Exterior Maintenance Questions

[Jon in AZ]

Life intervened, but I finally placed the Amazon order. Decided to give the Meguiar's 3-step kit a try. I'll probably use the first step only on the top. I also ordered the 3M Stripe-Off Wheel. Looks like we should have a few more weeks of mild weather to get this done.

Thanks for all the input!

[BillE]

I peeled mine with a hair dryer.


A good marine wax will do wonders.


Get a cyclo pro, and then get some rustoleum "peel coat" to protect the front


It is a rubberized surface that you can peel off.

[Dosrios]

Quick question as I too am shining up my Scamp 16. Can I get on the roof to compound and polish it? Otherwise reaching over from a ladder is unnerving to say the least. I am 200 pounds and wondering if the roof will support my weight without having structural problems like cracking etc. Thanks, Ralph

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by BillE

...Get a cyclo pro, and then get some rustoleum "peel coat" to protect the front. It is a rubberized surface that you can peel off.

What's a "cycle pro"? I'll check out the Rustoleum peel coat. I assume that's for the lower front shell as a chip guard?

Do you have any thoughts about how to keep the gravel guard hardware from rusting? I was really disappointed at how quickly the first set rusted in our fairly dry climate.

Originally Posted by Dosrios

...Can I get on the roof to compound and polish it? Otherwise reaching over from a ladder is unnerving to say the least. I am 200 pounds and wondering if the roof will support my weight without having structural problems like cracking etc. Thanks, Ralph

In a word, no. You could use padding to lean a ladder against the side of the trailer to get closer, though. That's one advantage of my 13'er. I can reach everything from a 4' stepladder beside the trailer.

[Glenn Baglo]

Pool noodles or pipe insulation can be used to cushion the ladder.

[Dosrios]

Thanks Jon...I didn't think it would be wise to put all my eight to bear on the roof...I'll pad the ladder contact as you suggest...Ralph

[Dosrios]

Glenn...thanks for the excellent illustration...Ralph

[DeanCHS1980]

Hi Jon,

I am curious if you tried the Meguiar 3 step kit. If so, how were the results?

Our Casita's surface (top half, particularly the driver side that faces the sun when parked in the driveway is showing some moderate deterioration of its shine). It is kinda blotchy ranging from shiny to dull with a couple of areas a bit stained.

A friend at a fall rally told me he thought our Casita had been treated with Poli-glow. Nice shine, but I am sure it has been a few years since it was last applied.

What are your thoughts about using the Meguiar 3 Step Process for the Casita?

Thanks,

Dean

[Jon in AZ]

Sadly, Dean, not yet. Life interfered in a big way this fall- huge work-related project followed by a major illness in the family- and then winter came. Looking for spring to give it a go.

[Gerry]

Dean & Jon, I tried the Meguiar system years ago and I was not impressed with it.
It didn't give me the shine I was looking for, even after useing Poli-Glo and it didn't lastthe summer.
I now use this system
1; Wash useing TSP and Warm water till all dirt, mold or discoloration is gone

2; Apply 3 coats of Red Max Floor Wax with just a clean wet cottom rag. (get at Home Depot)
Starting on roof by door do as much as you can reach, move ladder then do next section over-lapping. I then do from this roof section down to top of belly band all around, then the bottom half. Product is self leveling but do avoid runs, just put enogh on so it looks wet.
Wax dries in about half an hour so when you get all the way around and down the sides your ready to do the 2nd coat, starting on the roof again.
Again for 3rd coat.
Since I have been useing this product the shine has never left the camper.
Now, just give it a one coat at the begining of each season.
I think you'll be happy with this product.
Does not chalk up and is easy to wash any dirt off from travels.

[stevebaz]

Clean the trailer with Barkeeper friend. Make sure you spray under the mid-line aluminium trim. You will have to flush this allot with a good nozzle as the dirt will keep coming out. Tape both sides of this trim and polish to your hearts content This is the crappy job and you want to do it before you go polishing your trailer. If you do this after you will get grey smudge all over your trailers new polish job.
Now you can go polish the fiberglass. Polishing a dull trailer is a really crappy job. the older you are the harder it gets. I use a double action porter cable polisher 7424.

Porter Cable 7424xp Marine 31 Boat Polish & Wax Kit

After getting your trailer in the condition you want you will either maintain it twice a year or fall back to doing ZEP every 2 years. I polish my Boston Whaler but I Zep my Scamp. My trailer sets out in the Socal sun 24-7.

