RV Gelcoat fix?

[TJ_Mac]

I was cleaning and waxing our 38" Heartland Bighorn after a long Illness with a good wax and cleaner. The front half looks great and the end cap, but when I got to the back the wax and cleaner left the finish looking like the back had only a thin coat of Gelcoat and the finish is now uneven, I was wondering if ther is something I can do to fix this, or at least improve it, I see some people like star brute marine wax to help RV finishes, it makes me ill looking at this backside of the RV while the front looks great.

[philandterri]

I have had some surfaces on the motorhome the the gel coat was gone. Use 6 coats of Poly Glow and I can't see the difference between the gel coat and the Poly Glow.

[Gjac]

trailerbikecamper wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
If the gel coat is dead, there is very little that you can do. You might try McGuires RV/Marine cleaner and a power buffer. You could also go the zep floor wax route on the back. Other than that, a strip and respray are your only choices.

Where do you get this done? Most RV units are much taller than a typical passenger vehicle. Can any auto body shop do this repair?

I don't want to hijack the thread, but have a similar issue with my gel coat.

Dan

You can do this yourself, I would not consider it a repair. You just need a low speed buffer and a polishing compound, you let the machine do the work. After the oxidation is removed a good wax can be applied using the buffer. The OP sounds like his only problem is on the rear cap and only in a few areas. Depending on the MH age and how bad the oxidation is and the age and condition of the person's shoulders the Zeps process may be a better option. I have done it both ways and I like the Zeps better only because I'm old with two repaired rotator cuffs and my MH is 20 years old.

[donn0128]

Start calling truck paint shops.

[trailerbikecamp]

donn0128 wrote:
If the gel coat is dead, there is very little that you can do. You might try McGuires RV/Marine cleaner and a power buffer. You could also go the zep floor wax route on the back. Other than that, a strip and respray are your only choices.

Where do you get this done? Most RV units are much taller than a typical passenger vehicle. Can any auto body shop do this repair?

I don't want to hijack the thread, but have a similar issue with my gel coat.

Dan

[DSDP_Don]

"TJ Mac"....Typically the gelcoat gets dry and oxidized and then when you apply polish, the pad wants to skid on the dry parts and leaves you with that uneven look. All of the suggestions above are really the way to get the shine back, but require some work.

I had a Class C for fourteen years that I waxed at least twice a year. It had a corrugated fiberglass finish which was brutal to wax. Eventually, after about ten years, the one side and corner that got hit by the California sun, just dried out. Waxing was a pain. This was about 15 years ago so the Zep floor wax had never been tried and there weren't as many products or people talking about them.

Here is what I found that worked and seemed to last between wax jobs. As I waxed, I used a can of Pledge spray wax. I would spray the area where I was going to wax with the Pledge and then wax that area. It put moisture back into surface and made it easier to apply the wax without it skidding or leaving an uneven shine.

[Traveler7]

Flitz polish and a powerball applicator and drill will clean that right up!

Flitz Metal, Plastic snd Fiberglass Polish

[westend]

I'll share an easy way to get all of the oxidation out of fiberglass or metal. Oxidation is the usual cosmetic issue since it appears to be through the material surface.

Go to one of the big box stores or a paint seller and buy one gallon of Jasco Prepaint Conditioner. It is a TSP substitute. Spray it onto the surface to be cleaned (I use a one gallon garden sprayer). Let sit or brush surface for severe discoloration. Respray the surface and immediately rinse. If the Jasco drys, it needs to be rewetted with more Jasco as the oxidation will cling to the surface.

When dry, if the surface is matte flat, cover it with a good quality wax or you can even paint it with a gloss paint.

The procedure above is much easier than using a buffer and compounds and the results will be the same.

[Gjac]

I see you live in Dallas, how many years has it be exposed to the sun? What your is your RV?

[dcg9381]

Gelcoat is usually fairly thick, it'd be hard to burn through. It is easier to perhaps not get it cleaned quite right and it can be left looking a little dull.

There are various multi-step cleaning / polishing processes for restoring gelcoat (and paint) - but they are labor intensive...

[donn0128]

If the gel coat is dead, there is very little that you can do. You might try McGuires RV/Marine cleaner and a power buffer. You could also go the zep floor wax route on the back. Other than that, a strip and respray are your only choices.