Wash & Wax your RV

[Sotxks]

Next month we will be taking our 5ver down the gulf coast for the summer. I want to wash it and give it a good wax job before we do so. Do any of you have any good advice on types of wax and or anything special that should be done. Thanks in advance.


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[KanTC]

Sotxks,

Here's a similar thread, started a few days ago: http://keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21624

You can also do a forum search, using the word WAX... this topic typically comes up every spring/fall, so there should be plenty of info.

And, by the way, to the forum - glad to have you join us.
Terri, the Chevy co-pilot

[Sotxks]

Thanks Terry, I tried to search wax earlier and wasn't getting anything. But I just saw this thread! Thanks!


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[raineman]

Way too much surface area for me wash and wax. Local guy charges $240 for wash and wax. I just bought a gallon of Aerospace Protectant 303 that I want to use in place of wax for the next round. I am happy with paying for a wash only and the applying the 303 myself. It is karate kid, wipe on, wipe off but protects decals and plastics from the sun and elements.

[nitrohorse]

Originally Posted by raineman

Way too much surface area for me wash and wax. Local guy charges $240 for wash and wax. I just bought a gallon of Aerospace Protectant 303 that I want to use in place of wax for the next round. I am happy with paying for a wash only and the applying the 303 myself. It is karate kid, wipe on, wipe off but protects decals and plastics from the sun and elements.

Your post brings back painful memories... ha..ha. I once hand waxed a 26 ft TT on a Saturday. I felt like I developed rumathoid arthritis in every joint the next day. I decided from that day forward that I would either pay to have my RV hand waxed or use a product like 303. I really like the 303, easy on-off and it provides UV protection for the decals and clear coat.

[audio1der]

As an owner of a mobile detailing business, wax is carnauba-based, and looks great but is difficult to apply in a thin layer which makes for lots of work to buff off and doesn't last more than a month or two.
What you want for an application like an RV, is a synthetic product which would be called a polish or sealant. They go on thin making buffing/removal a breeze, and last the better part of a year. Most manufacturers make synthetic polishes/sealants- you'll find them at any parts store and online.
I use Nu-Finish. It smells awful but it's affordable, easy to find, lasts a year or so and is EASY to apply and buff off. I've used it for years on wheels and places where protection is more important then the looks of a waxed finish.
Hope this helps.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by audio1der

As an owner of a mobile detailing business, wax is carnauba-based, and looks great but is difficult to apply in a thin layer which makes for lots of work to buff off and doesn't last more than a month or two.
What you want for an application like an RV, is a synthetic product which would be called a polish or sealant. They go on thin making buffing/removal a breeze, and last the better part of a year. Most manufacturers make synthetic polishes/sealants- you'll find them at any parts store and online.
I use Nu-Finish. It smells awful but it's affordable, easy to find, lasts a year or so and is EASY to apply and buff off. I've used it for years on wheels and places where protection is more important then the looks of a waxed finish.
Hope this helps.

Glad to hear about polish vs wax. That has been my experience with RV's and airplanes. Currently, I use Top Gun Ultra Finish: Spruce P/N 09-00192 available from Aircraft Spruce. It is the longest lasting polish (with UV protectant) I have used and is easy to apply. I use it on aluminum, paint, Lexan/plastic, decals, etc. Worth a try...

[moniteaufarm]

can the Top Gun finish be applied to fiberglass? I saw that it is good for aluminum....
This is our first fiberglass rv, so we are facing more upkeep than the old aluminum that we just washed. We have the faded front cap, but, we bought the rv used, so expect some imperfections. I looked at the 303 protectant, but it says best results if used every 3-5 weeks. Not something we want to do that often. Is the NuFinish something to use on the fiberglass? I also saw some people are using marine products, Mequires. How long does it last? Easy to apply? I know everyone has their preferences. But feedback is invaluable. This weekend is treating the roof, next weekend, weather permitting will be the sides and end caps.. Ordered a Maxx Fan for the living room also Our rv is a Cougar 318sab. We LOVE the floorplan. Great space for us and 4 dogs - even if they are small.

I read all the posts on the faded end cap, but the topic was directed more at trying to get Keystone to repaint than how to treat it as best you can. We have a family member with a body shop, might have him give us an estimate on repainting, although we don't find it all that bothersome. Again, buying used, you expect some issues.

[Festus2]

I'm a long-time fan of NuFinish as well as Aerospace303 and both products can be used on fiberglass. NuFinish is reasonably priced, is easy to apply and polish, and seems to last a long time. Aerospace303 is a bit more expensive and as you pointed out needs to be applied more often - according to the manufacturer's recommendations anyway. It can also be applied to the EPDM and to the slide seals and gaskets to keep them clean and supple.

I've also used 3M marine products on our RV with good results - another option to consider.

It's difficult to say how long these products will last since the amount exposure to UV rays, rain, dust, temperature variations, etc., will all impact on how well they will stand up.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by moniteaufarm

can the Top Gun finish be applied to fiberglass? I saw that it is good for aluminum....

Well, I used it successfully on my Corvette. Paint, aluminum, magnesium, acrylics. All good. Lasts a long time.

