Hello Friends:I have a 2000 Itasca Suncruiser with fiberglass sides. Fiberglass is in "ok" shape with some oxidation but not to awefully bad. I have purchased the Porter Cable 7424XP 6 inch variable speed polisher. I am just overwhelmed at all the fiberglass cleaners and waxes that are out there and then I am just not sure what type of pad to use, I'm thinking the yellow color foam ones seem fairly standard but I could be wrong. A couple waxes I am looking at are Gel Coat Labs Gel Coat Fine Cut Polish for RV's or boats and another called 3M Marine Restorer and Wax. Both seem to have fairly high reviews on Amazon.

Lots of good products available...the 3M one you mentioned is good. I tried a new product this summer on the recommendation of "Dr. Glass" (local fiberglass boat repair guy) called Sea Power. I had great results with it on our 2001 Alpenlite. I used a fiber bonnet but only because I could not find a foam one to fit my palm buffer!

We used the 3m Cleaner & Wax with a 6" polisher/ buffer and our came out very nice. The Restorer Wax is for heavy oxidation. The 3m website will tell you the product recommendation for the existing amount of oxidation.

X2 for the SeaPower. Used it on my fiberglass sailboat for years and on our Montana. Easy on and off and if you don't want to wash the RV before you wax it still works great. If the gelcoat is really bad you may consider looking into PolyGlo. It's like varnish for gelcoat/fiberglass. Need to remove the old waxes first but the application of PolyGlo is easy, alternating coasts applied vertically then horizonally for a total of 6 coats. Then one light cleaning and and additional coat once a year.

I have a Porter Cable and use the foam pads. They can be washed out and used again but I usually just toss it. I use the Maguires line of Marine products.Don

I went with a Flex polisher, although there are many cheaper alternatives, and McGuire's foam pads. I toss them too as they don't clean very well.Started using Starbrite polish on the new trailer, so far so good. Did half the truck hood with carnauba wax and half with the polish in the fall. So far the polish is holding up quite a bit better.I've always liked 3m products, from my autobody days, I don't think you could go wrong with it.

Advice on buffer pads and wax needed | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

Padlin
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
Garry&Gayle wrote:
I clean the pads using Simple Green and OxyClean, work the Simple Green into the pad then put into the sink with Oxyclean and let them soak a while then rinse them out, too expensive to throw out after one use. I have over 10 times on mine. The 3M products work great and they own Meguiars too.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. Without cleaning, I get at least a few vehicles out of a pad.
prichardson
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
My preference is the Starbrite marine polish. I use a terrycloth bonnet for both application and buffing.
Garry_Gayle
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
I clean the pads using Simple Green and OxyClean, work the Simple Green into the pad then put into the sink with Oxyclean and let them soak a while then rinse them out, too expensive to throw out after one use. I have over 10 times on mine. The 3M products work great and they own Meguiars too.
Padlin
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
I went with a Flex polisher, although there are many cheaper alternatives, and McGuire's foam pads. I toss them too as they don't clean very well.

Started using Starbrite polish on the new trailer, so far so good. Did half the truck hood with carnauba wax and half with the polish in the fall. So far the polish is holding up quite a bit better.

I've always liked 3m products, from my autobody days, I don't think you could go wrong with it.
Duck
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
I have a Porter Cable and use the foam pads. They can be washed out and used again but I usually just toss it. I use the Maguires line of Marine products.
Don
JohnG3
Explorer II
Dec 27, 2014
X2 for the SeaPower. Used it on my fiberglass sailboat for years and on our Montana. Easy on and off and if you don't want to wash the RV before you wax it still works great.

If the gelcoat is really bad you may consider looking into PolyGlo. It's like varnish for gelcoat/fiberglass. Need to remove the old waxes first but the application of PolyGlo is easy, alternating coasts applied vertically then horizonally for a total of 6 coats. Then one light cleaning and and additional coat once a year.
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
We used the 3m Cleaner & Wax with a 6" polisher/ buffer and our came out very nice.
The Restorer Wax is for heavy oxidation. The 3m website will tell you the product recommendation for the existing amount of oxidation.
SH
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
Lots of good products available...the 3M one you mentioned is good. I tried a new product this summer on the recommendation of "Dr. Glass" (local fiberglass boat repair guy) called Sea Power. I had great results with it on our 2001 Alpenlite. I used a fiber bonnet but only because I could not find a foam one to fit my palm buffer!

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Advice on buffer pads and wax needed

18 Replies

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