2nd RV. Need Schooling

**route66detail** · 10-13-2015, 04:06 PM

Hello friends. As usual... Thanks immensely that you even clicked on my post.

So we did our 2nd RV today. Camper actually. 2013 26 foot Sunset Trail Reserve camper. Pretty good shape. Customers hot button was the front cap. Was dull and oxidized. I did a test spot up top and the customer happened to walk by to see at that point. Looked great! So I pressed on. Eventually the sections started looking patchy. As if I hadn't wiped the residual product well enough. Well I did. As I went on I started noticing that my results were bad. Yes I brought back the color of the front cap but it was looking dull and patchy AND here and there looking like I could see my section passes.
I learned that when approaching a paint correction that you should use the LEAST agressive approach at first. I started with a one step cleaner wax to see if that would knock it out. I used Pinnacle 360 XMT with a porter cable with white Lake Country pads. Like I said... It looked great when I started out but... My sections started looking different from each other and eventually came out blotchy. Any help you could provide would be great. It did freak me out obviously.

**FinishingTouchA** · 10-13-2015, 06:47 PM

I'm going to assume it's gelcoat (if it's paint disregard my comment).

I've done quite a few RV's, nothing newer than 10 years however, and every one of them is horribly oxidized and has heavy signs of sitting stationary for a while. In this case I use APC in a foam cannon, soak 8ft sections for 5 minutes, then scrub and rinse. This usually cuts down some of the oxidation so my pads don't get gummed up as quickly. Next I'll grab my rotary and a wool pad with some RV cutting compound and work it in slowly at 1400-1600rpm. After this I use an orange pad on the 3401 with an RV AIO. Even with this aggressive method a 30ft RV still takes 15-20 hours. No matter what your method though, you'll need to go over it twice. My best piece of advice for RV's, take your estimated labor and double it. If you expect it to take 10 hours, schedule it for 20.

**EliteDetailing** · 10-13-2015, 10:57 PM

On heavily oxidize gelcoat I highly recommend using a heavy duty machine compound.

**BillE** · 10-14-2015, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by EliteDetailing

On heavily oxidize gelcoat I highly recommend using a heavy duty machine compound.

To add to this...along the line of Meguiar's Power Cut Compound (M-91).

Bill

**route66detail** · 10-19-2015, 05:21 PM

Thanks soooo much for your help! So listen to this.... I get on line and type in "Sunset Trail Reserve paint issues" in Google, to see what pops up. WELL.... Thank god I did because yeah... LOTS of people have had major issues on the their front caps as well. I am SOOOOO relieved. We're new at this so, it shook me up a little. I really appreciate your help!!!!!!

**GSKR** · 10-19-2015, 06:38 PM

You're getting what's called high and low spots.Try to keep pad flat as possible ,you're tilting the angle of the pad to much keep the section wet with the product you are using,and take you're time.I had the same promblem 2 years ago now I can master anything that comes my way from working on gelcoat or fiberglass. Make sure you are getting good pay for it not by any means it's not a car.You really have to be skilled working on these finicky finishes some of them won't accept a da foam pad finish it will dull back out again.Every rv is not the same .What product are you using ?

**GSKR** · 10-19-2015, 06:41 PM

I spritz the section with pledge before buffing it nourishes the gelcoat and prevents buffer walking.

**GSKR** · 10-19-2015, 06:44 PM

porter cable will not give you the results on a faded gelcoat.

**route66detail** · 10-19-2015, 08:18 PM

Thanks for the heads up. What do you believe I should have used? Rotary polisher? Wool pad? I used a 3 in one. Pinnacle XMT 360.

**GSKR** · 10-19-2015, 08:49 PM

I can't disclose the knock out product I use on gel or fiberglass,probably against forum rules.as for info on pads and material is a hard question I'm not there every rv is different is it textured or non is it faded to death are you inside or out can you get by with polish only,those are some of the variables.maybe purchase mike Phillips book on detailing he gives you endless knowledge on every section of detailing.some gelcoats you can't finish down it won't accept it will fade out again,some don't even accept a lsp will fade a little.Rule of thumb is rocks in a bottle and rotary always start with the least aggressive approach and keep it simple.good luck and buy his book.