Hey bud it’s looking great! Couple of tips from a rv detailing shop owner. 1. Be smooth and a little slower with your passes. Make a pass then move down a little and make the next pass directly below it. Makes sure you don’t miss any spots and you don’t have to go over it 5 times. Second. MASKING TAPE is amazing. Mask off all those edges and trims you don’t want your product on. Sometimes back to black only works for a few days and your lines come back on the trim. Masking tape will guarantee they don’t get on it at all
I’m glad you included everything that you tried. I’m beginning to restore an old Coca Cola cooler. It’s pale pink from oxidation. The hardware store recommended turtle wax polish which I rubbed by hand with a rag. It helped just a little but I think I need to try something else . That one step might be the key. Thanks
Nice Video, Before you start buffing again I recommend stopping by a auto paint supply store and getting a yellow wool pad with a proper back up pad so it stays firmly attached. The yellow wool will be aggressive enough to remove oxidation but soft enough to polish to a brilliant shine once you bump the buffer speed up. medium to medium high speed should be more than sufficient to do what you are trying to do. 3M makes a good quality yellow wool. By the way for a do it yourself job I think you did excellent.
great video and info. Some tips for your consideration, use painters tape to cover areas you don't want discolored with polish/compound. I would also say after spreading the product at a lower speed, raise the speed of the machine and use slower overlapping passes to work in the polish until break down. Lastly consider using a sprayer bottle with water over the polish/compound to help spread it and prevent gumming up. The polish work in time is a little bit longer with the spray of water.
I just bought a 21 year old Bigfoot Gel Coat fiberglass camper. I used 3M Superduty compound on a 9" double sided pad driven by a heavy Dewalt with slow start. The camper glass absolutely looks like factory new. Took me 3 days. Followed up with 3M Perfect it polish and ceramic wax. Feels like silk.
Hi boss. 1st, love the effort and journey. Now that you have had some introduction into the world of gelcoat, I invite you to consider the following video as another option. The reason your B&D buffer had it's best results along your DMZ between "before" and "after" is because you probably hit that line, each and every time you were near it to leave a nice clean line, it did. You allowed the compound to work there longer than anywhere else in your working area. I've done this for almost 20 years. If you didn't wash the RV well after compounding, you'll see fade soon, especially if you trusted the bottle of #67 that claims to polish & PROTECT, it won't protect any more than spraying your RV with cooking oil so some but nothing real. Dont believe me? Call them like I did. You need more but I appreciate what you went through to get here. Lee
Great video brother! One suggestion: buy one of those hand held wheels to clean off accumulated gunk and polish. It spins as you turn on the buffer at low speeds. The stuff flies right off and you have a new wool pad surface to work with. Repeat as necessary.
I can’t wait to do mine! Side note; I’ve been using 303 aerospace UV protectant to stave off the daily effects of the sun, and it has been a great product for this purpose. You might consider looking into this product to enhance and protect your hard work. I really appreciate the video, and as I said I will be trying your method with the common sense suggestion comments that apply. Aloha, and happy camping.
I use 303 on my plastic parts, are you saying you use it on the fiberglass walls? I do see on the label that it can be used on fiberglass, but I was a bit worried coating my entire RV with the stuff
@@mse1333 I have had no negative issues. The rubber around the windows, and tires too. I use it on our cars as well. It seems to last for a few months on the sunny side, longer on the shade side. Happy camping. Aloha
Dude, you saved my sanity! I spend 2 weeks using another Meguiar oxidation remover , polish and wax and it was pathetic, this stuff is great! I bought a bottle and hit a spot and was super excited! Thanks!
I gave it a try - bought a new buffer used the wool pads and the one step - I must now accept the fact that I have a have a learning disability as my camper has streaks everywhere - no matter how much I buff, I just can't look at it at sideways, quite nasty - At least my class A is tall enough when I jump off it I can do a lot of damage... so much so I will be incapable of trying this again...
Remember gelcoat is porous it retains dirt. You have to use rubbing compound that comes in blue bottles from meguires use a wool pad on a Dewalt buffer and be patient. Gelcoat is a tough substance you have to work a lot harder to cut it than say automotive clearcoat.
My ex, restores old cars. He buffs a lot. The way to clean your buffing pad,when it gets gummed up, is to take a screwdriver and hold the end of the blade at a slight angle against the pad as it’s turning at a medium speed, I think. Experiment with it. It doe do a good job of cleaning it. Start in the center and run your screwdriver out to the end of the pad. Hope this makes sense. I’ve never done it, but watched a lot.
We have the exact same camper. We bought used. The camper had set out in the Florida sun, for 3 years. Very oxidized. My husband buffed it using different products. He’s 77, but a strong tall guy, so he did ok, doing it. Wore him out. It started looking pretty good. He did burn a few spots. He doesn’t have a background in auto detailing. I sorta do via the ex. So, I warned him about staying in one spot too long. Anyway, plz never use TSP on your roof to clean it. He did and now out pretty shiny camper has white streaks, that we’re not sure we can get off. Looks awful. A video recommended TSP. He. Ought a medium cut compound and it looks a little better, but you can still see the streaks. TSP has citric acid in it. So it’s an acid burn. I’m so upset. I sent a message to the video maker. He of course laid it, off on the maker, of the sealer brand he was touting. He didn’t actually use TSP to clean his roof. So, just be careful what you use. We’re gonna keep at it, but ….who knows. May need to be wet sanded. Hope not. Good luck.
