Body Paint Checking/Cracking

[TMan59]

Originally Posted by MarkK

I see you are up in my general area where the environment is easy on paint. With the Monaco were you spending time in the SW?

I see you know have an Alpine.

Yes, we traveled to AZ a few times for a month at a time. Seemed like every time we were there they had record high temps.
I hand waxed it at least twice a year.

It was kept outside the 1st couple years we had it and then we built a open ended metal storage shed for it to at least keep it out of the NW rain.

It bothered me to have the egg shell cracking and I always wanted to find some black wax, ( I believe they make it) to wax those areas.

[Luv2go]

Unfortunately almost all manufacturers used the Crane Composites material. Newmar coaches in that era were affected as well, mine was one of the last Newmar coaches built with that material. We had Newmar re-skin our coach in 2014 due to this. The hung-sidewall construction allowed them to do this, most manufacturers use vacuum bonded sidewalls that can't easily be re-skinned.

BTW it showed up during the warranty period, Newmar paid for repainting of sections, they started crazing a few years later. So repainting did not work for us.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Sidewall replacement is only practical if you have hung sidewalls so the sidewalls can be taken off without affecting the structure.

I don't think Newmar's "hung walls" is a requirement cause American Coach was also replacing sidewalls for awhile That stopped when they went bankrupt in 2009 and the new owners decided not to do non-warranty repairs on coaches over 12 months old. Replacing a sidewall is hugely expensive, though, so not a practical fix for most owners.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Luv2go

Unfortunately almost all manufacturers used the Crane Composites material. Newmar coaches in that era were affected as well, mine was one of the last Newmar coaches built with that material. We had Newmar re-skin our coach in 2014 due to this. The hung-sidewall construction allowed them to do this, most manufacturers use vacuum bonded sidewalls that can't easily be re-skinned.

BTW it showed up during the warranty period, Newmar paid for repainting of sections, they started crazing a few years later. So repainting did not work for us.

On our '02 DSDP the problem showed up within the warranty period and they tried buffing it out which didn't last long. Then refused to cover it later what I asked for a price on reskinning the one side. They wanted full price rather than the reduced price they offered others. Wasn't worth it so just lived with it.

[Rebel99]

Good day all! I’m currently having my very special to me 1999 43ft Gulfstream Tourmaster that I purchase “new” repainted/fibreglass repaired. I’m in southern Cal and found a highly reputable shop that actually “grind”out the original fibreglass install new sheets of fibreglass and of course repaint the entire coach “big job”. I’ve had the checking problem since my coach was near new and at that time brought it to Gulfstreams attention. After getting the run around big time from Gulfstream they basically told me to take a hike. I have a good friend with a Newmar Essex that unlike Gulfstream they replaced the sidewalls in his coach at a shared cost to my freind. My coach is still a month away from being completed but so far I’m very impressed with what I’m seeing. BIG JOB!! Strictly personal preference as too whether one is willing to spend $35,000 plus with new awnings etc on such a old coach. For me as I said like lots of you I’ve had my coach since new keep it up had the interior upgraded and just don’t want to spend big $$ on a new coach. Take care.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Rebel99".....Is Final Touch in Santa Clarita doing the work? They're the ones that corrected the cracking in front cap of my Diplomat.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Ludmilla

The issue was with coaches from about 2000 to 2008. I have seen it in many different manufacturers.

So when I see newbies coming to this forum asking for advice on a used DP, and many here suggest to go pre-DEF by looking for a <2008 coach before the new environmental DEF engines came into existence, that means they'll get a non DEF engine but get a coach that probably has this faulty fiberglass issue?

[Ludmilla]

Originally Posted by marjoa

So when I see newbies coming to this forum asking for advice on a used DP, and many here suggest to go pre-DEF by looking for a <2008 coach before the new environmental DEF engines came into existence, that means they'll get a non DEF engine but get a coach that probably has this faulty fiberglass issue?

It is likely that coaches in those year ranges will have the defective sidewalls unless something was done like we did with ours - we had Newmar replace the sidewalls. If the coach was kept under cover its whole life, it may not be a big issue.

[Rebel99]

Hi Don. No its Albert @ Onextreme in SanJacinto/Hemet.

[CountryB]

How about posting some pictures of this cracking/crazing?

I'm pretty sure I understand it - but a picture would help.

I see some cracking lines in the paint at the bottom windshield curve and other places around the coach. is that crazing or flex cracking (or is it the same thing)?

[Rebel99]

Sure this is prior to having new fibreglass/paint.

[Rebel99]

[Shawn6596]

I find this very interesting. It kind of leads back to something I posted a while ago referring to having my my front cap vinyl wrapped. My coach had a bra on it for a long time. the paint on the front cap is trashed. I posted the question of if anyone had ever had their cap vinyl wrapped and got a bunch of responses saying have it done with spray in bedliner (no help around here can only get black done). I did get a response on facebook with pictures where a guy had his entire coach vinyl wrapped for like $6k. I wonder if this would be a solution for this superficial checking?
not to mention once it starts to look bad just peal it off and have it made new again.

[Rebel99]

I looked into getting the coach wrapped the issue I found is it’s imperative to have a smooth surface under the vinyl. In my case major sanding. None of the wrap shops wanted anything to do with that.