Decals/Graphics

[d1h]

Anybody replaced the decals/graphics on their RV themselves? Mine look horrible and would love to replace them. Some of the old adhesive though is so dried out and baked on by the sun that Goo Gone and heat gun doesn't phase it. And then once you would happen to get off the old ones is getting the new ones on neat and smooth. Its corrugated aluminum sided not smooth fiberglass.

[Grit_dog]

Had a long response that wouldn’t post.
Short answer is I’m fairly well versed in removing and installing that kind of stuff. Vinyl graphics, vinyl wrap, pin stripes, trim pieces, clear bra, auto body work, etc.
And I would not ever consider doing graphics on a corrugated Al skin. Not even the install much less the removal.

[Grit_dog]

Smooth sided filon or fiberglass is doable but a real chore assuming you know what you’re doing. This ain’t a first timer experiment type of task imo.
On corrugated aluminum I’d probably burn the camper down and collect insurance before I’d even consider replacing the decals.
And I say this being relatively well versed in installing decals, pin stripes, vinyl wrap, clear bra, etc.

And can’t use any of the good solvents on powder coated aluminum like you can on gel coat.
Also gotta be more careful with an eraser wheel on pc Al.

[opnspaces]

I removed the decals on my corrugated trailer. Yes the old and cracked ones were a real bear to get off. Just keep attacking from all sides and you will hopefully get through. Use heat and use plastic razor blades so you don't scratch the paint.

Since my friend owns a sign shop we installed a total on one decal and gave up and contacted his subcontracting installer. Long story short find a who does this for a living and pay him to do it. Working across the corrugations is not easy.

[12thgenusa]

I removed and replaced all the graphics on my 5th wheel in 2019. The surface was filon not aluminum. A heat gun on low will work, but I found that a hair dryer on low was better as the heat gun will easily heat the decals too much and cause them to stretch and break easily. I removed the glue with Rapid Remover which worked very well.

It's a LOT of work and the replacement graphics were not cheap.

[ktmrfs]

haste maker wrote:
Unless you plenty of time & muscle don't even try to remove them...find someone that does this for a living...

Depends. If you can remove them before they become brittle a hair dryer makes taking them off pretty easy. heat a corner, once it warm start lifting and pulling, carefull on the tension as you continue to heat. On my Outback I removed both front decals this way took maybe 30 minutes for both. Once the decals start to crack, another story, even with a heat gun can take a long time, then it is on to the 3M rubber abrasive decal removal, which is time consuming to say the least.

[haste_maker]

Unless you plenty of time & muscle don't even try to remove them...find someone that does this for a living...

[TMBLSN]

I bought a new travel trailer two years ago and removed those ugly swoosh decals before they got baked on.

Looks much better without any of those decals.

[BB_TX]

I replaced only the front and rear decals on my fiberglass 5er. And that was a chore. A 3M eraser wheel helped as it took off the decal material and a lot of the adhesive came off with the decal shreds. And 3M adhesive remover took off the rest. There as a ghost image on the fiberglass of the old decals so locating the new ones was easy. Getting them flat with all air and water squeegeed out before they dried was some work. But it looked like new again. My side decals were still good.

But I have read on here that the eraser wheel will also take off the paint from aluminum siding. So I guess not an option.