Bra or No Bra

[EMaznio]

The front of my 01 Monaco Dynasty is looking old, so I'd like to give it a face lift of sorts...possibly a new Bra. Suggestions on suppliers? Anyone with a bad experience with a Bra? Tips on purchasing & owning? Any maintenance issues I should be aware of? Thanks for your help, my friends!

[big_jim_2]

Save your money and have it painted when it gets bad enough or you want to sell it. I had mine sanded and painted and it looked like it just came from the factory.

[keepingthelight]

Executive wrote:
If you shop around you can get the "bigger" ones for less than 7k....:B:B....Dennis

I was waiting for someone with a "sense of humor" to comment on this topic.:E

[EMaznio]

Thanks Pogoil, again. Everyone's input has been invaluable! Muchos gracias

[J-Rooster]

No

[Pogoil]

EMaznio wrote:
Pogoil, where did you get your bra made? Approx cost? Thanks everyone for chiming in!

We got ours in Portland Oregon. They used to have a shop and did the RV shows but with the economy they work out of a shop on their property.

If he does not have a pattern he makes one right on the spot. Most likely has one for the 01 Monaco you have. We pulled in left our MH. and went shopping for the afternoon and came back and it was done and he will do any custom mods on it you want like. If I remember 3 years ago it was right around $500 Very high quality thick and felt like backing. Based on my experience you will not regret getting one. Really saves your front end.

Portland RV Sunscreens.503-762-3138.

P.S. he makes some of the thickest best sun screens I have ever seen.

Hope this helps.

Pogoil.

[TechWriter]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Bra's generally cause more damage than the supposed damage they avoid. Unless you remove the unit on a regular basis and clean behind the unit, the grit behind the bra will wear away the paint it was designed to protect.

My black RV bra ($650 in Lake Havasu, AZ) covers up the ugly, cloudy Diamond Shield.

[pigman1]

We use a bra on the current Bus and after I peeled the Diamond Shield off the last one, I used one on our 08 Bus. We put it on for travel and off for stops more than a night or two and we CLEAN IT FRONT AND BACK. I sold the 08 with 75,000 miles and we have 23,000 on the 13. I wouldn't drive without it and the fronts looked brand new after using them. You will get an occasional chip under them but these can be fixed whereas the Diamond Shield cannot. Lots of gravel and dirt as we're in Alaska five summers out of the last 8 years. We get our bra's from http://www.coastlinervandoffroad.com/. They'll custom make one for you while you wait (with an appointment) in their parking lot if they don't have your pattern.

[EMaznio]

Pogoil, where did you get your bra made? Approx cost? Thanks everyone for chiming in!

[Pogoil]

RCtime wrote:

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Bra's generally cause more damage than the supposed damage they avoid. Unless you remove the unit on a regular basis and clean behind the unit, the grit behind the bra will wear away the paint it was designed to protect.

Also a black bra on the front of a motorhome is the ugliest thing you can do.

Ugliest in my opinion is the clear plexi glass ones that are about an inch or 2 away from the surface.

Pogoil.

[RCtime]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
Bra's generally cause more damage than the supposed damage they avoid. Unless you remove the unit on a regular basis and clean behind the unit, the grit behind the bra will wear away the paint it was designed to protect.

Also a black bra on the front of a motorhome is the ugliest thing you can do.

[John___Angela]

We use bra on ours. We take it off when in situe for more than a week or so. We have been full timing in our coach for a little over ten years. The bra has done a good job. Of all the places on the coach the only part that looks almost as good as new is the front end. I am a believer in bras if they are of good quality and they are removed when not travelling.

Our clear coat is starting to peel a bit across the top of the front (where the bra doesn;t cover). If it is just your clear coat looking faded on your give it a VERY LIGHT wet sanding with 600 to 800 grit and then re spray it with Spraymax 2K. It is a two part clear coat that mixes in the can before you spray it. You will need four coats. It will look brand new.

[Pogoil]

Ok once again I will chime in, we have a 1995 motorhome. The previous owner had the original Beaver bra on it when I bought it. It was shot so I took it off on a trip to Vegas from Oregon 1 way and all the chips on the front end are from that 1 trip. It had zero before we left.
A bra protects your front end very good. As far as wear on the paint/ gel coat there was almost none on the gel coat or decals. Yes some that would have to be pointed out to most but very very minimal.

I do however take mine off when we do not travel and I do wax under it every time I install it but the previous owner did not and from the looks of it rarely even took it off.

The new bra was made in Portland Oregon and has felt type lining, the old one was well made but had a rougher vinyl type back.

On a black MH. you may be able to see scuff marks from a bra.

Pogoil.

[2bzy2c]

Personally, I would not install a bra. First off, the ones I have seen use fasteners anchored into the RV's body. That means one hole for each fastener. There must be at least 20 or so on the ones I have seen. So what is the point then? Now you have a sheet of black vinyl covering the front of your RV, with 20 holes/fasteners holding the bra in place, then you have to deal with the buffeting of the bra against the paint on your RV. If the bra is not perfectly tight, it will flap in the wind, destroying your paint.

Some say wax under the bra and that helps.

I don't think a bra is a good solution.

[falconman]

It sounds like your trying to improve the looks rather than protect what's there already. If you don't want to repaint, then go with the bra. It will look better than it does now and if starts to cause a problem, take it off. If you do a Google search you will find most are custom made but there are a few places that have templates for your make/ model and might be able to help you out.