[Jon in AZ]

This is a much delayed follow-up... Didn't get to it in the fall, but Scampy finally got her week in the spa.

Old decals removed, new gold decals installed (sans stripes), new gravel guard hardware, all new snap caps, tongue and bumper painted, new rubber, and a full Meguiar's 3-step Marine Fiberglass Restoration. Still have a few more things to complete, but she's ready to hit the beach.

Here's what I learned:
1. I can do rivets! Didn't feel up to doing any main body rivets yet, but I got the new gravel guard hardware installed. Only one mistake- put the top loops on backward first time. Scamp provided extra rivets. Yay, Scamp!
2. Meguiar's is a great product, much easier than the automotive products I used before, and worth the price.
3. The 3M eraser wheel does more harm than good on fiberglass. No matter how carefully I used it, it left brownish spots in the gelcoat. It seemed to burn, because they were not just on the surface. Ended up wet sanding with 2000 grit paper to get rid of most of it. Gave and turned to...
4. Mechanical removal of old decals is tedious but effective. Plastic razor blades work great but dull quickly. Now I know why they sell them in packs of 100.

Due to a variety of circumstances the Scamp has had a full year's sabbatical. That ends tomorrow. Going camping!

[Cathi]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

This is a much delayed follow-up... Didn't get to it in the fall, but Scampy finally got her week in the spa.

Old decals removed, new gold decals installed (sans stripes), new gravel guard hardware, all new snap caps, tongue and bumper painted, new rubber, and a full Meguiar's 3-step Marine Fiberglass Restoration. Still have a few more things to complete, but she's ready to hit the beach.

Here's what I learned:
1. I can do rivets! Didn't feel up to doing any main body rivets yet, but I got the new gravel guard hardware installed. Only one mistake- put the top loops on backward first time. Scamp provided extra rivets. Yay, Scamp!
2. Meguiar's is a great product, much easier than the automotive products I used before, and worth the price.
3. The 3M eraser wheel does more harm than good on fiberglass. No matter how carefully I used it, it left brownish spots in the gelcoat. It seemed to burn, because they were not just on the surface. Ended up wet sanding with 2000 grit paper to get rid of most of it.
4. Mechanical removal of old decals is tedious but effective. Plastic razor blades work great but dull quickly. Now I know why they sell them in packs of 100.

Due to a variety of circumstances the Scamp has had a full year's sabbatical. That ends tomorrow. Going camping!

Your Scamp looks beautiful. A lot of work well worth it!

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

..

Old decals removed, new gold decals installed (sans stripes),...

Here's what I learned:
...
4. Mechanical removal of old decals is tedious but effective. Plastic razor blades work great but dull quickly. Now I know why they sell them in packs of 100.

Interesting... I recently removed all the decals (except the Scamp name on the sides) on my 18 month old Scamp. It was quite easy. What a difference the years make.

I have thought about removing the two large remaining decals and wonder if you would recommend that, considering how difficult the removal was for you. But if you are putting on new decals then I might assume not.

[Jon in AZ]

I thought about it leaving it bare, but looked kind of lonely without. There was also a lot of ghosting. The missing letters would be pretty noticeable; the missing stripes not so much.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I thought about it leaving it bare, but looked kind of lonely without. There was also a lot of ghosting. The missing letters would be pretty noticeable; the missing stripes not so much.

All the more reason for removing them while my Scamp is still new (under two years old). Hmmm

[Jon in AZ]

Tough call, Gordon, but yup, now's the time if ever.

[Cathi]

I removed decals under two years old simply using hot water on a rag.

[thrifty bill]

FWIW I removed 21 year old decals on a Casita. Tedious work but not that bad! Fingernail to raise an edge or corner, then neddlenose pliers to grab the corner. Pull slowly and carefully. Eventually decal would split, then repeat.

Sounds tough but really only took an hour or two.

[Jon in AZ]

After 8 years in high altitude Arizona sun, mine were so brittle that pulling was useless. They just tore. I had to coax them off with the plastic blade in painstaking fractions of an inch. Took about 6 hours to do both sides. A hair dryer helped a little.

I guess it's the price I pay to live at 5300' in a four season climate with year-round camping and 300+ days of sun.

I owned a red vehicle once and learned quickly that red is just about the worst color for UV fading. That factored into my decision to order the gold decals this time around (that, and it matches my tow vehicle). We'll see if they hold up better.