Thank you for posting this video, I did all you suggested and my Silverback looks almost as good as new......really impressed with this Mequiars 67 Thanks again!
Thanks my man - I spent the afternoon with an orbital and Meguires polish and got 1 side done that really needs to be done over. I have a harbor freight right up the street so I'll give your method a go. Thanx agin.
Welcome to the fun of polishing. There is a brush and a wheel that are used to clean the pad. Try to do it after each section or two and you can do the whole job in a day. It also polishes more consistently with a clean pad. Using a rotary, it is possible to burn through the gel coat, so it is important to keep the machine moving and use a low speed setting. There are a number of sealants available that you spray on a wet surface and rinse off immediately. They will help a lot with preventing future oxidation so long as they are reapplied as needed
I think you explained it really well. I think you saved a lot of people a lot of trouble doing it through methods don’t work but seem like they would work… So good video. Thanks
I don’t think anyone touched on this. Rotary polishers create speed swirl marks or “holograms” in the finish. For near perfect results you will also need to polish the finish again with a polish not a compound. You will need a DA Dual Action Polisher or Random orbital polisher to get rid of those speed swirl marks you will create with a rotary polisher. Either way there is no simple easy way to do this process. It takes quality time to get quality results. Just know ahead of time this will not be an easy one day only task. Just work on one section at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
McGuires makes a 3 step. Depending on how much oxidation you may have to do it a few times. Key is to constantly clean off wool pad or try McGuires cutting pad it’s a maroon color foam pad which cuts through oxidation but cleaning pad is key to removing it better I do detailing on rv gel coats Once ya get it nice buy a cover to prevent and keep sun from doing it again wash regularly. It’s a lotta work but the reward is worth it
I have had a similar journey. My winnebago is white and I pulled decals off leaving sticker shadows and a pretty significant difference in white. I started by hand and have ended up with a dewalt professional polisher and started with wet sanding. I am however using this one step polish after a heavy compound. It is pretty incredible stuff. It seems to be the best single step stuff. Starting slow RPM keeps the grit heavy and speeding up really breaks it down and polishes. I am topping with Maguires marine wax.
@@PlanFree You know what? I ended up wrapping in white vinyl. I polished my ass off. But the laminate panels on my View just had wierd corrigated patterns showing and it just did not polish like the bubble. The bubble polished like a boat. It was super oxidized and polished like nothing. The vinyl wrap was easier to do than polishing for sure. At least for me it was. I used Vivvid vinyl and paid $500 for 100ft of it. So far so good. It is 1 year old now.
Great tips. You saved us a lot of time and effort - not to mention $$ trying a variety of products. Followed your instructions and got our shiny RV back. Thanks
I hired a company in Vegas to take that shit off for me. They sent out a young man with a big pack of scotch bright pads, a ladder, and a hose. He sanded the whole thing by hand and just rinsed it off and it looked fantastic for years afterwards.
Nice job and NICE RV. So many people bust Harbor Freight. I have 3 Porter Cable NA/DA sander/polisher and a 11 inch Sears Buffer becuase there were now HF's in those days. Your keys are the right compound and pads and "Keep Moving" Thanks for posting, it saves many hours of experimenting. I have used McQuire products since 1986. My 2006 Ford Crouwn vice still looks new. Look into Mothers Clay bar kits. May be an idea for you.
great video, Personally I wouldn't go past about 1/2 speed on the buffer. You don't want to create too much heat. Just keep the buffer moving and pace yourself. 👍
You are amazing. The first bit of information I have had that sounds like it will work. Great video n thanks for sharing Susan my husband is going to love your video your the best ..
The only thing that would speed up the process is keeping that wool pad clean. Use compressed air or a spur to keep the pad clean. Keeping a buffing pad clean is essential to efficient and proper application.
Hey bro you are doing it right but it’s better to apply just the marine wax apply the marine wax to the a rag and once it in the rag apply it to the the parts where you are going to buff it to but you have to apply good amount of wax so it won’t dry and the process will look good I specialize in rvs
I tried this on the front of my camper and now in the sun I can see all these swirl marks. I used a wool pad and buffer. Do I need to apply a wax to get this out now?
Great video! Thank you. You found how aggressive you have to be with fiberglass, gelcoats etc. to cut through heavy oxidation. One suggestion...clean out your pads after every section. Or, have a BUNCH of clean pads and switch out to a fresh pad often. Pads load up quickly with dead paint and compound product which lessens the effectiveness. I'd have maybe 20 pads to do an RV or 5-7 pads with frequent cleanups. Excellent results you got, my friend. Be proud, very proud. One su
Thanks so much for your video. Have the identical problem you had and was using the same compound. Like you I just wasn’t getting the results I was looking for. Switched to a wool pad and that did the trick. Thanks so much for your info!!
Before using polish you could try to use a cleaner / wax product with a random orbital buffer and wool pad. If that doesn’t get the oxidation off then polish is likely required.
