Painting front cap - Montana Owners Club

Snownyet · 02-01-2011, 06:33 PM

Ive got a small crack and hole in the front cap of our 2007 Mountaneer 5th wheel from a tight turn and contact with an aux diesel tank pump that I need repaired. Being a foremer autobody tech, Im considering making the repair and painting the entire front cap however the repair is low and below a body/decal line so Im also considering just painting the bottom and masking at the decal line. Im curious as to what kind of experience folks have had painting the glass front caps? I know the oem gelcoat is durable and holds up well to scrubbing of bugs and road film, but Im not a fan of the color matches Ive seen on gelcoat repairs. Thanks in advance for any help!

racerjoe · 02-02-2011, 01:24 AM

being a former bodyman should answer your own question. The match won't be right and you as a bodyman will always see the line. I would order the decals and repaint the cap.

radio flyer · 02-02-2011, 02:09 AM

Do repair & paint another color below the decal line. Try a color to match your rig !

Mrs. CountryGuy · 02-02-2011, 03:16 AM

In October of 2009 a repair facility ran our Tana into a building, got the back cap at the corner, drivers side.

We took it too a fiberglass repair facility, they fixed and painted. We cannot see it. I think the color match was about 99% (maybe computer generated, he sure did not order the paint from Keystone).

Now, my eyes are older, and I was never a autobody tech, so, my old uneducated eyes may not see what you might see, but, we are totally happy with it.

No decals were involved in our boo boo.

You can see the extent of the boo boo here:

[s]http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/10/rv-driving-r[/s]

OOOPS, here, try this:

http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/10/rv-driving-rules.html

The repair photo is here, but, not as close up as the booboo photo:

http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/11/lookie-what-wind-blew-in.html

Good luck.

oldelmer1 · 02-02-2011, 05:17 AM

You don't say where you are from, but if you have boat repair places around you, they should be able to repair it without any problem. I (hate to admit it) had a boo boo at the bottom of my front cap. Right where it rolls down and under. The fiberglass repair guy I took it too fixed it and matched the gel coat perfectly. He said it took some time to get the color right, but we cant tell where he fixed the hole. Hole was about a 50 cent peice big and right at the lip that rolls down underneath, and the other side had some cracks in it.

I didnt take any pictures, I want to forget about this ASAP!!! He was pricy, I think, $600.00.

exav8tr · 02-02-2011, 05:31 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Mrs. CountryGuy

In October of 2009 a repair facility ran our Tana into a building, got the back cap at the corner, drivers side.

We took it too a fiberglass repair facility, they fixed and painted. We cannot see it. I think the color match was about 99% (maybe computer generated, he sure did not order the paint from Keystone).

Now, my eyes are older, and I was never a autobody tech, so, my old uneducated eyes may not see what you might see, but, we are totally happy with it.

No decals were involved in our boo boo.

You can see the extent of the boo boo here:

http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/10/rv-driving-r

The repair photo is here, but, not as close up as the booboo photo:

http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/11/lookie-what-wind-blew-in.html

Good luck.

Carol, Please check your first link. When I try and load it it comes up with "page not found" message. Would lke to see how well they did.

Art-n-Marge · 02-02-2011, 06:28 AM

Carol, the first link didn't work for me either with a "Page not found" error message. But in the second link, I am with you. If the repair looked like that I'd be very happy with it. I am not an autobody person.

royando · 02-02-2011, 09:15 AM

Our 2003 nose cap was repainted up to the decal. Looked good for 2 years and now you can see where they blended on the sides. Now the decal is faded and I wish they had removed the decals and refinished the whole cap and left it white. Why should I advertise for Keystone if they will not pay for it?

Snownyet · 02-02-2011, 10:48 AM

I was more worried about the abuse the paint on the large frontal area would see vs the gelcoat. Decals are cheap and are peeling anyway. Contrary to what many might think, white IMO is the absolute worst to color match, waaaay too many variations, which is why Im shying from the gelcoat. That and Ive seen gelcoat repairs that looked great initially but discolored over time differently than the rest of the area...Thanks for all your feedback folks!

Mrs. CountryGuy · 02-02-2011, 01:19 PM

That first URL

http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/2009/10/rv-driving-rules.html

sorry folks.

OHHH, just remembered, seems to me that you can order the paint from Keystone, or you used to be able to. Try calling???

Good luck

gitrdun · 02-02-2011, 04:04 PM

I pealed the decals of and sanded all the gelcoat off. Painted a base coat and covered with clear coat. Used dupont paint and gm paint color and put new deacal on. Looks better than new. If you paint the whole cap and the color match is not perfect you can't tell because of break between the sides with the weather strip. Whole cost less then 500.00.

scductman · 02-05-2011, 02:50 PM

I Sanded my cap and replaced graphics and then clear coated it over the graphics a year ago. It still looks great and as a side note bugs don't stick to it nearly as bad and will wash off it in the rain.
bobby

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