Wayfarer Wash & Wax Front Cap?

[CEParosa]

Has anyone figured out how to effectively wash and wax the front cap of a Wayfarer? I understand that it's not recommended to walk on the roof and the front cap won't support any weight so how to detail that area? I've been using a ladder and extended pole but would love to do a better job. Any ideas?

[f14av8r]

A vexing problem indeed. I haven't been able to come up with any reasonable solution. A long-handled brush is my solution for washing but, obviously that isn't adequate for the detailing / waxing tasks.

I've considered setting up scaffolding using three ladders - two step ladders and an extension ladder - but that feels pretty risky!

I've also considered nosing into my garage and working from the garage roof. Again, risky.

Bucket truck anybody?

By the way, I don't think there is anything wrong with walking on the roof. It is necessary to get up there and clean / check sealant, install accessories and the like. I do agree that the front cap is not designed to hold any significant weight and should not be climbed or walked on.

[luvlabs]

Check out Wash/Wax/All products for a solution to your problem. You can get them on Amazon and through independent dealers. The system is designed to clean and wax using a low water system and some special attachments. Designed for airplanes, it works well on RVs as well.

[CEParosa]

Ok, will definitely check it out. You mentioned special attachments so do you remember what they were?

[CEParosa]

Thanks for your reply, maybe we can both find a workable solution.

[Wrapped]

Wash Wax all is no water product,works great, they have an extendable pole V shaped attachment with micro fiber mop heads on 2 sides wet and dry side I can reach up and over front cap on my class A, and there removable throw in washer dryer. It's all I've ever used on coach 2 1/2 yrs, no water so never had water spots.

[rogerfromco]

I’m 265 lbs and called the Wayfarer Service Center to ask about roof weight limits. They said no problem for me, but probably not a good idea for two large adults at the same time.

I used the recommended process in the Wayfarer manual - wet dryer sheets to remove bugs (works amazingly well) and baby shampoo, vinegar, and water for washing. It was a lot of work but did a good job. That said, I’ll probably use the local truck wash on the way home on future trips - it was more work than I wanted to do.

[Travelino]

This is the solution we came up with to wash/wax the front cap. I know this isn't a practical solution for most people, but I thought I'd share it with you.


The wooden scaffold on the left, is something we already had. It is 4 x 8 and 8 feet high. One end has wheels and we built it, so my wife would have a nice, safe, platform to paint the higher portions of the house. She was able to put an 8 foot step ladder on that too, so she could reach the highest parts of our house when painting. (intentionally offering you this unnecessary detail).



The yellow scaffold on the right is from Harbor Freight and adjusts up to 6 feet. I added the top rail to it. We bought that just before we took these pictures, as it is handy to wash and wax the sides of the RV too and will aid in other tasks around the house, like my wife painting the lower sections.


The only extra thing we had to buy for this scaffold setup to do the cap are 3 2x12 planks, 8 feet long. Those are clamped to the scaffolds so they don't slip off.



The 2 x 12 boards across the front are about 6 feet off the ground and the rig is positioned close to the windshield. Also we made sure that the planks didn't flex down too far and crack the windshield.



Even at 6 feet high, I still found, when I tried to reach up on the cap, I could barely reach up to the marker lights, because the cap slopes out so far. Just so you're aware, than any scaffold similar to this, will still make it hard to get a good reach up. My wife did the roof and reached down from the roof where she was just able to reach the marker lights from above, so we did wash/wax the whole thing, but it was a stretch in both directions.


I agree that finding a way to wash and wax the cap is a real challenge, but at least in our case, we were able to do it as pictured. It's not something we'll setup and do too often.


The big scaffold is high enough so we can use it to step onto the roof, without any additional step.


My wife really appreciates the big scaffold and often reminds me that when we were building the house, I would setup a single plank supported by either 2 x 4s or a handy tree branch for her to walk out onto to work on the house. She really likes the bigger platform, and I like her too.

[Dennis123]

Take it to a blue beacon. Done

[f14av8r]

Originally Posted by Dennis123

Take it to a blue beacon. Done

I used a truck wash once with my class A. Never again. The brushes they use are full of dirt and grit and will absolutely destroy the paint on your motorhome. Avoid at all cost.

[rogerfromco]

Originally Posted by f14av8r

I used a truck wash once with my class A. Never again. The brushes they use are full of dirt and grit and will absolutely destroy the paint on your motorhome. Avoid at all cost.

The Blue Beacon we went to did not sure brushes, just pressure wash wands. Did a great job.

[f14av8r]

Originally Posted by rogerfromco

The Blue Beacon we went to did not sure brushes, just pressure wash wands. Did a great job.

Pressure washing, using the very high pressure hoses the truck washes use is a very bad idea for you paint, sealants, and especially for the plastic protective film. Pressure washing forces water underneath the small holes in the film which then mildews and causes the brown spots we hate so much. Just read the care guide that came with your coach - no pressure washing.

[Bobbystar]

Originally Posted by Travelino

This is the solution we came up with to wash/wax the front cap. I know this isn't a practical solution for most people, but I thought I'd share it with you.


The wooden scaffold on the left, is something we already had. It is 4 x 8 and 8 feet high. One end has wheels and we built it, so my wife would have a nice, safe, platform to paint the higher portions of the house. She was able to put an 8 foot step ladder on that too, so she could reach the highest parts of our house when painting. (intentionally offering you this unnecessary detail).



The yellow scaffold on the right is from Harbor Freight and adjusts up to 6 feet. I added the top rail to it. We bought that just before we took these pictures, as it is handy to wash and wax the sides of the RV too and will aid in other tasks around the house, like my wife painting the lower sections.


The only extra thing we had to buy for this scaffold setup to do the cap are 3 2x12 planks, 8 feet long. Those are clamped to the scaffolds so they don't slip off.



The 2 x 12 boards across the front are about 6 feet off the ground and the rig is positioned close to the windshield. Also we made sure that the planks didn't flex down too far and crack the windshield.



Even at 6 feet high, I still found, when I tried to reach up on the cap, I could barely reach up to the marker lights, because the cap slopes out so far. Just so you're aware, than any scaffold similar to this, will still make it hard to get a good reach up. My wife did the roof and reached down from the roof where she was just able to reach the marker lights from above, so we did wash/wax the whole thing, but it was a stretch in both directions.


I agree that finding a way to wash and wax the cap is a real challenge, but at least in our case, we were able to do it as pictured. It's not something we'll setup and do too often.


The big scaffold is high enough so we can use it to step onto the roof, without any additional step.


My wife really appreciates the big scaffold and often reminds me that when we were building the house, I would setup a single plank supported by either 2 x 4s or a handy tree branch for her to walk out onto to work on the house. She really likes the bigger platform, and I like her too.

Do you allow your wife a break so she can fix your meals for you? [emoji6]

[jcussen]

Washed mine today, there is a place to put your feet under the MB symbol, just stand there and put my knees against hood and use a brush with a 8 ft pole.