Hard Shell RTT care

[concretejungle]

What are you guys using to take care of your fiberglass shells on your RTT? I am having serious mold and dirt build up on mine and am wondering if i should wax it, use a bleach cleaner, or what is the best products for these things.

Look forward to hearing back from everyone on how to properly care for the shells.

 

[Lemsteraak]

Chances are you have gel coat protecting your fiberglass. It is like a soft thick paint coating. Best stuff I have found is 3M fiberglass restorer, standard auto waxes are designed for a hard enamel paint and the grit is too fine to really clean your fiberglass.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Any marine wax will work just fine, there is info on here and online to support this.

 

[rayra]

Clean it well and use a bleach-water solution to kill the molds. Clean it again. Use a gel coat conditioner / restorer. Then wax. Keep it clean. If there's an RV or boat store around they'll have a lot of specialty products for the care and feeding of fiberglass.


Did much the same years ago when restoring a second hand fiberglass jacuzzi shell and its fiberglass covers. Really made a huge difference in appearance. Thing was a wreck when I got it.

 

[NW European]

Another vote for the 3M brand fiberglass restorer/wax -- good product, easy to use, and does great on the fiberglass gelcoats.

 

[enzo]

http://www.autohomeus.com/roof-top-tent-useful-information/maintenance-cleaning.php

 

[concretejungle]

thanks everyone. I was wondering if a standard car was would work and apparently it's not the right choice. I'll go look for a boat was and the 3M fiberglass restorer/wax.

 

[brentbba]

Resurrecting this thread as I've just ordered a JB and looking for suggestions as to protection and care. I'd like to put something good on from the start! Buddy has a five year old AH Airtop and has just used car waxes and he's had some serious fading. His AH and my JB both reside/will reside outside.

From reading all the threads I could find here on care/maintenance of the fiberglass shells of JB, AH and others is to use a good quality marine polish for gelcoat finishes that'll provide UV protection. Seems like just about any marine polish will do. I've seen threads suggesting Meguiars 50, the 3M noted above, etc. There are too many products to research. Seems that some information suggests that after a good marine polish for gelcoat that any good auto wax or polish will then work to give it a good shine. One site suggested bees wax, but not carnuba as the later wouldn't last. I've used Zaino Bros show car polishes for years with superb results on my truck and cars. Zaino is not a wax, but rather a show car polish that doesn't contain abrasives.

I've got a West Marine close to home I'll probably visit and see what they carry and recommend. I live close to the Dana Point harbor so no lack of marine stores!

 

[Corey]

This is an older video I shot six years ago, but I use my Porter Cable orbital sander.
I have used various waxes over the years, and last year I used Griots Best Of Show wax on it, and it came out great.
I also have used Meguiars Marine/RV wax which is great too.

[video=vimeo;25605061]https://vimeo.com/25605061[/video]

Last year I bought a Ryobi that uses the 18v Lithium batteries is also a random orbital, and I used it on my FJ Cruiser twice last summer as well as my Autohome Maggiolina Airlander tent.
Being it is cordless, it is a lot easier to work with having no cable to drag.

This is an older pic when it was on the stock rack, but the tent was skungy from the trees, and look how great it turned out with the Porter Cable back then and the Meguiars Marine/RV wax.

 

[brentbba]

Thanks for the feedback Corey! Haven't broken down and invested in an orbital buffer yet, but have been getting close as I age!