Community Forums

Willie300s · 06-05-2015, 05:58 PM

I am in the process of removing the 3M mask from our 2005 Endeavor.
Before starting I read everything I could find on this site in prepration for this task.
Using a garment steamer and orange plastic razor blades purchased on Amazon removal of the plastic film is no problem. But getting the remaining glue off was a major (impossible) task until I tried Quick-N-Easy. I tried Goof Off, Goo Gone, mineral spirits, laquer thinner, acetone, xylene, WD-40 & gasolene. The only product that worked at all was gasolene but even after an hour of working in one small area a thin film of glue remained that would just not come off. So I ordered 2 bottles of Q-N-E (thanks to one of the posters on this site for the Q-N-E recommendation) and was amazed at how well this product works. You still have to go over it 2 times with the spray and the plastic blade and a third time with the product sprayed directly on a folded paper towel to remove the remaining thin spots of glue but it really does work and will get the job done in a reasonable amount of time.
I am posting a photo to show the results.

trabuco · 06-05-2015, 06:30 PM

Isn't it nice to get the 3m mask off! Yours looks great. As did mine, I thought I had a brand new coach once the job was done.

Mike Canter · 06-05-2015, 06:48 PM

Bill, since your garment steamer worked well for you can you tell me which one you used?

Willie300s · 06-06-2015, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter

Bill, since your garment steamer worked well for you can you tell me which one you used?

Mike: It was the Conair Compact Upright Fabric Steamer, about $51 on Amazon. It is rated 1600 watts and will run about an hour on one filling. I can remove a continuous strip of the plastic mask about 2' long and 2" wide, following the steamer head with the plastic blade.

smlranger · 06-06-2015, 04:39 AM

Regardless of what you use, it is still a PITA to remove the stuff. I was so happy to get mine off.

Nice job, looks great.

JohnBoyToo · 06-06-2015, 05:51 AM

Tell me why we should remove it?
I understand if it's in bad shape, but the mask on our 2011 still looks great... IMHO

Heck, I really couldn't tell it had a mask until I looked VERY close

so just wondering why I would remove it before it gave us an issue ? Are we talking paint fade differences or what ?

thanks in advance !

Mike Canter · 06-06-2015, 05:56 AM

My 3M Mask looks like a jigsaw puzzle and has mildew under it. Looks horrible. I am pretty sure that happens to everyone. Took about eight years to suddenly change. I don't know if the sun causes it or just age or what. It first starts crazing like a jigsaw puzzle without mildew then moisture under it and mildews.

Clayobx · 06-06-2015, 06:05 AM

JohnBoyToo, heck yours looks great! My Diamond Shield is going on four years living in FL and thankfully no issues. I continue to use Rejex, 303, and Aero Wash and Wax for maintenance its holding up well. Fingers crossed.

JohnBoyToo · 06-06-2015, 07:03 AM

I agree it looks fine to me (so far!), that's why I'm asking

Thanks ! will wait until "attention is requested" !

Mike Canter · 06-06-2015, 07:09 AM

I have looked at a lot of motorhomes where this shield has gone bad. So far 100% of the ones I have seen on 2006 and earlier motorhomes has been bad or going bad. The pisser is my motorhome spent its first four years stored in a garage when not being used. I think it is like death and taxes, it is going to happen. I think if the my is stored inside you might stop the mildew but it is still going to craze.

Bill767 · 06-06-2015, 07:34 AM

Mike, that's exactly what is happening to mine on our 2007 Navigator. It had been excellent until this winter when all of a sudden mildew began to form and it is multiplying like crazy. I guess I'm going to have to deal with it next winter in Florida, but honestly I really don't want to do it myself:-)

ShapeShifter · 06-06-2015, 07:41 AM

The shield on my 2007 coach was starting to look dull, and had scratches from overly aggressive bug removal on my part, but fortunately has no cracks or mildew (yet?) But it still didn't look good.

I had the coach fully detailed a few weeks ago, first time since it was new. The rig almost looks brand new, including the clear shield on the front. He used a clay bar to clean it, then buffed it out (don't know what kind of compound he used) then waxed it. From a distance it looks like JBT's coach. When you get close to it, you can see that it's not brand new, but it looks so much better than it did.

If you have cracks and mildew, there's no choice but to take it off and hope you don't damage the paint in doing so. But if it's just hazy and scratched, but otherwise intact, there is hope!

Willie300s · 06-06-2015, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShapeShifter

The shield on my 2007 coach was starting to look dull, and had scratches from overly aggressive bug removal on my part, but fortunately has no cracks or mildew (yet?) But it still didn't look good.

I had the coach fully detailed a few weeks ago, first time since it was new. The rig almost looks brand new, including the clear shield on the front. He used a clay bar to clean it, then buffed it out (don't know what kind of compound he used) then waxed it. From a distance it looks like JBT's coach. When you get close to it, you can see that it's not brand new, but it looks so much better than it did.

If you have cracks and mildew, there's no choice but to take it off and hope you don't damage the paint in doing so. But if it's just hazy and scratched, but otherwise intact, there is hope!

Your unit is a 7007 so hopefully the 3M mask is still in good shape. The "scratches" are actually the first signs of deteriation. Our 2005 unit looked great when we bought it 2 years ago. The previous owner had kept the unit indoors. We keep it outdoors and over the last 2 years the mask has changed quite a bit. I believe UV causes the deteriation. If you keep it indoors it will hold up longer. If you live in Florida and keep it outdoors it will deteriorate much faster. I have seen a 2005 Endeavor identical to ours that was totally browned out. That's when I decided to go ahead and remove ours. The paint underneath is like new and the process does not damage the paint. As one poster said earlier, it looks like a new coach.
I am posting a before picture that will show the level of deteriation that our unit had.

ShapeShifter · 06-06-2015, 01:27 PM

Wow, that looks pretty bad! Your "after" picture in the first post is a HUGE improvement.

Mine looked nothing like that, the scratches I had were more like swirls, and I'm sure it was caused by over-aggressive bug removal on my part. Also a bunch of small pits, no doubt caused by baked on bug guts. My coach is parked outdoors, and shaded most of the time, but it does get morning sun on the front face. Hopfeully, up here in the North East, that morning sun won't take quite the toll on it that our Southern brethren must face.