[gunner1]

We just picked up our first TT after having a pop up for 5 years. This have helped me out a lot. Keep the ideas and comments coming

[W.E.BGood]

This is what I've switched to after all these years for my truck and van.

http://www.collinite.com/automotive-wax/insulator-wax/

The Outback just gets Lucas Oil Slick Mist Speed Wax.

[wesaysoracing]

I used Maguire's wash and wax anywhere to clean and wax my bullet , I used it on the 24th of march and after 3 weeks of rain almost every day, it still has a high gloss and what black streaks did appear , they wiped right off

[moniteaufarm]

we washed and then used the NuFinish on our 35' 318sab yesterday. Took a little time, but it is so easy to apply and wipe off that it didn't seem like alot of work. We are going to try a Maguires (sp) product on the front cap, as soon as the weather cooperates. Too much sun yesterday and raining today..

We did have one issue, with white streaks down the side under the outside flood light that wouldn't come off - and some under where the water heater drains out. I think those are probably hard water - I wonder if we can use a hard-water stain remover on that? Like CLR? I will look at the label and see if it is ok for painted surfaces

Thanks for the advice!

[denverpilot]

Originally Posted by W.E.BGood

This is what I've switched to after all these years for my truck and van.



http://www.collinite.com/automotive-wax/insulator-wax/



The Outback just gets Lucas Oil Slick Mist Speed Wax.

That stuff is incredible. Had a boating guy turn me on to it and did the truck just to see... It works really well. And I didn't even do multiple coats.

[gtsum2]

Sounds like 303 or nufinish is the way to go for me!

[cabinfever]

I clean the TT with Bio Kleen Streak Remover first. Then I wax with Lucas Slick Mist. I do a full cleaning twice a year and touch up whenever needed. Twice a year I use 303 on all the rubber seals. For the roof I use Dicor cleaner then protectant. I do the roof 2 times a year. Takes me about 8-10 hours to do the entire procedure on our 36FT Springdale. The Bio Kleen Streak Remover is awesome. I use it with the brush and wash method. Slick Mist goes on easy and seems to last.

[bsmith0404]

Most important thing for RV "waxing" is to use a one step product. A one step product is a cleaner, scratch remover, and polisher all in one. If you go to your local parts store it would be called a cleaner wax. As already pointed out a sealer will last longer than a wax. I have DA (dual action) polishers (Flex 3401 and a Porter Cable 7424) that make it much easier than using elbow grease. Since I use a DA I also use a product designed specifically for DAs. My favorite for the RV is Pinnacle XMT 360. XMT is short for Xtreme Machine Technology. It is an all in one (AIO)/one step product that goes on easy and wipes off just as easy. Cleans any oxidation, removes scratches, and leaves a long lasting sealant. Pinnacle is owned by Palm Beach Motoring Accessories or PBMA, same company that owns Autogeek. As far as I know Autogeek is the only place where you can buy it.

Regardless of what you use, make sure it is a sealant not a wax, get an AIO product, and go to Costco or Sams Club and buy a big bag of Microfiber towels, they work great for "wax" removal.

[xaugievike]

I've been using this stuff

http://www.amazon.com/Wolfgang-Deep-.../dp/B009W3KHSQ

It's a bit spendy, but works quite well. Water beads off my truck for an easy 6 months. I also started using it on my 5er last year...it's done the best job of making my front cap look better longer.

I need some more, I might give nu-finish a whirl

[bsmith0404]

Wolfgang makes some amazing products. They are also sold (and I believe owned) by PBMA (Autogeek). I don't use many of there products since I really like the Pinnacle and Black Fire lines, but the Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant is the best thing I have ever found to keep your plastic trim looking new or to restore old neglected plastic trim to like new. It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny. If you really want your truck to shine, try using the Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover before you apply sealant.

For the record, Nu Finish, that so many here seem to like is a polish/sealer. My understanding (I need to research it some more) is that is it simply that, a polish. It will not remove scratches or oxidation. Many polishes have fillers in them to temporarily fill/hide scratches. They temporarily fill a scratch so the sun/light will not reflect off of it, masking it from the eye. As the polish/filler wears away, the scratch magically reappears.

If you want to remove swirl marks, fine scratches, or oxidation, you need a compound. That is why the AIO products work so well (see my previous post). AIO products are what is known as DAT products. DAT stands for diminishing abrasive technology. Basically, the abrasives in the polish start out larger to act as a more aggressive scratch remover. As you continue to work them, they break down and become finer to remove the self inflicted scratches created (and necessary) by removing the more severe scratches on your paint. As they continue to break down, they basically become a fine polish giving your paint a nice shine. Without the abrasives, you CANNOT remove scratches/swirl marks, or oxidation. Think of it as sand paper. You start out with a coarser grit to get the worst stuff removed, then move to a finer grit to remove the finer scratches created by the course grit. You continue to progress to finer grits to get a nice smooth finish. Of course, a DAT product is not recommended for hand buffing, especially on something as large as an RV. You would wear your arm out trying to work it enough to break down the abrasives.