Removal and clean up of 2 sided sticky

[BatDude]

Hi all FG fix-it gurus out there.

Back in our early days of this years travel I added RV gutter over the Scamp refrigerator access panels to keep the rain water leakage at bay.

Worked really well, but now a few months later the leading edge, i.e. forward facing section, is peeling loose a the top bend!

While at an SKP park in Florida we met Norm and Ginny for a Fiberglass/Scamp 101 lesson as well as a wonderful stay.

Norm suggested 3M (Scotch) double sided tape is a great item and a must for Scamping tool boxes.

We are temporally in Georgia about 3 days behind our return to Mich. schedule. Now we are waiting for the worst of the 4"-6" of a late snow storm to blow though up north.

In any case when we are home I want to remove the RV Gutter and re-attached with the new double sided tape.

How does one remove this adhesive and clean?
Acetone?

I think that can damage FG, at least with my formula car racing days we used it for carbon fiber and FG body parts as an epoxy cleaner.

Bat Dude

[The Minimalist]

Offhand I was going to say, epoxy resin, yes. Polyester resin, probably not.

Then I let my keyboard do the walking. Check here:

Epoxy - Chemical Resistance

This is for epoxy, but a quick search will give you the best cleaners for polyester resin as well.

I'd bet that Scamp uses polyester resin.

[RogerDat]

I have wiped down inside fiberglass wall with acetone during prep for repairs but my scamp is pretty old and materials may have changed since then. That was also not gel coat but the inside FG.

There is probably an out of the way place you can test, along the bottom edge behind rear bumper or front tongue. Or maybe inside the kitchen cupboard or closet. The Wheel well is polished gel coat and if the chemical does a little damage in either of those spots it won't show or matter much.

Dental floss slipped between the two surfaces can be used to "cut" the tape free without damage to the surfaces. Provided there is access for that sort of approach.

I have an awning track on with some of that 3M VHB tape and it does not seem like it is going anyplace. Even with the awning pulling on it.

[mary and bob]

I would just start over with a new piece of gutter. I've used brake clean and goof off paint remover on our Uhaul with no damage to the fiberglass. Maybe the area where the gutter isn't sticking wasn't clean enough, maybe a little wax residue there

[C&G in FL]

I generally start with cigarette lighter fluid when I have sticky stuff to remove.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[BatDude]

As Bob suggested I initially wondered if it may have been due to wax or Scamp surface "cleanliness".

However the adhesive was pulling away from the gutter material and still stuck to the Scamp.

I will try the dental floss approach for removal.

I am now thinking the radius of the bend may have been too extreme for the RV gutter and the stress of the bent plastic may have been the issue.

Every day Scamping brings a new adventure. Some more pleasant that others LOL.

Many many great new tips and once back home we will add tire pressure/temp monitors, bearing buddies for wheels, and a few more things.

I also need to repair awning that collapsed early on the trip due to ignorance (operator error) with not enough slope for heavy rain run off.
Got too heavy and bang down she fell. Took out the center support rib and plastic swivel bracket for one leg. The Fiamma importer and service center in Orlando was absolutely fab and sent replacement parts ASAP.

I need to remove the entire awning from the Scamp and straighten the forward aluminum mounting bracket. I may need new sealer around the large bolts through the shell if I remove the whole thing. I will also need to remove the awning fabric so I can straighten the front long support (with logo etc.) that is bent a bit as the awning does not retract all the way back in the holder nor is the leading part of the fabric taught when extended.

As DW indicated what a great shared hobby!!

In other words FG trailer maintenance. She has many new innovations learned on the road from all the wonderful folks we met.

Guess we need to "suck it up" and head north to the cold like it or not in the morning.

Tnx all,

Bat Dude

[mary and bob]

You don't want bearing buddies, they are mainly for boat trailers and could push grease past the seal and on to the brake shoes. I think Scamp is now using an axle that has grease fittings under a rubber cap, similar to the Dexter but made by Lippert. Or so I've heard