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Old 10-21-2012, 06:19 AM   #1
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Can one recondition plastic shield or change it

My motor home has a protective plastic tape like shield on the outside front of the unit. It extends from under the windshield to the bottom of the unit. It is a protective barrier for the paint. It is quite scratched up, from driving, and I would like to recondition it. I used compound and that didn't help that much. Should I go to 2000-3000 grit wet sandpaper first and then compound, polish, wax? Has anyone replaced it and who does that. Cost? I would think that this coat could be brought back to new otherwise why have it taped on. Thanks
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Old 10-21-2012, 06:31 AM   #2
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We did have ours replaced shortly after we got the motorhome. It cost over $1000, but they definitely should have charged us more. Ours looked like someone had taken sand paper to it, and it was very scratched up. According to OMC, when they took it off (which they do with a buffing wheel), it came off in little slivers. It took the poor guy forever to take it off. Putting the new one on was much quicker, and it looks brand new. We did learn that you should wax it just as you would the fiberglass of the coach in order to keep it protected. If you keep it waxed, it's easier to get off the stuff that gets on it. For example, our we didn't realize you could wax our previous coach, and some bug left a permanent stain on it when it ran into the front end!
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Old 10-21-2012, 06:37 AM   #3
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do you know what the material is called?
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Old 10-21-2012, 07:06 AM   #4
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That material is made by 3M
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Old 10-21-2012, 07:39 AM   #5
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Absolutely don't use sand paper have you tried plastx you can buy it at Walmart you us nothing buy soft clothes to clean and wax. I saw someone who used a scotch brite pad to clean the bugs off totally ruined it.
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Old 10-21-2012, 11:36 AM   #6
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Once it marred up, there is nothing you can do for it, except make it look better for short periods of time. 303 actually works very well. It temporarily fills in the small scratches and makes it easier to clean the bugs off. For best results, you need to apply it every trip. Before each trip I use 303, Plexus (motorcycle plastic windshield cleaner polish) or Pledge. Every few months I use a good paste wax.

You're going to get some that will come on here and say never use petroleum based products, but once the plastic is damaged, it doesn't really matter. It won't further ruin the plastic and it DOESN'T melt or disintegrate the material.
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Old 10-21-2012, 12:19 PM   #7
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I wonder if ZEP High Traffic or Wet Look would make it look better at 1/100th cost.



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Old 10-21-2012, 01:19 PM   #8
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I just did my m/h headlights a week ago with polishing compound. Took about five minutes on each one and they look like new. Try it in a corner to see if it works. It was NOT rubbing compound. Polishing compound.
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Old 10-21-2012, 01:27 PM   #9
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I saw a rig in a CG that the person had tried to remove the plastic with a Heat Gun. What a mess. It not only took the plastic but the scraper he was using gouged into the paint to the point where it would cost a few grand to fix it.
Don't use a Heat Gun.
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Old 10-21-2012, 06:59 PM   #10
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Why they still put these paint shields on motorhomes is beyond me. I've seen people try to take theirs off, because they were badly scratched and rolling at the corners....and paint come off with them. Unless replaced once every 3ish yrs, it's often better to either deal with rock chips, or install a solid plexiglass protector.

With that said, you can buff them back. Waxing is temporary, but using polishes will have lasting results, and you'll level out the surface. A Flitz ball or Mothers power ball and medium to fine grade polishing compounds is what you'll need. Also, you could try "Bestop's" Vinyl Window Cleaner/Polish works well for fine scratches. It's intended for clear vinyl convertible windows, so you know it'll suit your application just fine.

Good luck with it.
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