OK - here are some photos of the progress thus far: This was the before rig. It didn't look that bad from a distance, but it was definitely yellow - which aged it a lot. And a lot of the decals were faded and cracking and peeling.

This is the front with everything removed - not much shadowing on the front cap and the driver's door: just gotta get the rest of the sticky goop off.

Takiing the decals off with a hair dryer - and LOTS of patience:

You can see some of the shadowing

You don't realize that the paint is cut out to fit the decals, I assumed the decals went over the paint, as they did in some areas - so this will be a design challenge. See where the paint is so shiny and the rest is faded from oxydation?

Lots of shadowing under the Suncruiser logo and stiping on the sides

Still scrubbing the oxydation off. Found an even better resource for striping and decals - much cheaper and lots more patterns to choose from.

http://www.edecals.com/accents/accents_page2.htm

I'm going to take a black and white photo of the side of the RV, measure the spaces and indicate the measurements on the drawing so I can figure out which decals will fit best and use these designs to create a custom look for it. They're only $49 a set so they're extremely reasonable!! I know I should probably go back to the bronze, copper, green designs - but I really want to add some color to it - even a touch of red like the toad - and put a design down the side of the toad so they really match. I was even tempted to do patriotic stuff on it - but that will really clash with the green bottom . . . . and of course, I'd like to do it "girly" with pretty designs and patterns . . . but then there's the problem of reselling it. There aren't many women RV'ers out there and a man wouldn't buy a girly rig!!

Once I have all the oxydation scrubbed off and the decals on, I'm using polyglo to shine it up again.

I'm excited!! SOOOOO excited!

rvingboo · 09-12-2008, 09:44 AM

We have a new to us 01 Itasca Sunflyer that we are slowly removing decals from that the previous owner had added. Some have been very easy and just pulled off and some have been

impossible!! Not only multi-layered but lots of goo!

Don't forget to post your finished product and thanks for the decal site info. We will need to start on the factory applied decals next as they are chipping and pealing off. How are you going to address the different color shades on the body once the old decals have been removed? Is there a polishing method that will even out the skin color some?

GraciesMom · 09-12-2008, 01:43 PM

RVingboo . . . The PolyGlo company told me to get Simple Green and a scrubber. They said if that helped remove the yellowing, that their PolyPrep would remove it even further so I ordered it. I was wet sanding and that was working just great, but very labor intensive. I bought an orbital sander and very fine sand paper and was using a spray bottle to keep the sandpaper and surface very wet. I had big electrical rubber gloves because I was afraid of getting electrocuted with the wet orbital sander! If I can't get it even in color, I'll do the wet sanding some more. Then I'm putting PolyGlo over it when I'm done with the new decals to make it shiny again.

A heat gun works better than the hair dryer, but you have to be careful not to scorch the fiberglass. I used the hair dryer and a big razor to slide underneath the edges. I cannot remember the name of the product that removed the sticky residue left behind by some of them - goo something. I think it's posted somewhere on here . . . .

Probably won't get it all done until after I get to New Mexico . . . but will definitely post after pictures.

Workshop · 09-12-2008, 03:22 PM

Just read part of your post and the comment about wet sanding the gelcoat to remove the oxidation. I have done that and it does work. But one have to be careful when doing that and I'm sure that you are. This is just for those that might read this and not think of the risk and damage that it could create.

I use nothing less than 600 grit for some areas that I just repaired to take the excess off and 95% of the time for general purpose it's 1000 to 2500 grit paper. All is hand applied.

Don't claim to be an expert by any means just someone like yourself that has bought a good used unit and making it better.

I have an Excel 5th wheel, with a High Gloss gel coat finish. The gelcoat is just that, a coat of color on the fiberglass. This photo is of a section of the bottom of the rear cap at the bumper area I removed to install a receiver hitch. You will see the thickness of the fiberglass and the gelcoat. A panel side has the fiberglass less thick bonded to a 1/8" plywood backer...the gelcoat is the same thickness as on the endcap. Can't speak for how your unit is built and the thickness of it's gelcoat finish...but would guess not that much difference.

This article on WET SANDING is for the auto industry but much the same will apply to gelcoat I believe when looking for basics. Once sanded, the finish can be brought back with a compound and polish.

GraciesMom · 09-12-2008, 03:52 PM

Great article, Workshop . . .the folks at PolyGlo didn't mention anything about buffing with a compound or polish when I was finished. I know I have to put the decals on before doing any type of polishing or waxing, or using the PolyGlo . . . now I'm wondering if I should use the PolyGlor or buff and polish it . . .

Any that is a great point - it takes a LIGHT TOUCH and very fine sandpaper not to go through the paint . . .

Workshop · 09-12-2008, 04:25 PM

I haven't used the product, have seen it mention and read briefly about it. I'm more of a conpound, polish/wax kind of guy I guess.

As you might have discovered once wet sanded, the gelcoat is like a sponge and takes on everything and might need to have some protection if it's going to be exposed for a long time. Sometimes learn nothing is that simple.

When you mentioned not going through the paint...Is yours painted or gelcoat?

GraciesMom · 09-12-2008, 05:12 PM

It's supposed to be gel-coat - I just refer to the white stuff as paint. It's definitely not a full body paint job. (In my dreams . . .)

The compound might be a good idea, as there was some crackling underneath a few of the decals. I'm assuming the compound would smooth those out. The question is, can I put the decals on after I've used the buffing compound - as long as I put them on before I wax it or use the PolyGlo . . .I fully intend to put the PolyGlo on when I'm done with everything as a protectant. But I'd really like to use the buffing compound before I put on the decals if possible.

GraciesMom · 10-01-2008, 07:57 PM

OK - I have scrubbed with PolyPrep, Comet, Softscrub, Simple Green . . . . the ONLY thing that TOUCHED the yellow oxydation was BARKEEPERS FRIEND. One of the PolyGlow reps told me about it when I called him in frustration...mix it up with water to form a paste, scrub the paste on and let it sit for a little while, scrub some more then wash it off. I was amazed. The PolyPrep helped smooth out the color. If you've been keeping up with my posts, you know how long I've been working on this - in between surgeries and recoveries . . . I have a guy helping me regularly now so I'll have after photos SOON.