Last year I noticed that on our 2003 Monaco Dynasty there were a few spots on the left side (the one that is in the sun when parked at home) where the clearcoat was starting to peel. I had gotten a couple of bids to have the coach painted and we eventually will but for now I opted to try to buy us a year or two by repairing the areas. The right side of the coach looks like it just rolled out of the factory so if I can get the left side where I am happy with it then we can postpone having the entire coach painted for a couple of years. If the right side were just as bad as the spots on the left side we probably would have gotten it painted over the winter. I would love to paint it myself but just don't have anywhere to do it and outside is too unpredictable as far as weather goes plus I don't want to shower the neighborhood with that much overspray. The few spots that I am repairing do not produce much overspray and I am doing each section seperate.
Here are a couple of pictures of the clearcoat peeling.
Removing the caulking that seals between the fiberglass side and the aluminum trim around the bedroom slide. This will ensure the paint and clear get into the corner completely. I will re-caulk them with Geocel 2300 afterwards.
Sanding and feathering the lifted edges of the clearcoat.
Bedroom slide masked, areas where I sanded through the base color sealed and ready to paint.
Bedroom slide completed.
More pictures to follow.
Mike.
Here are a couple of pictures of the clearcoat peeling.
Removing the caulking that seals between the fiberglass side and the aluminum trim around the bedroom slide. This will ensure the paint and clear get into the corner completely. I will re-caulk them with Geocel 2300 afterwards.
Sanding and feathering the lifted edges of the clearcoat.
Bedroom slide masked, areas where I sanded through the base color sealed and ready to paint.
Bedroom slide completed.
More pictures to follow.
Mike.
Well, I finally got my new Velvac mirror bases and was able to install them yesterday to complete the exterior facelift. To say that the chrome on the Velvac mirrors is poor is an understatement. This is the second time I have had to replace the bases. I replaced both complete mirrors about 4-years ago as an assembly due to peeling and flaking chrome. This time the chrome on the heads and arms looks fine but the bases had chrome peeling off in small sheets.
Here is the driver's side mirror base.
Passenger side. Not nearly as bad but you can see it bubbling up around the bolt hole openings.
Here is the part number for the new bases. These should be the same for most if not all early to mid-2000 Monaco coaches. The part number is not listed on Velvac's website. I had to call them and give them the part number for the entire assembly and they looked up the bases from there. The entire mirror assemblies were extremely expensive and the bases are still overpriced for what you get.
Word of advice here, remove the 3/8" set screws that secure the arms in the base and anti-seize them thoroughly. I place some on a small screwdriver and reach into the thread bore to place a small amount and then coat the set screw itself. I am glad I did this when I replaced the mirrors four years ago as I fought getting them apart last time and they came right out this time. They leave the set screws in when they chrome the bases and if you merely run them in to secure the arms they WILL rust in there solid. It is worth the two minutes to remove them, blow out the threads and give them a coating of anti-seize.
Left base replaced and the mirror reassembled.
Left mirror completed and polished up.
Right mirror replaced and polished up.
Well she is finally presentable again and ready to be seen.
Mike.
Here is the driver's side mirror base.
Passenger side. Not nearly as bad but you can see it bubbling up around the bolt hole openings.
Here is the part number for the new bases. These should be the same for most if not all early to mid-2000 Monaco coaches. The part number is not listed on Velvac's website. I had to call them and give them the part number for the entire assembly and they looked up the bases from there. The entire mirror assemblies were extremely expensive and the bases are still overpriced for what you get.
Word of advice here, remove the 3/8" set screws that secure the arms in the base and anti-seize them thoroughly. I place some on a small screwdriver and reach into the thread bore to place a small amount and then coat the set screw itself. I am glad I did this when I replaced the mirrors four years ago as I fought getting them apart last time and they came right out this time. They leave the set screws in when they chrome the bases and if you merely run them in to secure the arms they WILL rust in there solid. It is worth the two minutes to remove them, blow out the threads and give them a coating of anti-seize.
Left base replaced and the mirror reassembled.
Left mirror completed and polished up.
Right mirror replaced and polished up.
Well she is finally presentable again and ready to be seen.
Mike.
zmotorsports wrote:
Last year I noticed that on our 2003 Monaco Dynasty there were a few spots on the left side (the one that is in the sun when parked at home) where the clearcoat was starting to peel. I had gotten a couple of bids to have the coach painted and we eventually will but for now I opted to try to buy us a year or two by repairing the areas. The right side of the coach looks like it just rolled out of the factory so if I can get the left side where I am happy with it then we can postpone having the entire coach painted for a couple of years. If the right side were just as bad as the spots on the left side we probably would have gotten it painted over the winter. I would love to paint it myself but just don't have anywhere to do it and outside is too unpredictable as far as weather goes plus I don't want to shower the neighborhood with that much overspray. The few spots that I am repairing do not produce much overspray and I am doing each section seperate.
Here are a couple of pictures of the clearcoat peeling.
Removing the caulking that seals between the fiberglass side and the aluminum trim around the bedroom slide. This will ensure the paint and clear get into the corner completely. I will re-caulk them with Geocel 2300 afterwards.
Sanding and feathering the lifted edges of the clearcoat.
Bedroom slide masked, areas where I sanded through the base color sealed and ready to paint.
Bedroom slide completed.
More pictures to follow.
Mike.
That really turned out looking good so did you use a airless sprayer to paint it?
Well that is one project that I am glad is DONE!!! Over the Easter weekend I was able to get the remaining two large sections of the coach painted and clear coated.
Here is the large mid section after I sanded, prepped and masked everything. The factory had installed the refrigerator trim ring and painted over it. I didn't like that as it had a paint bridge where the trim ring and the coach side. This paint bridge started to crack a few years ago and had some pieces of paint and clear coat come out and has bugged me ever since. I decided to paint the side of the coach and the trim ring separate and then install the trim ring and caulk afterwards for a cleaner looking job.
This is the only section where I had to blend the clear coat. It was a small, approx. 3" wide, area under the bedroom slide.
Areas where I sanded through sealed with PPG's DP48LF.
Here the gray stripe was painted.
Refrigerator trim ring.
The black and gray were masked off and now the sandstone was applied.
Colors unmasked and clear coat applied.
Clear coat blended in nicely.
Completely unmasked.
The area over the windshield was probably the worst. There was hardly any clear left. Here it is sanded down prior to masking.
Masked and sealed with more of PPG's DP48LF.
Gray and clear coat completed.
Next up is a good detailing.
Mike.
Here is the large mid section after I sanded, prepped and masked everything. The factory had installed the refrigerator trim ring and painted over it. I didn't like that as it had a paint bridge where the trim ring and the coach side. This paint bridge started to crack a few years ago and had some pieces of paint and clear coat come out and has bugged me ever since. I decided to paint the side of the coach and the trim ring separate and then install the trim ring and caulk afterwards for a cleaner looking job.
This is the only section where I had to blend the clear coat. It was a small, approx. 3" wide, area under the bedroom slide.
Areas where I sanded through sealed with PPG's DP48LF.
Here the gray stripe was painted.
Refrigerator trim ring.
The black and gray were masked off and now the sandstone was applied.
Colors unmasked and clear coat applied.
Clear coat blended in nicely.
Completely unmasked.
The area over the windshield was probably the worst. There was hardly any clear left. Here it is sanded down prior to masking.
Masked and sealed with more of PPG's DP48LF.
Gray and clear coat completed.
Next up is a good detailing.
Mike.
