Restoring Gel Coat

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 4:00 pm

Hi, We are new to RV ownership and are getting to know our, new to us, 1991 26' BF. I have read the postings on cleaning, waxing, painting, etc, and found them very useful. I did some looking online for other options and came across the website marinestore.com and their MS gel coat restoration kit. I called them and they had a lot of detailed information that sounded pretty good. Basically, you clean with the cleaner (no mechanical buffing), then wash, then coat (2-6 times) with a clear plastic based liquid (no mechanical buffing). It should keep the motorhome shiny for 12-18 months, depending on where it is located (we are in MA). Has anyone used this product or something like it? I also would like to know, whether we go with the Wizards type products or the MS products, if there is a point in the process that is best for resealing the seams? Thank you, Reni

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:02 am

I was hoping I had found the silver bullet fix! Oh well, I will need to find someone locally that uses the Wizards products. I can handle products that require elbow grease but not ones that require mechanical sanding/buffing. Thank you, Reni

Laker · Post by **Laker** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:56 am

Just a plug for Griot's Garage products. I use their orbital buffer, variable speed and easy to use with no wear and tear on you or the object you are buffing.

I have used it on my sports cars and detailed many $$$$ cars. I have also used it on my boats. Use #3 machine polish and then Best of Show wax. Great results which last a long time. Use Speed Shine for any "touch up" when dirty.

Never used on a Born Free, but I have used on fiberglass boats with great results.

http://www.griotsgarage.com

jjhepkin · Post by **jjhepkin** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 12:05 pm

Welcome to the Born Free Rv'ing experience.
I am fairly new myself, but like you and many others, I have done a lot of research before arriving at my Born Free buying decision.
In the course of my readings, I happened across some detailed information about restoring the gel coat shine/finish to older RV's that may be the answer to your question/problem.
I found it on the RV.NET web site. If you will go there and then go into the Class C Motorhomes section and look for a thread entitled "Shiny RV with Red Max Pro", (I just checked it again and there are now 379 postings), you will find many testimonials and tons of before and after pictures of older RV's and their owner's experiences with this Red Max Pro product.
Apparently, it is a liquid floor polish that (after the RV is cleaned) is applied in several coats.
First of all let me say, I haven't used it and I have no interest in it, other than a possible solution to the problem of aging Gel Coat restoration.
At any rate, you might want to check it out. It sounds like it has made believers of several skeptics who found out about it and then decided to try it. As I said, there are loads of pictures demonstrating the before and after condition of many older RV's.
Good luck
John Hepkin

stevek · Post by **stevek** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:41 am

Sam, is this the one you are talking about?
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-var ... 92623.html

Interesting to watch the video.
They make it look so easy.

jjhepkin · Post by **jjhepkin** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:50 am

As a follow up on the Red Max Pro product I mentioned, here is a link to the topic and discussion thread on Rv.Net:

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuse ... 950880.cfm

Hopefully, I have done this correctly and you can get in.

Regards
John Hepkin

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:09 am

Thank you for all of the helpful replies. The MS product sounds like a marine/rv version of the Red Pro and those posts are very positive. The Wizards and the buffer tool are known to be appropriate and recommended by BF. I think it likely that I would do some damage, either to the BF or myself, with the buffer, but I also think that starting with the Wizards and seeing the results makes sense. If it looks like our BF needs something more, we can always try the Red Pro or the MS later on. It's great to have so many owners willing to share their expertise. Thanks again! Reni

jlef123 · Post by **jlef123** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:38 pm

From everything I have read and heard a rotary polisher like the Harbor Freight 7" Variable Speed can easily damage a paint finish or burn through a gel coat very quickly. You need to know how to use it and be careful. It is much safer to use a random orbital polisher such as the Porter Cable 7424 XP as described at this site, www.autogeek.net/dual-action-polishers.html. While it is more expensive there are examples of this type of polisher that are more comparable in price to the Harbor Freight model. Sears has a single speed 7" random orbit polisher for about $40. The random orbit polishers do not polish as fast as a rotary polisher but again are much safer on the finish.

jjhepkin · Post by **jjhepkin** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 5:39 pm

Good luck on your project.
Keep us informed as to how it goes.
john hepkin

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:25 pm

Yes Sam, keep us posted.

Bill

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:21 am

I would also love to hear how the Red Pro/Zep works for you, I may end up going that way myself. We are running out of warm weather here in MA and I have not found someone to hire out to do the buffing process. Do you plan to wash with the BKF and TSP like they recommend on the Red Pro posts, or do you have another washing step? The roof of our BF is about as dirty as anything I have ever seen, the sides were cleaned nicely, just very dull and faded. Thanks again, Reni

ewagman · Post by **ewagman** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 1:08 pm

Sam Ryan wrote: and the TSP powdered concentrate

I would like to find some of real TSP (tri sodium phosphate), not the non phosphate version sold around here in my area.

Found some!!

bigdipper · Post by **bigdipper** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:14 pm

As stated in another thread, I'm not a chemist although there was a lot of exposure to same during my presumably productive employment. IMHO the fiberglass gel coat deterioration is likely driven by UV exposure and the use of interior waxes/coatings might not be such a good thing over the long term. We are at 5-6000 feet with mostly sunny days and in our 17 years here I have noted UV damage to lots of outdoor surfaces. Much more severe than in Midwest.
Sam, you might have some more specific knowledge. As stated in another thread I opted to go for full body paint in Ford white for the current unit. Others have commented that BF no longer offers full body paint due to durability issues, so I may have gone from the frying pan into the fire but after two years all is fine and I go over unit with Protectall about once a year.
Ralph

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:11 am

I really appreciate the roof cleaning tips, if it would just stop raining I could go out and get started! Thank you, Reni

fourleos · Post by **fourleos** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:14 pm

I would love to see the pictures and am glad to hear that you are so pleased with the results. Can you post them (I have not figured out how to post photos yet) or email them? Thank you! Reni

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