Bounder: Peeling Clear Coat on Brow

[epoucher]

Hello all!

My 2012 35K Bounder had just a spot or two of peeling brow clear coat and now it is widespread.

Are there any new recommendations for DIY repair on a peeling clear coat?

[bigb56]

Only successful way is to sand off the clear, sand into the base coat then seal and apply new base (color) coat with activator followed by new clear coat with activator within the specified time (usually just after base coat flashes). This will give you the original catalyzed base coat/clear coat and is the only way to have it hold up.
Some people scuff the surface and apply new clear coat but this is only a temporary fix and will not hold up as the clear coat needs to melt into the base coat and the only way to do that is to apply both at the same time as a system.
You can buy a decent HVLP spray gun for under $100 and get all the materials from an automotive paint supply. The prep is the most time consuming, sanding and masking. Once you get to the actual spraying it's very quick, (days or weeks of prep followed by an hour of spraying). If you decide to do it be sure to set up some material to test spray pattern and volume before actually hitting the RV. I have used an old fender or hood or even cardboard for that.

[Unplanned Tourist]

Re-doing it with the same paint/clearcoat will make it look like new, but if subjected to the same conditions, it will need redoing again in 10 years.

I like Imron paint by DuPont. It lasts much better than basecoat/clearcoat. Costs more and you have to be very careful using it because it contains isocyionates. DO NOT BREATH IN THE FUMES! It might not even be available in some places, but it sure is great paint.

[computerguy]

My '16 is also doing the same. Wondering what a shop would charge to redo just the area above the windshield?
Any recommendations for someone in Myrtle Beach or Clermont FL?
Place in Las Vegas saw I was from out of state and gave a price over $3k. Needless to say I said no thinks.

[Tha_Rooster]

It’s my opinion after repairing mine it’s less than a $50 job. First sand off flakey clear coat and light sand there area that came off. Tape off spray X-2 (2) part clear coat looks great and your done. Bad part is the area that hasn’t peeled yet will.

[EZ1]

Had the same issue. It was more towards the top where it started by the fiberglass roof.
At first I did the sanding and spray clear coat. It was a lot of work.
I then used the same clear coat that I do on my pontoon called Toon Brite. They have it in quarts and gallons and spray cans too. No mixing or hardners needed
A lot easier to apply and seemed to last longer

[BruceMcc]

Originally Posted by epoucher

Hello all!

My 2012 35K Bounder had just a spot or two of peeling brow clear coat and now it is widespread.

Are there any new recommendations for DIY repair on a peeling clear coat?

Oh boy are getting ready to have some fun. Let me preface this post by telling you that I was a tech support rep and a painter of everything from aircraft to mega yachts. What you are looking at is a failure of the clear coat due to UV. in your repair, you need to find the extent of the damage. To do this, take some 3m tape and press it into the edge of the peeling area. Now give it a firm pull and see how much comes off. I would do this test all over the affected panel. Try to get as much of the failure exposed as you can.
Now, use 320 sandpaper and taper the edge of the clear, working from the clear to the base coat. Keep a piece of tape over the base coat and next to the clear so you don’t sand through the base coat. Scuff the rest of the clear and the base coat with scotch brite red.

Next the paint. This will be like choosing the best toilet…everyone will have an opinion. I helped develop the paint made by Performance marine coatings and it is hands down the best paint on the market.

https://www.boatbuildercentral.com/p...-topcoat-base/

They have a high quality clear that can be rolled on or sprayed. When you have applied 2 coats (3 is better) the orange peel can be wet sanded and buffed to a perfect finish.

If you break through the base coat, you will need to put on new base coat which leads to a much bigger job. They also have the clear in a can that mixes the paint with the catalyst so you can spray a small job. They can also match the base and put it in a spray can.

Good luck with your job, I am going to be doing a complete paint job on my 1997 Fleetwood Southwind Storm next year. I will do a complete video on that job. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

[deandec]

I have had some success spraying the color coat with a Preval Sprayer (home depot etc.). Usually for small touch up sections.

Then a rattle can for clear coat.

https://preval.com/

[bigb56]

Originally Posted by BruceMcc

Oh boy are getting ready to have some fun. Let me preface this post by telling you that I was a tech support rep and a painter of everything from aircraft to mega yachts. What you are looking at is a failure of the clear coat due to UV. in your repair, you need to find the extent of the damage. To do this, take some 3m tape and press it into the edge of the peeling area. Now give it a firm pull and see how much comes off. I would do this test all over the affected panel. Try to get as much of the failure exposed as you can.
Now, use 320 sandpaper and taper the edge of the clear, working from the clear to the base coat. Keep a piece of tape over the base coat and next to the clear so you don’t sand through the base coat. Scuff the rest of the clear and the base coat with scotch brite red.

Next the paint. This will be like choosing the best toilet…everyone will have an opinion. I helped develop the paint made by Performance marine coatings and it is hands down the best paint on the market.

https://www.boatbuildercentral.com/p...-topcoat-base/

They have a high quality clear that can be rolled on or sprayed. When you have applied 2 coats (3 is better) the orange peel can be wet sanded and buffed to a perfect finish.

If you break through the base coat, you will need to put on new base coat which leads to a much bigger job. They also have the clear in a can that mixes the paint with the catalyst so you can spray a small job. They can also match the base and put it in a spray can.

Good luck with your job, I am going to be doing a complete paint job on my 1997 Fleetwood Southwind Storm next year. I will do a complete video on that job. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Question, if you use a catalyzed clear over existing base of an unknown type how do you know it won't penetrate and lift/craze the existing base?

[BruceMcc]

Bigb56,
Great question. The first test you did with the tape will tell you how well the base coat is adhering to the substrate. Another test you can do is take some MEK and soak a rag with the tip of your finger and lightly rub mek on the base coat and see if the base coat comes off with the rag. If it comes off real easy, then the solvents in the fresh paint run the risk of shattering the existing base coat. If that is the case, then your best option is to seal the entire panel with an epoxy primer and lock/seal the old coating so it now has a foundation for the new brace/clear. If you are worried about shattering the base with the solvents in the epoxy primer, use a water base epoxy on the first coat and then solvent epoxy on the next coat. That is what a professional shop would do so the he could have some form of warranty on his work.
If I was doing this job for someone, that is the procedure I would use. Many times it is faster to do it the right way and not pick at a scab.

[computerguy]

I will not be doing this job myself. Still wondering what a shop should charge to repair it. It does look like it has penetrated to the base coat on mine. It looks like the whole brow would be the correct fix. Pic attached.

[SavnTheWales]

Same here. I am wondering if a vinyl wrap for the brow would be cheaper and last longer. Should be a lot easier to apply.

[deandec]

I paid a Truck paint shop $1,200 to paint the brow from the horns to the top of the the window color band in 2004.

It would likely be a bit more today.

This was done with sanding, base coat and clear coat paint and still is solid 18 years later.

[Flyer15015]

I did a carbon fiber patterned wrap on our old Jayco Seneca 33ss.
Clear coat was almost all gone and the cost to repaint was outrageous.
The wrap was $600.00 done locally.
Now they make all kinds of colors and designs, so you can get very creative.

Mike in Colorado