Great video and info bud 👍🏼 I mixed a cup of baking soda, 2 cups of vinegar, and 4 cups of ammonia and filled a 5 gallon pail with hot water. I filled a dollar store squirt bottle with the mixture from the pail to spray on and let it sit for a couple minutes. Then I just took a brush and started scrubbing. I used a sponge with a scrubby pad on one side (scotchbrite) for around the edges and windows. This really brightened my decals and removed the grime buildup as well as tree sap etc. my next step will be to try what you’ve suggested. It’s great to find other guys who share their success! Thanks again 👌🏼
Use the Dewalt buffer it gets the job done. You want the blue compound on 5he stiffest wool pad you can find and be patient. Work SMALL AREAS. Mask off decals! Then polish with foam then apply cleaner wax by hand. That harbor freight buffer is a joke step up to the Dewalt the extra torque will make huge difference. You don't want to be cheap with rvs
We have a 2013 Winnebago travel trailer it’s cherry red, every year I’ve got wet sand and buff then polish then apply wax. I’ll try this meguiars hopefully it works
Hey I really appreciate your video because I have the “EXACT” camper and problem and after spending a full day trying everything. I came across you vid. Thank you so much and great video.
Great video, I watched several times. Just got the One Step No. 67 in the mail today. I am still up in the air about the wool pad. Looking at the one that you mentioned I noticed a lot of complaints about hair and wool fibers coming off of the pad. Did you noticed this or have the same problem If so is there anything that will solve the issue. Again thank you for taking the time to do this video, the best video out there on oxidation removal. Cheers
The Family dollar store sells black magic white bleache tire cleaner for 4 bucks. Have bucket, brush and hose. Wet the chalky area, then shoot the stuff on. Scrub with brush, then rinse with water.
Great video topic. Questions, How old is your RV, and is this the 1st time you've polished it? Do you use the same process on the front cap, with bugs? Bug removal can be it's own video I think. Thanks for the links.
John, my cougar is a 2015 and this is the first time. You are correct about bugs being its own topic. I actually filmed a video showing what I use for bugs, just haven't edited and posted it yet. Thanks, Jason
Hi I have an aluminum camper with the compounds you're describing work on the aluminum product? And most of all and most important which I should have said first I guess, is I have a 2006 VW Volkswagen that has that old paint look on the Hub Cap cover and on some on the front of the car it's a navy blue and I try to compound and I tried of course I'm so I'm older so I'm not that strong and then I try to small buffer tool and I tried a buffing compound do you think that these compounds and a stronger tool might get off the paint finish I can't even talk this is so foreign to me do you think these products might help with the Volkswagen finish? If there's typos I'm doing voice to text because I have hand problems but I would get a guy to help me do this on my car one of my friends is real strong a guy okay God forgive me if this is just a hot mess thank you Debbie
Is that a harborfreight polisher? I have a chicago electric and it works well but I never tried it on my rv ,I guess I gotta try thanks for sharing my man
The sad part is after all that work you be lucky to get even a year and it'll be dull again that's just the nature of the beast,. I have polish mine maybe four times and it needs it again and I'm like I'll wait a couple years. Lol
Thanks for the video. I read in one of the comments you can clean the pad? Did you do that, how do you do it and how pads did you end up using for your rv? Mine is only 23.5 ft class c. Thanks again!
I spent a couple days completing this project and washed the pad out and let it dry between days. Someone else had commented about a way to clean the pad while buffing. I did not try that, but I'm sure it would help because the pads did load up with compound.
Good work….when I’m polishing in between applications of compound I turn on pad and use a butter knife against pad to remove crusty old compound, then apply new compound…. That should get you too 100% or at least better than 99
What about the lower part of your rv the brown trim. Did it turn white or did you not use the compound o. The brown trim? If you did how did you prevent it from turning white? This is great info. My plastic is the part i am not sure on how to prevent from changing colors. Not the black part.
I think this is the one I used www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/masterpro-refinishing/masterpro-refinishing-cutting-pad/mpr4/67799?q=Wool+buffing+pad&pos=0
Jon, I have an 2018 Outback 330 RL travel trailer. I've used the Mequires RV wax but i don't know what to use on the trim around the slides. It's the 3' wide flat plastic molding around the slides. It seems like it is sold black plastic and it is faded and uneven in color. I'm not sure what it is made of and i don't know how to care for it. Any recommendations? Thanks.
I’ve tried the foam pads from harbor freight with maguires oxidation remover. Still have that chalky look especially on the decals. Should I switch to the wool pads? How do I get that nasty grim off the decals?
Thanks for your informative video Jason. I am inspired! I used to polish cars in the olden days so this is going to be a fun project! Picked up my HFT polisher today and about to order the polish and pads. I have one question for you regarding the 7" wool pads, have you been able to buy those without the backing pad? Since the HFT buffer already has a backing pad, I thought I would save some money. Thanks again Jason!
I did try this technique on our trailer. Labor intensive and it really didn't restore the side wall of my trailer to it's original shine. My Cougar's sidewalls have the pigment made into the fiberglass (except for the cap, which is automotive paint). A mild cutting compound cannot actually cut the old color effectively in my opinion. So I am simply having the sidewalls waxed as best as I can. I estimate it will take 2 applications of wax annually to keep a decent shine. Don't think it will ever get back to original. It still looks good!
Meguiar's waxes and detailers have petroleum distillates in them. Those products are a BIG problem for decals and will cause them to dry out and crack over time. Best to use products without petroleum distillates on RV's.
@@WeekendRVAdventures Look on the label to see if it says "Contains Petroleum Distillates". There are a lot of products that do not contain this ingredient. I use Turtle Wax products. After a good waxing, you can use a spray detailer, like ICE, to touch up the surface after washing. I do this once or twice per season to keep it looking really great. My trailer is 4 years old and the decals are still in great condition.
