Faded Cap

[veggiesnvino]

We have a Crusader 320 RLT. The front cap is fading. What can be done to restore the shine? We have had it waxed a couple of times. Has not come out as well as we would like. Anyone else experiencing this?

[next2dixie]

Originally Posted by veggiesnvino

We have a Crusader 320 RLT. The front cap is fading. What can be done to restore the shine? We have had it waxed a couple of times. Has not come out as well as we would like. Anyone else experiencing this?

Try polishing compound followed up with a good coat of wax. Apply the compound with a damp cotton cloth removing the compound before it dries. Polishing compound , not rubbing compound, is available at any auto parts store.

[M109Rrider]

Mine gets like that. I use an orbital waxer and RV/marine cleaner wax a couple times a year and it brings most of the shine back.

[veggiesnvino]

Thank you all for the info..... I like to look nice going down the road!

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by M109Rrider

Mine gets like that. I use an orbital waxer and RV/marine cleaner wax a couple times a year and it brings most of the shine back.

Ditto.

[Gene Ross]

The product is NU Glass 2. I had a detail company clean my Georgetown 373, they used this product on the front above the windshield and it look GREAT.

[padave65]

Does Prime Time have a recommendation? Did you email customer service?

[grayfox]

Originally Posted by Gene Ross

The product is NU Glass 2. I had a detail company clean my Georgetown 373, they used this product on the front above the windshield and it look GREAT.

I"m assuming NU Glass 2 is OK for the high gloss gel coat ?

[grayfox]

Answered my own question .

Fiberglass, Fiberglass Gel Coat, fiberglass repair, fiberglass boat repair

[veggiesnvino]

I did talk to Prime Time (nice folks), confirmed answer is to sand & buff to get the shine back. Since there are decals across the front we will have to replace those. I should be receiving the decals any day. We will hire someone experienced to do it all. We're not crazy about getting up there Anyone from Central Coast of California got a shout out for a recommendation?

[Tiggerdad]

I wouldn't sand mine if they are referring to some type sandpaper. I would use polishing compound as a previous poster said or use Bar Keepers Friend prior to any wax. On the RV.net forum many, including myself and previous rig, applied Zep after cleaning and it not only added a factory shine but has lasted several years. Prep work, although not very difficult, is the secret.

Google "Rv.net" and search for ZEP. You may have to joined but it costs nothing.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by veggiesnvino

I did talk to Prime Time (nice folks), confirmed answer is to sand & buff to get the shine back.

Sand a 2012? Surely not.
Is the cap painted, or is the color in the gelcoat? Depending what it is would determine the way to polish it.

[veggiesnvino]

I was told to sand starting with 1200 grit sanding, then buff. I had him walk me through the difference between a gel coat and a clear coat on a car and was told a gel coat is deeper so it could be sanded, buffed and waxed.....Also I was advised to go to someone who knows RV's. So, we are on the search for someone who has done this before on an RV or perhaps buffs out gel coats on a boat???
We had an RV service department wax it a few times, don't know what they used but it sure did not prevent what happened....We will also search for a new service department so we can have our 5er maintained properly.
If the RV Guy has any further information that would be helpful before we do some real damage I'd sure welcome him to jump in on this.

[bakken]

Are you sure it is gelcoated over the paint?
It seems odd that it would be fading so soon if it was.
But if it is gelcoated, sanding and buffing the clearcoat wouldn't make much difference, as it is the paint underneath that would be fading.
Does anyone with a Prime Time know if their caps are painted or not?

[veggiesnvino]

Painted Cap W/Gel.... Colored Gel.....I frankly don't know.........I am so concerned now. The guy I called was trying to be so helpful. He had to call someone and check about what to do and get back to me. The answer back to me was about the sanding without any details about the actual makeup of the cap.....and I do not know enough about this RV stuff to ask the right questions on the front end. I am starting to feel like I have gone down a rabbit hole and the Mad Hatter is about to greet me.
I have sent an email to Customer Service asking for specifics on the makeup of the front cap.

[bakken]

There are a ton of Prime Time owners here, surely one of them will help?

[slide5r4fun]

There is a product available called Shine On that you might check into. It is a wipe on product to restore faded fiberglass finishes. I have never used this product, nor do I have anything to do with this company. I read about it somewhere, possibly on this forum, and watched a you tube clip on it. It looks pretty simple to use and appears to work. Here is a link to a youtube clip on it.

Wipe On Clear Coat RV's/Boats-NO BUFFING REQUIRED! - YouTube

[RV Guy]

FYI - we have reached out to our cap suppliers for more specific recommendations on care and maintenance rather than generic answers. We will have an answer for the OP early next week.

PTM

[bakken]

RVGuy, a simple question;
Do you know if the color in the caps is painted on over the gelcoat, or is it in the gelcoat, or under the gelcoat? I have always wondered about that. Thanks.

[RV Guy]

Depends on your unit. We have used 2 different Gel Coat suppliers and we have also painted some caps in an effort to find the most consistent, highest quality product that has the best resistance to UV.

Currently, we have a specially formulated Gel Coat application (not painted) that has the highest UV rating we can find. However, any "colored" cap (even a painted one) is going to require extra care and maintenance to keep them looking sharp.

PTM