Paint Checking and Clear Coat Peeling

[Jdaniel2509]

Did the turtle wax help on the cracks? I've tried a lot of tricks and waxes including black shoe polish with no luck

[allynne]

The paint checking won't go away or get better. You may be able to hide it from a buyer to get rid of it, but a knowledge buyer will ask for proof of a lasting fix ie: residing.

This problem has been around for 6-7 years at least. It occurs on many manufactures products.
It has been determined to be a fiber glass issue, not a paint issue. I understand the manufacturer of the has declared bankruptcy.

Newmar has resided many of their products over the years. Early on they picked up the entire cost. As time went on later models were resided at a reduced cost to the owner. I had mine resided in early '15 when the checks showed up after 8 years. Newmar did it at a very reasonable cost.

Not sure there is any such recourse for owners of products whose manufacturers are no longer in business.

Al Sawyer
'05 Mt. Aire

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Jdaniel2509

Did the turtle wax help on the cracks? I've tried a lot of tricks and waxes including black shoe polish with no luck

Yes, although you can still see the checking up close, the checks are now filled with black wax. You need to follow the directions and use the pre-wax first .... it removes old white wax and allows the black wax to fill the checks. From about 5 feet away you can't see the checks anymore. It works on nearly any dark color. Our RV is primarily dark brown. I've tried other dark waxes but this one works.

BTW, have some GoJo ready for your hands ... it's very hard to get it off your skin and nails.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by allynne

The paint checking won't go away or get better. You may be able to hide it from a buyer to get rid of it, but a knowledge buyer will ask for proof of a lasting fix ie: residing.

This problem has been around for 6-7 years at least. It occurs on many manufactures products.
It has been determined to be a fiber glass issue, not a paint issue. I understand the manufacturer of the has declared bankruptcy.

Newmar has resided many of their products over the years. Early on they picked up the entire cost. As time went on later models were resided at a reduced cost to the owner. I had mine resided in early '15 when the checks showed up after 8 years. Newmar did it at a very reasonable cost.

Not sure there is any such recourse for owners of products whose manufacturers are no longer in business.

Al Sawyer
'05 Mt. Aire

What do you consider reasonable? I feel anything more than I can expect to recover at resale is too much.

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by bruceisla

BTW, have some GoJo ready for your hands ... it's very hard to get it off your skin and nails.

I use the same disposable gloves that I use for filling diesel. Works great!

No mess -- no fuss.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

I use the same disposable gloves that I use for filling diesel. Works great!

No mess -- no fuss.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

I've tried that but the humidity is usually so high my hands turn to prunes in the gloves.

[drwyatt]

There has been a lot of discussion about this. On the forum. It is a fiberglass problem that is related to heat and paint color. Darker colors get hotter in the sun and cause the fiberglass to check. Re- painting is a short term fix, but painting a lighter color may lengthen the time it gets bad. The fix is a $40,000 re- skin and paint. Keep it cool and out of hot sun.

[Jdaniel2509]

When I bought mine several years ago the owner had had it light sanded and clear coat piled on. It had a great gloss. I had never heard of paint check problems at that time and the few cracks I could see, I figured were in the clear coat. I thought at worst I might have to re clear it at some point. After getting back home, I learned what I had :(
I'm just living with it

[lonfu]

sheshh...... your spraying clear coat sounds like star trek rocket science. It is not warp engine engineering. If you can operate a spray can you can operate a spray gun. Thin is good, thick is bad! Hardest part is reading the instructions on the paint can. Considering the quality of writing that most folks do on this blog, I see no problem.

Here is the secret truth about paint that all automotive painters don't want you to know, paint cracks!

It is how they make their living! When doing small areas, use a touch up gun, $20 at Harbor Freight. Yes, you do need a compressor. I don't know if it is just old age laziness, (yes, I subscribe to this myself) or an allergy to labor. True, a quart of automotive paint with supplies does cost $100 (tape, paper, hardeners, anti-fisheye, lacquer thinner, metal spoons, metal measure cups and quality paint) But you don't have to paint the entire coach at one time, you paint small sections and they will all look like you painted them at the same time. I have several old folding metal chairs that have many coats of paint on them. I use them to experiment with my paint mix. it is not difficult to do! But you must clean out your spay gun each time you use it or buy a new one each time as some shops do.