If you need to remove oxidation it means you have not used a decent wax/protectant. If needed I would use a very mild abrasive (Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami) and a plastic kitchen scrubber. Work gently and NEVER use power equipment. Afterwards use several coats of ZEP. It will last for years and years. RV or car waxes only last a few months at best and oxidation and ongoing damage will continue. My original ZEP has lasted 7 years with only a light touchup coat every year or so.
@@stevemurray2895I used Zep High Traffic Floor Polish which was the only choice at Lowe's. It is dirt cheap. BTW, you will find mixed reviews of ZEP on RVs. The big issue is starting with a clean RV, no dirt or wax residues and little or no oxidation.
@@jameskelson1891 do u have pics of your rv after 7 yrs using zep..also is your rv painted or gel coat?. I thought about using it but reviews were horrible after 1-2years .. thanks .
I do not have any pictures that would really show the finish. It still looks good, water still beads and it repels those nasty black streaks. Washing is hardly needed as rain seems to rinse off the dirt. My camper has/had a gel coat. The big issue is surface prep. You cannot put ZEP over a chalky oxidized surface or over other waxes. Use BarKeepersFriend and wax stripper first. Apply numerous thin coats and avoid drips and sags from applying too much. Otherwise very easy.
I did the first two things, then found this video, lol it's too much work by hand for sure. Great tip on the wool pads. My crappy keystone oxidized at 5 years old. Kinda miss the older campers. Cheers
On the rubber trim that is faded, try a heat gun. Might have to protect the fiberglass with cardboard. I use it on the black plastic modeling on my vehicles. Work good. Maybe a test spot first.
How clean does the RV need to be before you do it? Obviously I'll clean mine, but I'm curious about any remaining streaks. Will this help take those out?
Hey bud it’s looking great! Couple of tips from a rv detailing shop owner.
1. Be smooth and a little slower with your passes. Make a pass then move down a little and make the next pass directly below it. Makes sure you don’t miss any spots and you don’t have to go over it 5 times.
Second. MASKING TAPE is amazing. Mask off all those edges and trims you don’t want your product on. Sometimes back to black only works for a few days and your lines come back on the trim.
Masking tape will guarantee they don’t get on it at all
Jon, thanks for all the advice I appreciate it.
I’m glad you included everything that you tried. I’m beginning to restore an old Coca Cola cooler. It’s pale pink from oxidation. The hardware store recommended turtle wax polish which I rubbed by hand with a rag. It helped just a little but I think I need to try something else . That one step might be the key. Thanks
I only did 1000rpms with a mist of water over surface and it left halograms/ swirls very light pressure I do not get what I did wrong
I appreciate so much that you left a constructive and positive comment - awesome! Sounds like great advice!
Nice Video, Before you start buffing again I recommend stopping by a auto paint supply store and getting a yellow wool pad with a proper back up pad so it stays firmly attached. The yellow wool will be aggressive enough to remove oxidation but soft enough to polish to a brilliant shine once you bump the buffer speed up. medium to medium high speed should be more than sufficient to do what you are trying to do. 3M makes a good quality yellow wool. By the way for a do it yourself job I think you did excellent.
great video and info. Some tips for your consideration, use painters tape to cover areas you don't want discolored with polish/compound. I would also say after spreading the product at a lower speed, raise the speed of the machine and use slower overlapping passes to work in the polish until break down. Lastly consider using a sprayer bottle with water over the polish/compound to help spread it and prevent gumming up. The polish work in time is a little bit longer with the spray of water.
Thanks for the tips
would you spray the water on the panel after you’ve applied the compound ?
I just bought a 21 year old Bigfoot Gel Coat fiberglass camper. I used 3M Superduty compound on a 9" double sided pad driven by a heavy Dewalt with slow start. The camper glass absolutely looks like factory new. Took me 3 days. Followed up with 3M Perfect it polish and ceramic wax. Feels like silk.
I used same product it last for three month then i found poli gro product supposed last for five years no buffing required
Hi boss.
1st, love the effort and journey. Now that you have had some introduction into the world of gelcoat, I invite you to consider the following video as another option.
The reason your B&D buffer had it's best results along your DMZ between "before" and "after" is because you probably hit that line, each and every time you were near it to leave a nice clean line, it did. You allowed the compound to work there longer than anywhere else in your working area.
I've done this for almost 20 years. If you didn't wash the RV well after compounding, you'll see fade soon, especially if you trusted the bottle of #67 that claims to polish & PROTECT, it won't protect any more than spraying your RV with cooking oil so some but nothing real. Dont believe me? Call them like I did.
You need more but I appreciate what you went through to get here.
Lee
Great video brother! One suggestion: buy one of those hand held wheels to clean off accumulated gunk and polish. It spins as you turn on the buffer at low speeds. The stuff flies right off and you have a new wool pad surface to work with. Repeat as necessary.
Thanks for the suggestion!
I can’t wait to do mine!
Side note;
I’ve been using 303 aerospace UV protectant to stave off the daily effects of the sun, and it has been a great product for this purpose. You might consider looking into this product to enhance and protect your hard work. I really appreciate the video, and as I said I will be trying your method with the common sense suggestion comments that apply. Aloha, and happy camping.
I use 303 on my plastic parts, are you saying you use it on the fiberglass walls? I do see on the label that it can be used on fiberglass, but I was a bit worried coating my entire RV with the stuff
@@mse1333
I have had no negative issues.
