Dec-01-2020 04:17 AM
Dec-03-2020 11:59 AM
campingwiththoreau wrote:
Thank you for the informative post. Posting picture of the full front. As you can see- it appears to be delaminating....
Dec-03-2020 09:04 AM
Gdetrailer wrote:
Don't think anything is going to "seal" that as is.
There is no quick fix or short cut, the top surface (gel coat perhaps?)which is breaking needs to be sanded down until you find good smooth surface. It would be difficult to bridge all of the cracks in the top coat and highly suspect it would fail quickly which is why that top coat would need to be removed down to good surface, keeping in mind that the panel is pretty thin to start with.
Don't go at it with 60 grit and a grinder..
With most everything in life "prep" is key to making things look good and last.
Then will want to use a decent primer and paint for outdoor exposure and will get good adhesion to fiberglass and resin.
Have you tried sanding down one of the little cracks to see if it goes deep?
If you just slap paint on that surface as it is, the paint will simply crack open at every place that it is cracked..
You will need to also remove the decal so you can treat the entire surface and it will look better than a old faded decal beside fresh paint.
It most likely is fixable, I doubt that the cracks go very deep and are more of an issue with the Gel coat failing. As long as it is just the gel coat failing I doubt that you are getting water past the rest of the front, that is most likely coming in from the roof line..
If the cracks go deep, then it may be far easier and faster to see if you can get a sheet of FRP large enough to glue over top. The FRP used on RVs is also called "Filon" which is a brand name for this very thin FRP.
Found 8.5' by 10' piece of Filon on Amazon for $360..
HERE
Or if you have a place that you can create a breaking point (like a front window) you can get 8.5' by 5' piece to just cover the worn out top area..
HERE
Dec-02-2020 03:55 PM
Dec-02-2020 02:41 PM
Dec-02-2020 01:49 PM
valhalla360 wrote:
Assuming it's the vinyl stickers that are cracked...there really is no repairing them. If they bother you, you can remove and replace them but it's a bigger project than you might think.
If it's actually the fiberglass gel coat, you need to figure out why it's cracking. Getting all powdery can be buffed out but actual cracks would be a bigger issue.
Dec-02-2020 01:48 PM
Gdetrailer wrote:
Post a picture, may help with diagnosing, without a photo we are just guessing at it.
Stickers cracking is pretty normal and cannot be helped, it is the nature of the beast, they wear out. Once cracking has started, the only fix is to remove and replace and start the clock over again.
Now if you are talking the surface of the trailer front, it depends on what exactly that front is made from. Some fronts are molded plastic of various types and some are Fiberglass Reinforce Panel (FRP) which would have a "Gelcoat" on the exposed surface.. The Gelcoat can deteriorate/wear down leaving fiberglass and resin exposed..
In the case of Fiberglass with gel coat, best fix is to have it painted with automotive grade paint and be done with it.. Any good autobody shop that has paint dept should be able to take core of it.
Plastic, well cracked surfaces, not a lot can be done there to hide it or fix it.. Might be able to paint it but all of the cracked surfaces will need to be stabilized (bridged), filled in and smoothed out before painting.. Any cracks not stabilized (bridged) structurally will simply crack any paint applied..
Dec-02-2020 01:40 PM
Gdetrailer wrote:campingwiththoreau wrote:
How can I post a photo? Don’t see an upload button etc...
It’s not the decal that cracking...it’s the entire
front of the trailer. I surmise- water is leaking in from
the roof ( even tho it’s caulked up there ) and the
front of the trailer material is delaminating.
Sadly- I need to repair as best I can as this
trailer is hurricane tied down and grandfatherd
Into the park I’m in. Once this trailer is removed -
another can not be placed on my lot with out major
hassle and the removal of an adjacent storage shed...
Otherwise- I’d give this trailer away & buy something
new. Hoping I can paint / seal the front & get a couple
more years out of this old trailer. I’ll upload detailed
photos once I figure out how to upload ????
This forum does not host photos so you have to use a online host that allows sharing to get a "URL" that can be added via the little Icon with yellow background with what looks like a sun and mountain (located in the "advanced posting")..
Max size is 600x480 if you are doing this manually so folks with limited bandwidth or limit screens can view quickly and with needing to scroll..
One of the members of the forum actually setup a cool online "app" which can upload any photo you choose from your PC or Tablet, upload it a online host and then it gives you a URL with the proper formatting for this forum so all you have to do is copy the entire link with formatting and just paste it into your post text..
You can access that HERE, you can book mark that location.
OK, yeah, entire front, it is either molded plastic like ABS or it is Fiberglass and resin (FRP).
If you are seeing little fiber like strands (looks like fine hairs) it is most likely fiberglass and resin which is a bit easier to "repair".
ABS and the likes, not so much because it has no fiber reinforcement and gets extremely brittle with age.
If you are seeing fiber like strands and no actual physical "cracks" through the material you can simply clean off any dirt or grime, lightly abrade or lightly sand the surface with a fine sandpaper (gives the paint something to attach to). And since you are in a campground, you can primer and paint the front.
You can use your favorite rattle can or you could go with roller and brush.. Some of it may depend on your campgrounds rules.. Just remember, those paints will not be as long lasting as automotive grade Urethane paints and you may have to reapply after 3-4 yrs in the sun..
On edit, you mention delamination, that is a whole different animal.., Delam basically means you will have noticeable bubbles or pockets below the surface when the plastic or FRP separate from the wood panel under it.
Those do not harm anything, they just look ugly. Although if it is from leaking you need to fix the leaks.. That means you most likely will need to remove all the old caulking and replace with new.. Slathering new over old isn't a fix, it makes the next repair harder..
Dec-02-2020 06:13 AM
campingwiththoreau wrote:
How can I post a photo? Don’t see an upload button etc...
It’s not the decal that cracking...it’s the entire
front of the trailer. I surmise- water is leaking in from
the roof ( even tho it’s caulked up there ) and the
front of the trailer material is delaminating.
Sadly- I need to repair as best I can as this
trailer is hurricane tied down and grandfatherd
Into the park I’m in. Once this trailer is removed -
another can not be placed on my lot with out major
hassle and the removal of an adjacent storage shed...
Otherwise- I’d give this trailer away & buy something
new. Hoping I can paint / seal the front & get a couple
more years out of this old trailer. I’ll upload detailed
photos once I figure out how to upload ????
Dec-02-2020 05:17 AM
Dec-01-2020 04:44 PM
Gdetrailer wrote:
Post a picture, may help with diagnosing, without a photo we are just guessing at it.
Stickers cracking is pretty normal and cannot be helped, it is the nature of the beast, they wear out. Once cracking has started, the only fix is to remove and replace and start the clock over again.
Now if you are talking the surface of the trailer front, it depends on what exactly that front is made from. Some fronts are molded plastic of various types and some are Fiberglass Reinforce Panel (FRP) which would have a "Gelcoat" on the exposed surface.. The Gelcoat can deteriorate/wear down leaving fiberglass and resin exposed..
In the case of Fiberglass with gel coat, best fix is to have it painted with automotive grade paint and be done with it.. Any good autobody shop that has paint dept should be able to take core of it.
Plastic, well cracked surfaces, not a lot can be done there to hide it or fix it.. Might be able to paint it but all of the cracked surfaces will need to be stabilized (bridged), filled in and smoothed out before painting.. Any cracks not stabilized (bridged) structurally will simply crack any paint applied..
Dec-01-2020 09:00 AM
Dec-01-2020 08:39 AM