Pictures: RV and Motorhome Detailing Classes at Autogeek

[Mike Phillips]

Pictures: RV and Motorhome Detailing Classes at Autogeek


At Autogeek's RV and Motorhome Detailing Classes we start out with a power point presentation to share the important information about the proper techniques for correctly maintained and machine polishing high-end RVs. Doing quality work starts with the brain not the buffer.





When it comes to detailing RV's and specifically high-end RVs with the same type of basecoat/clearcoat finish that you find on new cars and trucks, the most important things you can do are,

1: Always wash and dry carefully.

2: Use high quality products - this is especially true as it applies to abrasive technology including compounds, polishes and cleaner/waxes.

3: Use orbital polishers and foam pads and avoid rotary buffers and wool pads as these are the primary cause of hologram scratches.





Pictured below is a rotary buffer to show what NOT to use and the a huge selection many of the orbital polishers on the market today all of which are available at Autogeek.com

The students in this class were encouraged to use ANY orbital polisher they were either interested in or preferred.






And one of the reasons why it is so important to understand the type of finish you're working on and how to work on it is because a custom paint job like you get on a Newmar Motor Coach cost tens of thousands of dollars.





After the power point presentation there's a presentation on using the correct technique to back up the information shared in the classroom.









Demonstrating how to use the FLEX 3401 gear-driven dual action orbital polisher








Inspecting the results...





Demonstrating the new FLEX XFE7 free spinning orbital polisher




Inspecting the results...

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


This RV was washed on Monday and stored inside until the day of the class where it was parked out in front of the Autogeek facility. This means there's going to be light dust and possibly pollen on the exterior surfaces. Before machine polishing the entire exterior was treated to a waterless wash using plenty of clean, soft plus microfiber towels.

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

All the detailing classes at Autogeek are intense, hands-on classes. This includes our 3-day automotive detailing classes, our boat detailing classes and yes our RV & Motorhome detailing classes. I've been teaching detailing classes for going on 30 years now and one thing I know from experience and that is people learn best by doing not sitting in a chair. So our power point presentations while important are short. Then it's to break for hands-on training and real-world experience.



Mike Hogan, an alumni of our boat detailing class and his brother Brandon working on the back of the RV. Mike's using a RUPES while Brandon is use a FLEX 3401. Both are great orbital polishers.








Robert DiTerrlizzi sharing the proper technique for machine polishing a flat surface with the FLEX 3401






Tim aka 57BORNTORUN and also a veteran Detail Fest Car Show Judge using the FLEX 3401




Barry using the FLEX XCE7 free spinning orbital polisher...




Rob using the FLEX XCE7




John using the FLEX XCE7




It's important to have the proper scaffolding to reach the top sections safely...







Autogeek's Show Car Garage is huge and most important... air conditioned!





Below you can also see safety stairs for reaching the top of the back of the Newmar North Star




Robert sharing some tips with John...




Gerry using the RUPES Mini 12 with a 4" RUPES polishing pad to machine polish and wax a thin panel in a tight area.











Frank using the RUPES Duetto...






Alfredo helping his wife to use the new FLEX XCE7




And now she's on her own!




For all you guys reading this that are still detailing your RV or even your car by hand... machine polishing is not that hard to do when you use high quality orbital polishers not old school rotary buffers.

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

At Autogeek's detailing classes we feed you good!

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


After pizza dinner the class gets back to machine polishing the Newmar North Star RV






Al and Barry inspecting the results using a FLEX Swirl Finder Light...





Al, Bob McKee and Mike Phillips talking shop and taking inventory of where we're at with the progress....





Time to flip the RV around to knock out the top sections of the driver's side

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


And here are the results the next day outside in the sun...


























Here's the proud owner Bob McKee at the helm of his freshly machine polished and wax 37' Newmar Dutch Star!

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...


Here's the team - or at least about half the team. As we neared the end some of our students had long drives ahead of them to get back home and left before taking the group shot.

[Mike Phillips]

Continued...

Due to their size, detailing an RV requires a lot of supplies like microfiber towels for the waterless wash, buffing pads to apply the products and more microfiber towels to wipe the wax off.









These are all orbital polishers also called dual action polishers because they rotate and oscillate the buffing pad at the same time. They are all easy to use and you can get these tools plus the pads and products needed to use them with plus the best customer service in the industry bar none.