The rubber around the windows, and tires too.
I use it on our cars as well. It seems to last for a few months on the sunny side, longer on the shade side.
Happy camping. Aloha
That’s a lot of work when you could just use 303. It’s good enough for the space shuttle I’m sure it’s good enough for the RV.
.@@EuropeanMotorCompanyFlagstaff
Awesome video my friend... You're doing anyone that watches this a huge service... I greatly appreciate your time you spent making this video
Thank you
Dude, you saved my sanity! I spend 2 weeks using another Meguiar oxidation remover , polish and wax and it was pathetic, this stuff is great! I bought a bottle and hit a spot and was super excited! Thanks!
How'd it look and hold up after you finished he job?
It held up for a season, but needs to be waxed regularly or it did start to fade again
I gave it a try - bought a new buffer used the wool pads and the one step - I must now accept the fact that I have a have a learning disability as my camper has streaks everywhere - no matter how much I buff, I just can't look at it at sideways, quite nasty - At least my class A is tall enough when I jump off it I can do a lot of damage... so much so I will be incapable of trying this again...
Remember gelcoat is porous it retains dirt. You have to use rubbing compound that comes in blue bottles from meguires use a wool pad on a Dewalt buffer and be patient. Gelcoat is a tough substance you have to work a lot harder to cut it than say automotive clearcoat.
Try a RANDOM orbital. Usually a lot more forgiving with swirl marks than a straight orbital
Great video I have the same problem I will try it with an orbital no-fault buffer it won't burn to finish it orbits and turns at the same time
My ex, restores old cars. He buffs a lot. The way to clean your buffing pad,when it gets gummed up, is to take a screwdriver and hold the end of the blade at a slight angle against the pad as it’s turning at a medium speed, I think. Experiment with it. It doe do a good job of cleaning it. Start in the center and run your screwdriver out to the end of the pad. Hope this makes sense. I’ve never done it, but watched a lot.
We have the exact same camper. We bought used. The camper had set out in the Florida sun, for 3 years. Very oxidized. My husband buffed it using different products. He’s 77, but a strong tall guy, so he did ok, doing it. Wore him out. It started looking pretty good. He did burn a few spots. He doesn’t have a background in auto detailing. I sorta do via the ex. So, I warned him about staying in one spot too long. Anyway, plz never use TSP on your roof to clean it. He did and now out pretty shiny camper has white streaks, that we’re not sure we can get off. Looks awful. A video recommended TSP. He. Ought a medium cut compound and it looks a little better, but you can still see the streaks. TSP has citric acid in it. So it’s an acid burn. I’m so upset. I sent a message to the video maker. He of course laid it, off on the maker, of the sealer brand he was touting. He didn’t actually use TSP to clean his roof. So, just be careful what you use. We’re gonna keep at it, but ….who knows. May need to be wet sanded. Hope not. Good luck.
Thank you for posting this video, I did all you suggested and my Silverback looks almost as good as new......really impressed with this Mequiars 67 Thanks again!
Thanks my man - I spent the afternoon with an orbital and Meguires polish and got 1 side done that really needs to be done over. I have a harbor freight right up the street so I'll give your method a go. Thanx agin.
Welcome to the fun of polishing. There is a brush and a wheel that are used to clean the pad. Try to do it after each section or two and you can do the whole job in a day. It also polishes more consistently with a clean pad. Using a rotary, it is possible to burn through the gel coat, so it is important to keep the machine moving and use a low speed setting. There are a number of sealants available that you spray on a wet surface and rinse off immediately. They will help a lot with preventing future oxidation so long as they are reapplied as needed
Ryan, thanks for the advice
Can you name a few of the sealants?
@@toolgirl30Poliglow or 303 protectant are both good sealants after the hard work that have UV protection…
I think you explained it really well. I think you saved a lot of people a lot of trouble doing it through methods don’t work but seem like they would work…
So good video. Thanks
Thank you!
You took a lot of the pain and hassle out for us.. much appreciated for sharing your experience.
Thanks!
Thanks for this vid I feel confident now buffing my rig by my self
Your welcome 👍
I don’t think anyone touched on this. Rotary polishers create speed swirl marks or “holograms” in the finish. For near perfect results you will also need to polish the finish again with a polish not a compound. You will need a DA Dual Action Polisher or Random orbital polisher to get rid of those speed swirl marks you will create with a rotary polisher. Either way there is no simple easy way to do this process. It takes quality time to get quality results. Just know ahead of time this will not be an easy one day only task. Just work on one section at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
McGuires makes a 3 step. Depending on how much oxidation you may have to do it a few times. Key is to constantly clean off wool pad or try McGuires cutting pad it’s a maroon color foam pad which cuts through oxidation but cleaning pad is key to removing it better
I do detailing on rv gel coats
Once ya get it nice buy a cover to prevent and keep sun from doing it again wash regularly. It’s a lotta work but the reward is worth it
I have had a similar journey. My winnebago is white and I pulled decals off leaving sticker shadows and a pretty significant difference in white. I started by hand and have ended up with a dewalt professional polisher and started with wet sanding. I am however using this one step polish after a heavy compound. It is pretty incredible stuff. It seems to be the best single step stuff. Starting slow RPM keeps the grit heavy and speeding up really breaks it down and polishes. I am topping with Maguires marine wax.