Pressure washers, surface impacts from stones, ultraviolet radiation, cheap clear coat paint, are the major cause of cracks in clear coat. Seasoning fiberglass/gel coat can be solved by re-clearcoating. Once you have a small impact, often you can't even see it, then just ordinary water penetrates and lifts the clear coat, clear coat does not self seal. If you dont' take care of it the color coat underneath will eventually lift and fall off too!

Have you ever thought about learning something new? A new skill? Not to make a living, but learning just for enjoyment? Painting is easy..... good luck.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Jdaniel2509

When I bought mine several years ago the owner had had it light sanded and clear coat piled on. It had a great gloss. I had never heard of paint check problems at that time and the few cracks I could see, I figured were in the clear coat. I thought at worst I might have to re clear it at some point. After getting back home, I learned what I had :(
I'm just living with it

I'm so old the checks are out of focus and not noticeable .... that's a cheap fix that eventually comes to all of us ....

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by lonfu

Here is the secret truth about paint that all automotive painters don't want you to know, paint cracks!

Seasoning fiberglass/gel coat can be solved by re-clearcoating.

Have you ever thought about learning something new?

Huge difference between Thermal Checking and Paint/Clear Coat cracking.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Lisablue85]

I would bet he's never seen or experienced paint checking...

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

It was only a common issue with older coaches that were skinned with the defective fiberglass that their suppliers had made for them. Once the defective fiberglass was used up it was no longer an issue.

Unfortunately my coach is one of them but I have no plans to spend $40-$50 thousand dollars to have it look pretty.

Oh, BTW, it will show up in the lighter colors but not as quickly or badly as the darker colors.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

RE post #5
That's a little worse than our '02 Dutch Star looked after 13 years. The dealer didn't even "flinch" or mention it at turn in time when we got the Magna. When I was at Newmar in 2004 they "buffed" it and siad that would take care of it, then, after it was out of warranty they wanted some $10,000 per side to reskin and repaint. Just wasn't worth the cost and now I'm glad I didn't do it.

[lonfu]

Originally Posted by Lisablue85

I would bet he's never seen or experienced paint checking...

Actually I know exactly what it looks like. The fiberglass, the under layment, is still curring. It can take several years for it to completely season/cure and produce the spider cracking or dash cracking you are talking about. There are several ways to deal with gel coat. One is to remove the paint, scroll out each crack, color match and use actual gel coat to fill in each crack. I've made gel coat repairs on boats and moho's for small areas and surface damage. The 2nd way is to sand and repaint the with "sand and fill" primer then sand flat, the primer fills the fine hair line cracks and paint with "Imron". The problem with Imron is it costs $300 to $500 per gallon, but it acts like you are putting on an entire new coat of gel coat.

A friend of mine with a DP has a frig setup that has no roof vent just a top and bottom vent in the side of his coach because the fridge is located in the slide. So all the hot air from the huge double fridge stays in the compartment and has checked the entire outside area where the fridge is located. The only way to repair this example is to sand, prime and repaint the entire area to match the original gel coat color as close as possible. Or, just leave it alone. Color and clear coat will not work due to the heat. Imron will. what can I say. Painting supplies will be at least $500 and it will be a slightly different color.

When I ordered my last moho, the one in my icon, I ordered it with out strips or and markings. Cost me extra. Then I painted it with single coat polyurethane. after 18 years and 130k miles, I just repainted the front, do to rock strikes from passing trucks. It looks like new again. While automotive 2 coat/ clear coat paints are the industry standard, for vehicles that are outside all the time, I'd recommend a good brand of polyurethane or Imron single coat paint. It lasts longer and is more durable.

I believe that the 2 coat paint jobs on moho's have one goal, sales. None of them will last, even if you store them inside. Again, rock strikes mixed with pressure washers start lifting the clear coat in just 5 years or so.