On Autogeek.net

McKee's RV Wash & Wax On The Go

McKee’s RV All-In-One Cleaner Wax & Sealant - 16 ounce

McKee’s RV All-In-One Cleaner Wax & Sealant - 32 ounce - RVs are big!

Porter Cable 7424XP

FLEX XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher

FLEX XFE7 - 15mm Long Stroke Orbital Polisher

Rupes LHR 21ES Big Foot Random Orbital Polisher

Rupes LHR 12E Duetto Random Orbital Polisher

Rupes LHR 75E Mini Random Orbital Polisher



If you want to attend our next RV & Motorhome detailing class or our boat detailing classes or our 3-day Competition Ready detailing classes then call us and asked to be placed on our detailing classes newsletter.

1-800-869-3011


Ask for Andre or Bryan

[david b]

That coach looks awesome!

Two questions - Any idea how much McKee's AIO Cleaner Wax & Sealant the team used?
Was any machine polishing done to the roof of the coach?

My in-laws just traveled from FL to AZ in their 38 ft Challenger and are now heading back to the midwest next month. No doubt I'll be asked to clean it up. Looks very intimidating as I'm a newb to RV's

David

[Mike Phillips]

That coach looks awesome!

Two questions - Any idea how much McKee's AIO Cleaner Wax & Sealant the team used?

I had 4 - 16 ounce bottles and 1 - quart bottle of the McKee's 37 All-in-One Cleaner/Wax and Sealant in the garage for this project. All of the 16 ounce bottles were full when we started and mostly empty when we finished. A few of the guys wanted what was left to test out on their own projects so they're all gone now. The 32 ounce bottle is about half full.

In the classroom portion for this RV class as well as the classroom portion for "Production Detailing" in my 3-day car detailing class and boat detailing classes I teach the meaning of the terms,

Heavy
Wet

These two words, heavy or wet, are terms used to describe how much product to use when using a one-step cleaner/wax. The idea being is you want a LOT of liquid on the surface because inside the liquid is the cleaners, abrasives, polishing oils, and protection ingredients and generally speaking when you're doing a one step you need all of these things on the surface working for you.

Using a one-step cleaner/wax is the OPPOSITE of using a non-cleaning wax also called a finishing wax or show car wax. When using this type of product you should be working on paint or gel-coat that is new or like new and for this condition of surface you apply a THIN COAT.


Does that make sense? Using a product heavy or wet versus applying a thin coat?

It's just I've never seen any other instructor or writer explain these practices before and I know from experience that some people I've met over my lifetime have shared bad experiences trying to use only a little bit of cleaner wax, (like they would use a finishing wax), when doing a one-step process to something neglected. And they didn't understand why they were not getting GREAT results.

Was any machine polishing done to the roof of the coach?

No. The top of this Newmar RV is not meant to be walked on or serviced in any way except by the factory or by factory authorized Newmar dealerships. We only went to the curved cap that surrounds the top.

My in-laws just traveled from FL to AZ in their 38 ft Challenger and are now heading back to the midwest next month. No doubt I'll be asked to clean it up. Looks very intimidating as I'm a newb to RV's

David

One of the most important aspects of detailing any RV is to have the proper scaffolding so that you can work safely. Lucky for us we have a SkyJack for use in the warehouse as well as the safety stairs.

Besides that... my best advice for RV's are,

1. Always use premium quality products - you want great results the first time because you certainly don't want to do it a second time.

2. If the RV in question is in GREAT shape then RIGHT NOW is the time to do something to it it keep it in GREAT SHAPE. The last thing you want to do to any RV is a 3-step process. A 3-step process, not including washing would be,

Compounding plus wiping the compound off.
Polishing plus wiping the polish off.
Waxing plus wiping the wax off.

I don't know about the rest of the world but to me that's a LOT of work and it includes a lot of going up and going down and also going round and round.

What you want to do is a one-step process using either a LIGHT cleaning cleaner/wax or a non-cleaning finishing wax.


3. Always use a dual action polisher. Avoid using a rotary unless it's the only option to chop and grind off years of neglect and even then, I'd let someone else have the blessing.



Great questions, thank you for asking and for your comments.