How did it ultimately turn out for you,
We have a 2003 Winnebago also with some all over oxidization. Not very sexy! We're considering this process.
@@PlanFree You know what? I ended up wrapping in white vinyl. I polished my ass off. But the laminate panels on my View just had wierd corrigated patterns showing and it just did not polish like the bubble. The bubble polished like a boat. It was super oxidized and polished like nothing. The vinyl wrap was easier to do than polishing for sure. At least for me it was. I used Vivvid vinyl and paid $500 for 100ft of it. So far so good. It is 1 year old now.
Great tips. You saved us a lot of time and effort - not to mention $$ trying a variety of products. Followed your instructions and got our shiny RV back. Thanks
Thank for making this video , we are about to tackle our 35ft Winnie and this video really helped us out
Your welcome
I hired a company in Vegas to take that shit off for me. They sent out a young man with a big pack of scotch bright pads, a ladder, and a hose. He sanded the whole thing by hand and just rinsed it off and it looked fantastic for years afterwards.
😂
You should have a spur to clean your wool pad. Tape whatever your do not want compound on.
Perfect explanation from a tested source. Thx!
Nice job and NICE RV. So many people bust Harbor Freight. I have 3 Porter Cable NA/DA sander/polisher and a 11 inch Sears Buffer becuase there were now HF's in those days. Your keys are the right compound and pads and "Keep Moving" Thanks for posting, it saves many hours of experimenting. I have used McQuire products since 1986. My 2006 Ford Crouwn vice still looks new. Look into Mothers Clay bar kits. May be an idea for you.
great video, Personally I wouldn't go past about 1/2 speed on the buffer. You don't want to create too much heat. Just keep the buffer moving and pace yourself. 👍
You are amazing. The first bit of information I have had that sounds like it will work. Great video n thanks for sharing Susan my husband is going to love your video your the best ..
Thank you!!!
I just used pollyglow on my 2018 Laredo that looks almost like the same exact rv. My rig shines better than new and it's uv protected.
Thank you for sharing! I have my first trailer I’m detailing with bad oxidation and was fighting it. This helps a-lot.
The only thing that would speed up the process is keeping that wool pad clean. Use compressed air or a spur to keep the pad clean. Keeping a buffing pad clean is essential to efficient and proper application.
Hey bro you are doing it right but it’s better to apply just the marine wax apply the marine wax to the a rag and once it in the rag apply it to the the parts where you are going to buff it to but you have to apply good amount of wax so it won’t dry and the process will look good I specialize in rvs
Thanks for the advice
Jovany, I you would bro please hit me up at lwpsdp@gmail.com. I need your help with a few things with RV detailing. Thank you, Mark.
Are you saying to wax it before hitting it with the buffer and buffing compound?
Good info. I will be trying this process later in the fall when temps are lower.
I tried this on the front of my camper and now in the sun I can see all these swirl marks. I used a wool pad and buffer. Do I need to apply a wax to get this out now?
Thank you for posting this-I will have to give this a try. Looks worth the time/effort..
Great video! Thank you. You found how aggressive you have to be with fiberglass, gelcoats etc. to cut through heavy oxidation.
One suggestion...clean out your pads after every section. Or, have a BUNCH of clean pads and switch out to a fresh pad often. Pads load up quickly with dead paint and compound product which lessens the effectiveness. I'd have maybe 20 pads to do an RV or 5-7 pads with frequent cleanups.
Excellent results you got, my friend. Be proud, very proud.
One su
Thanks!
Great job. It will be my next project, before my wife find any other one for me.
Thanks lol
Thanks so much for your video. Have the identical problem you had and was using the same compound.
Like you I just wasn’t getting the results I was looking for.
Switched to a wool pad and that did the trick.
Thanks so much for your info!!
Before using polish you could try to use a cleaner / wax product with a random orbital buffer and wool pad. If that doesn’t get the oxidation off then polish is likely required.
No cleaner or wax will remove oxidization
Great video and info bud 👍🏼
I mixed a cup of baking soda, 2 cups of vinegar, and 4 cups of ammonia and filled a 5 gallon pail with hot water. I filled a dollar store squirt bottle with the mixture from the pail to spray on and let it sit for a couple minutes. Then I just took a brush and started scrubbing. I used a sponge with a scrubby pad on one side (scotchbrite) for around the edges and windows.
This really brightened my decals and removed the grime buildup as well as tree sap etc. my next step will be to try what you’ve suggested. It’s great to find other guys who share their success! Thanks again 👌🏼
I'll definitely let you know and thanks for sharing!!!!
Thanks for the vid! Just used your links for the compound and wool pad.
Awesome! Thanks you!
Thanks. Been working with one step but was unsure of some things that you helped answer
Your welcome
Excellent job and great info Ty. I like Harbor Freight products Meguiars also.
Thanks!
Nice looking rig you did great im tring the maguires😊
Use the Dewalt buffer it gets the job done. You want the blue compound on 5he stiffest wool pad you can find and be patient. Work SMALL AREAS. Mask off decals! Then polish with foam then apply cleaner wax by hand. That harbor freight buffer is a joke step up to the Dewalt the extra torque will make huge difference. You don't want to be cheap with rvs
We have a 2013 Winnebago travel trailer it’s cherry red, every year I’ve got wet sand and buff then polish then apply wax. I’ll try this meguiars hopefully it works
I also have a cherry red Winnebago, which I bought used and faded… so it’s actually more of a pink 😅
@@NicholeOlive nice campers except all the work to keep it looking good, 3M makes a better product than meguiars I think
Hey I really appreciate your video because I have the “EXACT” camper and problem and after spending a full day trying everything. I came across you vid. Thank you so much and great video.
