JAC1982
Colorado
Senior Member
Joined: 08/21/2013
View Profile
 Offline
|
We were never successful at restoring the finish on our last 5th wheel ourselves. It was a dark gray color and oxidized very quickly sitting outside in the sun. We tried all kinds of products, and hired a guy who said he could fix it, and he gave up (and cost us around $500).
A neighbor of ours had the same problem with his boat. He took it to a boat place and it was around $2500 to fix. We fixed it by trading it in and building an outbuilding to store the new one in ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
2020 Keystone Montana High Country 294RL
2017 Ford F350 DRW King Ranch
2021 Ford F350 SRW Lariat Tremor
|
mielock
Cary, NC
Full Member
Joined: 01/04/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I put a heroic effort last year with a cutting compound then wax, and although it didn't look like new, it looked pretty good. The next year it was almost back to the way it was before my big effort, so I give up. Does it bug me? Yes. But no way I'm putting that much work into the exterior every year.
2006 Dodge 2500 Diesel
2011 Sabre 31RETS
|
bpounds
Sophmore Brain...
Senior Member
Joined: 12/12/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Just use a wash and wax to clean as usual. The decal ghosts will become less defined over time, and before you know it you will have low luster all over. Just as an older RV, like mine, should look.
2006 F250 Diesel
2011 Keystone Cougar 278RKSWE Fiver
|
cummins2014
Utah
Senior Member
Joined: 02/20/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
bpounds wrote:Just use a wash and wax to clean as usual. The decal ghosts will become less defined over time, and before you know it you will have low luster all over. Just as an older RV, like mine, should look.
I disagree, we have friends that leave their fifth wheel in Arizona all year, and the shadows have yet to disappear on their 2009 Montana fifth wheel. They had some replaced , others not, and you can still see the shadows after baking in the Arizona heat ,and sun for several years.
|
fx2tom
CA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/03/2014
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
The only way to actually remove the "ghosting" effect is to wet sand the entire trailer. 1500 grit and then 1800 grit. Even then it's not 100%. The best way is to remove the decals when new and wax it right away, along with every 9-12 months going forward. Once it is ghosted it is not likely that you will ever be able to get rid if that.
2002 Ford F250 Lariat 7.3l 4x4 CCSB
2007 Forest River Sierra Sport M-26FBSP
|
|
|
cummins2014
Utah
Senior Member
Joined: 02/20/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
fx2tom wrote:The only way to actually remove the "ghosting" effect is to wet sand the entire trailer. 1500 grit and then 1800 grit. Even then it's not 100%. The best way is to remove the decals when new and wax it right away, along with every 9-12 months going forward. Once it is ghosted it is not likely that you will ever be able to get rid if that.
I tried , and after 12 years of ownership I gave up on my 2008 Montana that I bought new .
|
Fisher Bill
Tigard
Senior Member
Joined: 02/04/2014
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I have a similar issue with the decals peeling off but it's leaving the adhesive which is not pretty at all.
They even put some of the decals over some of the windows, why I don't know but the adhesive is not going anywhere until I find a solution.
2006 Chevy 3500 Dually 6.6 Duramax Diesel & Allison Transmission
2010 Northshore 28RK by Dutchmen
Our first fifth wheel!!!
|
Edd505
Elephant Butte, NM
Senior Member
Joined: 05/20/2015
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Used this on 3 5W's and all my vehicles, about $7. Apply by hand and buff off with a random orbit buffer:
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/coFs6atl.jpg)
2015 F350 FX4 SRW 6.7 Crew, longbed - 2017 Durango Gold 353RKT
2006 F350 SRW 6.0 crew longbed sold
2000 F250 SRW 7.3 extended longbed airbags sold
2001 Western Star 4900EX sold
Jayco Eagle 30.5BHLT sold, Layton 24.5LT sold
|
TxGearhead
Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 04/17/2016
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
3M Marine Fiberglass Restorer and Wax with a Porter Cable Random Orbit was the best thing I found. I tried the the Meguairs and Chemical Guys and everything else.
Traded it on the Landmark with full body paint.
2018 Ram 3500 CC LB DRW 4X4 Cummins Aisin Laramie Pearl White
2018 Landmark Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4
2014 NauticStar 21 ShallowBay 150HP Yamaha
2016 GoDevil 18X44 35HP Surface Drive
|
Thermoguy
Graham, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/04/2017
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Edd505 wrote:Used this on 3 5W's and all my vehicles, about $7. Apply by hand and buff off with a random orbit buffer:
X2 - works great on my trailers. Especially when they start to show a little oxidation. My 5th wheel is a 2006 - I cover it in the winter. It looks great and many people complement me on how clean the trailer is. People think it is much newer than it is. My horse trailer is all aluminum, white. I use the same product twice a year, it also still shines like new, no cover on it.
I use F10 on my cars and truck, but they have better paint to start with.
|
|
|
