Front cap defective paint

[Ljpraver]

I have seen several posts and mine is no different- 2015 3011DS - is there a class action against forest river about these front caps - I paid extra for full body paint and this should not be happening - this is not happening anywhere else on the unit Please give me your opinions please need help

[Ljpraver]

I also have leaks over cab interior foam roof is shrinking

[bikendan]

Moved thread from the Tech and Repair section to the Motorhome section's Forester and Sunseeker sub-forum.

OP, are you the original owner?

[Ljpraver]

I am the original owner and wishes I hadn’t kept this for 8 years it’s been nothing but issue after issue terrible purchase

Thank you

[Aussieguy]

how often did you wash and wax the cap?

waxing helps reduce the flaking especially in sunny locations such as southern California
using a detergent with wax built in can lessen the work load
but using a good cream wax (NOT POLISH) on a regular basis can prevent this

PLUS is the RV stored in same sunny spot for long lengths of time.. always pointing to the same hot sunny section of sky? some sort of shade can help.



My jeep did the same flake /peel after about 10years
I see plenty of cars with flaked clearcoat in Florida

[Oaklevel]

No help here not surprised being a dark color. I have clear coat issues with my truck and my Box trailer has paint almost gone one one side and nice dark burgundy on the other from the way it always sits toward the sun.

Paint just isn't what it was,,,,,,,,, thank the EPA.

[5picker]

What kind of paint maintenance have you followed since 2015?

Peeling/fading front caps on R/Vs is an often discussed topic on every R/V forum I visit.
Paint peeling on hoods and roofs is also a hot topic on many automotive forums.

[billwww3]

have you tried peeling off that clear covering that FR puts on several frontal areas?? it looks like, as best i can tell in photo, that might be what is peeling. diamondplate is one trade name, there may be others. i have yet to do my front cap but i did the hood and fenders of my 2020 3011DS. it is not easy. the actual clear vinyl comes off pretty easily but that glue is the problem. i started with alcohol, then acetone, finally naphtha; gasoline essentially - flammable and highly dangerous (my disclaimer; NOT my recommendation!!!!)
on my unit, the clear coat is dingy and looks molded. i would have it gone already but it's just so awkward to reach since i'm not 10 feet tall.





but i will be using it on my cap.

[Jim34RL]

Have you contacted the manufacture to see if they will repair the front cap.

I had a similar issue with my front and rear cap fading on my Cedar Creek 2016 model. I contacted Cedar Creek and worked thru my dealer to have both caps repainted and new decals applied under extended good faith policy on Cedar Creek's part.

[2dogs]

2014 Wildcat Maxx here.. Looks worse than the one pictured!
Last estimate we got to repaint the cap was $1400 and the logo would be gone.

[D W]

After 9 years I would imagine there's not much recourse left.

[phalexander]

It’s nearly a decade old so it’s a stretch to call it “defective”. A repaint or wrap might be your best bet. I have a friend whose decals cracked and just looked awful. He removed them, prepped, masked and painted with rattle cans. It looked really quite good. If you could set up a decent scaffold for good access I’d bet you could make it look pretty good.

[billwww3]

In the photo, the bottom edge of the "protective" clear shield is visible at the upper edge of the Forester logo all the way across the cab. All the peeling is above that line IN the clear shield. Removing that shield might reveal good paint underneath.
YMMV

[Ljpraver]

I don’t expect so many reply’s - however none really helps - this unit has been washed and waxed regularly for the entire life - the sun is hot in sunny cal but I still can’t grasp why this isn’t a defect ? I have had vehicles for way over 10 years that the pain doesn’t peel ? This shouldn’t happen and if it’s a regular problem with Motorhome’s something should be done - I’m sure there are legal remedies we can take - I didn’t notice the rear cap is doing the same thing but the sides of the full body paint look like brand new

Thanks for all the advice I appreciate it - I’m gonna keep pursuing Forest River

[Aussieguy]

Originally Posted by Ljpraver

I don’t expect so many reply’s - however none really helps - this unit has been washed and waxed regularly for the entire life - the sun is hot in sunny cal but I still can’t grasp why this isn’t a defect ? I have had vehicles for way over 10 years that the pain doesn’t peel ? This shouldn’t happen and if it’s a regular problem with Motorhome’s something should be done - I’m sure there are legal remedies we can take - I didn’t notice the rear cap is doing the same thing but the sides of the full body paint look like brand new