You're welcome, thank you too!
Great Video and Info !!!
When it gets tacky clean pad with a piece of wood! Turn on buffer and run end of wood across pad!
How long did your RV look good? Ours seem to dull about 3 months later.
I'm gonna try the wool pads. Been using Maguires marine/rv but wasn't getting the result I want. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, good luck
Gday RV
My suggestion for any black trim to make it new and glossy is to use Tyre Shine in a spray can. Makes black trim look beautiful again. Cheers.
Great video, I watched several times. Just got the One Step No. 67 in the mail today. I am still up in the air about the wool pad. Looking at the one that you mentioned I noticed a lot of complaints about hair and wool fibers coming off of the pad. Did you noticed this or have the same problem If so is there anything that will solve the issue. Again thank you for taking the time to do this video, the best video out there on oxidation removal. Cheers
Thank you. I did notice some wool fibers, but they wipe off easily with a clean towel after you are done buffing.
@@WeekendRVAdventures Thankyou
The Family dollar store sells black magic white bleache tire cleaner for 4 bucks.
Have bucket, brush and hose. Wet the chalky area, then shoot the stuff on. Scrub with brush, then rinse with water.
Haven't tried that.
Thank you for the advice going to buy some for my class c freedom elite
You're welcome. Good luck 🤞
Great video topic. Questions, How old is your RV, and is this the 1st time you've polished it? Do you use the same process on the front cap, with bugs? Bug removal can be it's own video I think. Thanks for the links.
John, my cougar is a 2015 and this is the first time. You are correct about bugs being its own topic. I actually filmed a video showing what I use for bugs, just haven't edited and posted it yet.
Thanks,
Jason
Hi I have an aluminum camper with the compounds you're describing work on the aluminum product? And most of all and most important which I should have said first I guess, is I have a 2006 VW Volkswagen that has that old paint look on the Hub Cap cover and on some on the front of the car it's a navy blue and I try to compound and I tried of course I'm so I'm older so I'm not that strong and then I try to small buffer tool and I tried a buffing compound do you think that these compounds and a stronger tool might get off the paint finish I can't even talk this is so foreign to me do you think these products might help with the Volkswagen finish? If there's typos I'm doing voice to text because I have hand problems but I would get a guy to help me do this on my car one of my friends is real strong a guy okay God forgive me if this is just a hot mess thank you Debbie
Looks like your comment slipped thru the cracks of comments.. hope you found your solution..
Very helpful. Thanks for sharing
Is that a harborfreight polisher? I have a chicago electric and it works well but I never tried it on my rv ,I guess I gotta try thanks for sharing my man
Thank you! Very helpful!
did the samething on my boat then the flagship wax next is the rv same products as the boat gelcoat
Thanks brother.
I hope I can find this cleaner in a store tomorrow.
I just washed the RV tonight and would love to finally wax it.
No problem. Good luck I had to order it online.
Thank you...purchased product using your links
Your welcome and thank you.
Thanks for making this video
Thank you for your video :-) Very helpful! 👍🏻
Thanks. My old Winnebago View needs some sprucing up. I plan to try your method!
The sad part is after all that work you be lucky to get even a year and it'll be dull again that's just the nature of the beast,. I have polish mine maybe four times and it needs it again and I'm like I'll wait a couple years. Lol
Good video. What did you use for the thin metal covering on the bottom to restore finish?
Great video man
Thanks for the video. I read in one of the comments you can clean the pad? Did you do that, how do you do it and how pads did you end up using for your rv? Mine is only 23.5 ft class c. Thanks again!
I spent a couple days completing this project and washed the pad out and let it dry between days. Someone else had commented about a way to clean the pad while buffing. I did not try that, but I'm sure it would help because the pads did load up with compound.
Great tip thanks
Do you apply a lot of pressure or essentially just the weight of the buffer doing the work.
Good work….when I’m polishing in between applications of compound I turn on pad and use a butter knife against pad to remove crusty old compound, then apply new compound…. That should get you too 100% or at least better than 99
Thanks
I used a flat blade screw driver.
It's a LOT of work for sure. If you clean that pad often it will cut better.
great video and explanation my friend... thank you..
You're welcome
An important question - How much coverage can we get out a single bottle of the One-Step product?
It's been a while, but I think I used 2 or 3 bottles. I would start with 1 and see how it goes. You won't get it all done in 1 day anyway.
How long did it last...mine went chalky again after one season. I even waxed it after polish with UV protection...still came back.
Unfortunately I had the same results. I'm sure there is some product out there that will hold up longer, but I don't know what that is.
@@WeekendRVAdventures I may try a ceramic wax...I'll let you know how that works
Great Video! Thanks!
Your welcome!
What about the lower part of your rv the brown trim. Did it turn white or did you not use the compound o. The brown trim? If you did how did you prevent it from turning white? This is great info. My plastic is the part i am not sure on how to prevent from changing colors. Not the black part.
I didn't try it on the lower brown part, but I think it would have been fine
Thx!!! Great info...
Thank you!
What did you use to polish the metal that’s on the bottom all the way around?
I just put a coat of wax on the bottom part
How long do you think it takes to do a 3'x3' area and what kind of pressure do you use?
