4 month old vinyl peeling

[Exnavydiver]

As we came down the drive this evening I saw that the new replacement vinyl I had fixed at the rally has peeled an inch all along the top edge. We still have 3 to 4 months of winter left so it should be totaled by the time it gets warm enough to replace. So disappointed as this the third front graphic we have had replaced on an 08 Big Sky.

[bncinwv]

Totally uncool. Sorry to hear that, wonder if there is a limit on the replacements or are you having to buy them?
Bingo

[DQDick]

Based on the comments on this forum and what I've seen in parks, when our graphics get bad we're going for some type of minor custom paint job and we'll leave the Montana logos behind. If I'm advertising for someone they need to maintain the ads to my satisfaction.

[richfaa]

You know we have seen the plain white wrapper big sky models at the factory before they got the paint job..Wonder if we could get one of those?????

[DQDick]

We saw one like that in a rest stop on I-10 about three weeks ago. I figured they just stripped them off and said the heck with it. Looked a little too plain for our tastes, but much better than some I've seen in parks since then.

[simonsrf]

Well Dave,
Here is something I can finally say is not a problem for us, our 2006 has the original graphics, and none are peeling. Wonder what the difference could be in material?

Good luck getting them fixed again.

[richfaa]

Our 06 did not start to go bad till last year.

[BB_TX]

This is all still pretty baffling. My '07 graphics still look near perfect, as do many others. Only a few chips on the front cap from rocks/bugs. But a friend's '08 began peeling badly front and sides after a year or so, also as has many others. He had them replaced a year and half ago. Already started peeling again, also experienced by others.
Seems many others who had them peel once and replaced them, had them start peeling again. Whereas those with no early problems seem to go for years before having any problem at all. I am beginning to wonder if maybe it has something to do with the materials of the trailer itself rather than the graphics. Possibly there was some small difference in the manufacturing process of the caps and/or side panels at different times.
If it were bad graphics initially, you would not expect to have bad graphics again when they were replaced. Especially multiple times.
Don't guess we will ever know, but sure makes you wonder.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

The way I understand it, is that the materials the graphics are printed on were changed over the years, possibly more than once.

If they printed on bad stock, say, 50,000 units, and they sold, say, 30,000 units that year, they would have 20,000 units left over to do replacements with, but, to what avail, the bad stock was bad to start with and is bad the next time around as a replacement.

Now, the numbers are made up in my head. Used for purpose of example in my theory.

And, my head does not always remember stuff right.

But, when they sent us some replacements (not a full set, but almost), we received some decals printed on one type of stock and other decals printed on some other kind of stock. It was pretty easy to tell they were different stock, backing totally different.

[sreigle]

Dave, that really sucks. Any idea why this one went bad so quickly?

Our first one was replaced at 22 months. That one now needs replacing, along with the graphics on the bedroom slide and on the side opposite that slide. I have the graphics, just need to find a reasonably priced place to swap them for me. RV Parks don't allow me to do it. And I don't know what I'm doing anyhow. The dealer we talked to said $800 to $1000 and that just doesn't work for us. Eventually we'll find someone to do it. I wish Keystone's service center would take care of the install but customer service told me to forget that idea.

[HOOK]

Hey Dave, barnacle juice? LOL Larry

[Exnavydiver]

In Sept 2011 I stopped by Burlington Graphics for a tour of the facility in Racine Wi. The Pres. answered all my questions that I knew I would have to answer at the rally we were on the way to. I believed their BS story about Arlon being the next great thing in vinyl and that it would last 10 years. When I got to the rally I was told that Burlington would not be handling anymore customer service problems and that Keystone would take over all those problems. So they replaced the front Big Sky graphic at the service center. That one started peeling the following July. This last rally they replaced it again. I have no idea why it peeled off other than maybe they didn't clean the surface properly but it must have started to peel in November or Dec. There is between 1 and 3 inches of the top edge peeling on the Big Sky picture graphic. The lettering is just fine. It has always just been the picture that has peeled. I will most likely photograph the damage then send it to Keystone. If they wend me a new one fine, if not then I will remove the graphic and let the public see...

[simonsrf]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Dave, that really sucks. Any idea why this one went bad so quickly?

Our first one was replaced at 22 months. That one now needs replacing, along with the graphics on the bedroom slide and on the side opposite that slide. I have the graphics, just need to find a reasonably priced place to swap them for me. RV Parks don't allow me to do it. And I don't know what I'm doing anyhow. The dealer we talked to said $800 to $1000 and that just doesn't work for us. Eventually we'll find someone to do it. I wish Keystone's service center would take care of the install but customer service told me to forget that idea.

Steve,
Getting the graphics is the hard part and they are not expensive. Replacing them is just not that difficult either. A $25 heat gun from Harbor Freight an extension ladder and some time and patience is all you need.

At Quartzsite the gang replaced all the graphics on Dennis and Mary Kay's trailer. We all learned something.

[grayghost03]

I had problems on 2006, some don't. I am thinking that it may have to do with how much of the fiber glass release agent was removed, prior to the application of the decal at the factory. I had a shop years ago, and we used ortho and polyester resins for our gel coats. If we didn't acetone the area for the company logo, the paint would not stick worth a dang. All because of the release agent.

[49merc]

Robbie,
You must just live right. Mine started peeling last year finally. Lots of peeling now. Hope to get some new ones but not looking forward to replacing them.

[c214dick]

Ours started peeling a little over 18 mos ago. I was able to get a replacement set from Burlington, free, when they were still taking care of Keystone's customers. After sitting in the Florida sun they have become even more brittle and quite a bit, from the front, came off when I washed Monty 2 weeks ago. When we get back to Illinois I will get a quote from our local body shop to install the front only. If it doesn't hold up I will remove it completely.

[Tom S.]

Just thinking out loud here: I wonder if you had them sprayed with automotive clear coat after being installed if it would stop the peeling?

[MIMF]

Hhmmmm! Don't know what is going on but, the old Challenger still has all of the original graphics. If anything, they might be ever so slightly fading but, at least they aren't peeling and cracking.

[Hooker]

The graphics on our 07 3400 were perfect when we sold it...hard to figure why some are good, some are not...unless they come from different factories. The only solution, which is more expensive (naturally), is full body paint.

[sreigle]

I heard even some of the full body paint Montanas have some decals. Is that correct?