Thanks for all the advice I appreciate it - I’m gonna keep pursuing Forest River

peeling paint is kinda hit and miss
how long the surface sits in the same spot... facing the hottest part of the sun
how strong is the UV in your area... UV is the main culprit

Blame the Gubberment regulations... they made manufactures go to water based paint for exterior products!

they one thing they don't tell you is
we buy oil in barrels each barrel of oil contains x amount of hydrocarbons which then go into various products.. paint solvents was one of them

so where is all the solvents that use to go into paint...
probably now just gets burned off at the refinery or slotted into another product.

it has to be somewhere and there is no benefit banning it from paint?

except for the woosies... I don't like the smell

[Sagecoachdriver]

I have the same issue with my 2016 Forester. Can't find any one in Los Angeles to do the clear coat repair. So I cleaned the cabover with Bar tenders friend and a dish washing sponge with the tan soft rough backing. I scrubbed it to remove as much of the flaking gel coat as I could.. It looked terrible!. But then I applied only to the cabover part with flaking gel coat Zep high gloss floor wax. Gave it 5 thin coats and it look much better, not perfect but better. I will take a photo of the result and post it tomorrow.
BTW, the wax will not correct the color differences, just make them less obvious. You'll see what I mean in the photo I post tomorrow. There is no recourse after this much time passing. I had a co-worker buy a 5er from Forest river and his front cap began to chip and turn white after 11 months. FR did re-paint the front cap under warranty. The only prevention for gel coat issues is to cover it.
Also, if you decide to use Zep floor wax, read up on it and there are Youtube videos to see the methods others have used. It only lasts a year or so and needs to be re-applied or maybe removed and stripped and then re-applied. Some love it and some hate it.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Here are photos of Zep Wet Look floor wax applied. Better, not perfect.
Again, watch Youtube videos (google search Zep Wet Look wax on RV) and be-careful on the ladder and roof. I used a micro fiber towel wrapped around a squeegie on a painter's pole to apply most of it. I just edited and added Bottom photo in direct sunlight. As you can seeimproved but not perfect.

[Off_we_go]

This morning, I dropped my 2018 Rockwood off to have the cap repainted. I took very good care of it, but the clear coat peeled anyway. I talked to F.R. about how soon it failed. I got the usual "How long it lasts depends on...yada yada yada." Bottom line, it is out of warranty, so it is my problem. They did advise me that they don't paint the caps, the cap painting is subcontracted out. I even talked to that company, got the same brick wall.

fwiw, I tried carefully taking the clear coat off the damaged section (everything above the windshield) off, but the powder thin coat of pigment came up with it. Once the clear coat goes, I don't see any other option than to get a high-quality paint with a written warranty. I was referred to a reputable shop by a friend who is a long-term insurance claims adjuster, so I am cautiously optimistic that I am putting that problem in the rearview mirror.

[Sparkyone]

I have the 2014 Tracer trailer with the jell coat fading badly on the front cap

The trailer extended warranty never included this for repair Manufacture Prime Time knew about the gell coat on these caps and offered no practical solution

I spend twice a year year polishing and waxing this problem .
I was told repainting with an automotive type of paint would be the only solution at approx $5000.00 cost to me .

I have been told another maybe cheaper solution. Would be to do a 3-M wrap on the cap. wraps come in many colours and designs and last up to 10 years
This may be my solution to a poor manufactures choice of material and no support unfortunately.

[Off_we_go]

Originally Posted by Sparkyone

I have the 2014 Tracer trailer with the jell coat fading badly on the front cap

I was told repainting with an automotive type of paint would be the only solution at approx $5000.00 cost to me .

I have been told another maybe cheaper solution. Would be to do a 3-M wrap on the cap. wraps come in many colours and designs and last up to 10 years

The body shop that is painting my cap (in expensive CA) is charging me $2K (with a 10 year assurance as well), so $5K sounds kind of high just for a cap. In asking a few RV shops for referrals for painting or wrapping my cap, they discouraged me from considering a wrap because they've had unhappy customers, though I have to consider this anecdotal. I know no one who has wrapped theirs. My concern with wraps is the summer heat. I'm just not confident enough in the product at this point in time to take the risk. If anyone reading this has done a wrap, I'd love to hear your take on the matter...