I too have a 7' Polisher/Sander ... do you have a link to the Wool Pad and the Buffing Pad that you use?
I think this is the one I used
www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/masterpro-refinishing/masterpro-refinishing-cutting-pad/mpr4/67799?q=Wool+buffing+pad&pos=0
Question- did you change the 100% wool pad between steps?
No but I did clean it out.
Great Video!
Thanks 😀
Maybe you should use something to cover the side of your rig that gets the sun.
Someday we hope to build a garage to keep the whole thing out of the weather.
Jon,
I have an 2018 Outback 330 RL travel trailer. I've used the Mequires RV wax but i don't know what to use on the trim around the slides. It's the 3' wide flat plastic molding around the slides. It seems like it is sold black plastic and it is faded and uneven in color. I'm not sure what it is made of and i don't know how to care for it. Any recommendations? Thanks.
I've had good luck with a product called "back to black" but it's primarily for rubber parts. Faded plastic parts might never come back...
I’ve tried the foam pads from harbor freight with maguires oxidation remover. Still have that chalky look especially on the decals. Should I switch to the wool pads? How do I get that nasty grim off the decals?
The wool definitely worked much better for me. Just be careful on decals not to wear them away!
Need to check ✔ into the ceramic coat like I did guarantee 7years not all that work wash and go
Sounds good, you will have to let me know how it holds up.
Do I need to wash my camper first before I do this
Yes,you definitely want to start with a clean camper!
Thanks for your informative video Jason. I am inspired! I used to polish cars in the olden days so this is going to be a fun project! Picked up my HFT polisher today and about to order the polish and pads. I have one question for you regarding the 7" wool pads, have you been able to buy those without the backing pad? Since the HFT buffer already has a backing pad, I thought I would save some money. Thanks again Jason!
I did. I think I got them at O'Riley Auto.
Good luck
Did you get to use this method for your RV? How did it work? Any pictures?
I did try this technique on our trailer. Labor intensive and it really didn't restore the side wall of my trailer to it's original shine. My Cougar's sidewalls have the pigment made into the fiberglass (except for the cap, which is automotive paint).
A mild cutting compound cannot actually cut the old color effectively in my opinion. So I am simply having the sidewalls waxed as best as I can. I estimate it will take 2 applications of wax annually to keep a decent shine. Don't think it will ever get back to original. It still looks good!
Meguiar's waxes and detailers have petroleum distillates in them. Those products are a BIG problem for decals and will cause them to dry out and crack over time. Best to use products without petroleum distillates on RV's.
Thanks for the info. What products are safe to use?
@@WeekendRVAdventures Look on the label to see if it says "Contains Petroleum Distillates". There are a lot of products that do not contain this ingredient. I use Turtle Wax products. After a good waxing, you can use a spray detailer, like ICE, to touch up the surface after washing. I do this once or twice per season to keep it looking really great. My trailer is 4 years old and the decals are still in great condition.
I did exactly what you said and now have swirls. Any suggestions?
I have the same problem. I am going to try a paste wax to get it out
I contacted meguiars and they told me that the wool pad is to harsh and to it again with a foam pad
If you need to remove oxidation it means you have not used a decent wax/protectant. If needed I would use a very mild abrasive (Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami) and a plastic kitchen scrubber. Work gently and NEVER use power equipment. Afterwards use several coats of ZEP. It will last for years and years. RV or car waxes only last a few months at best and oxidation and ongoing damage will continue. My original ZEP has lasted 7 years with only a light touchup coat every year or so.
Which ZEP product do you use?
@@stevemurray2895I used Zep High Traffic Floor Polish which was the only choice at Lowe's. It is dirt cheap. BTW, you will find mixed reviews of ZEP on RVs. The big issue is starting with a clean RV, no dirt or wax residues and little or no oxidation.
@@jameskelson1891 do u have pics of your rv after 7 yrs using zep..also is your rv painted or gel coat?. I thought about using it but reviews were horrible after 1-2years .. thanks .
I do not have any pictures that would really show the finish. It still looks good, water still beads and it repels those nasty black streaks. Washing is hardly needed as rain seems to rinse off the dirt. My camper has/had a gel coat. The big issue is surface prep. You cannot put ZEP over a chalky oxidized surface or over other waxes. Use BarKeepersFriend and wax stripper first. Apply numerous thin coats and avoid drips and sags from applying too much. Otherwise very easy.
@@jameskelson1891
Cool story
I did the first two things, then found this video, lol it's too much work by hand for sure. Great tip on the wool pads. My crappy keystone oxidized at 5 years old. Kinda miss the older campers. Cheers
Thanks!
On the rubber trim that is faded, try a heat gun. Might have to protect the fiberglass with cardboard. I use it on the black plastic modeling on my vehicles. Work good. Maybe a test spot first.
Thanks for the tip, I'll try it once the weather gets a little warmer here.
That’s bad advice. Just stick to what you’re doing.
Seal/ceramic coat
The secret to NOT burning thru fibreglass is to keep the polisher moving. DO NOT STOP!
!
How clean does the RV need to be before you do it? Obviously I'll clean mine, but I'm curious about any remaining streaks. Will this help take those out?
Just your average cleaning is good enough. The compound should remove any streaks that don't come off when you wash it.
@@WeekendRVAdventures perfect. appreciate the video! will give it a go this weekend, and either smile or cry lol
Nice job god bless
Thanks!