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Chips Ahoy?


topgun2

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This past winter I saw a product called "Custom Shield Coating" by ArmorAll.  This is a spray on, peel-off paint and body protection product that is supposed to help prevent rock chips.  Since I will shortly be hitting the road and plan on traveling on my share of dirt over the next two months, I thought that I'd give it a try.  And it sure is a bunch cheaper than a set of Rock Tamers.  Application is fairly easy once you have the area taped and masked.  When dry the surface of the Oliver has a "rubber like" texture to it and it is not shiny like the rest of the camper.  However, on a test area the shine was back when the product was peeled off.  Once I get back - mid September or so - I'll report back here as to how well this stuff held up and if it prevented and rock chips.

 

Bill

 

 

 

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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I will be interested to see your follow up reports.

 

But I have to ask, why not just have it sprayed professionally with permanent white bed liner material?

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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John - basically the answer to your question has to do with money and looks.  At the Owners Rally I did see an Elite II with bed liner sprayed on and interestingly it was done in black.  It didn't look as bad as I had imagined.  But, this stuff is less than $15 a can and I used one can to do the areas noted in the pictures.  Certainly I don't believe that it will do as good a job as the bed liner stuff, but this stuff can be peeled off after I'm done with the dirt for this year.  We'll see!  Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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Bill, thank you for your pioneering and frugal spirit. That looks like a good alternative to a permanent treatment. Since it is inexpensive and removable I may do the same before we go to Colorado in September. Mike

Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

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I Look forward to your follow up report as well. I have been trying to decide on what product to try. I was surprised at how many tiny chips I picked up on my last long road trip.

GrayGhost

 

2015 Legacy Elite II Hull # 98

 

2020 F150 3.5 EcoBoost

 

 

 

 

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OK, so, first observation on this stuff is that one must read and follow the directions exactly.  Yes, I do read and I do follow (unless there is some "valid" reason not to) but part of the instructions say to remove the tape from the masked off areas immediately while the product is still wet.  Well, let me tell you - this stuff dries REALLY fast.  I would suggest that when it comes time to remove the masking tape, two people get involved.  While one person continues to spray to "wet" the edge, the other person follows directly behind quickly removing the tape.  If you do not do this, the product film will start to lift off the surface of the Ollie.  Don't ask me how I know this!

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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Bill, what were the environmental conditions when you were painting? Hot and dry? Humid?h

 

The fast drying problem may be related to the weather as much as the product itself ....?

 

Thanks,

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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John - they say that drying time is 5 minutes!  Certainly the weather did not slow that down very much - 80 degrees but the humidity was fairly high.  Life is tough in the mountains of Western North Carolina!

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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OK, as promised here is the follow-up report on "Custom Shield Coating".  As I mentioned, I traveled from the mountains of Western North Carolina to the mountains of Colorado and back.  Prior to leaving I knew that I would be traveling some dirt/gravel roads once I got the Colorado.  This year the weather was not the best .  Sometimes that can be good news in that it can help cut down on the dust from those dirt roads.  However, the rain did such a good job of cutting down on the dust that the dust turned into mud!  I know that I should have taken a picture, but, at one point the front of Twist was covered in an inch coating of mud and rock.  Several of these roads were badly "wash boarded" too.  I've found that there are two ways to deal with this type of road - either go very slow or very fast.  Assuming that it can be done so safely, I generally choose the "fast" approach even though I know that this kicks up more dirt and stones.

 

Below are a couple of pictures of the removal of the coating (note that the instructions on the can say that the coating is only "good" for up to three months.  I'm guessing that the elasticity of the coating tends to diminish after that time making it more difficult to remove and less effective protection.).  Note that I had already washed Twist (twice) prior to removal.  I did remove this coating fairly slowly as I looked for dents, dings, and scratches but the total time of removal for both sides was less than 10 minutes.  In places where there was a "nick" in the coating I had to take my time, but basically the coating came off in a sheet.  There were no additional dents, dings and/or scratches in the finish of the Oliver and the gloss of the surface was unchanged from the adjoining non-coated surfaces.  Given the "textured" nature of the coating when applied, bugs, road grime and dirt are a bit difficult (or impossible) to remove when the coating in in place.  However, in removing it all of the dirt, grime, etc comes right off.  Certainly this is an added benefit in that I used to spend a fair amount of time re-polishing these areas after each trip.

 

Bottom line - I'll certainly use this stuff again when I plan on being on dirt roads.  It is fairly easy to apply, easy to remove and protects the front of the Oliver from dirt, grime and small stone chips.  Having said this, I do not think that it would be a good substitute for more serious protection when it is projected that the Oliver will be spending huge amounts of time on roads that are less than paved (I'm thinking Alaska here and/or those owners that spend a majority of time on dirt/gravel roads).

 

Bill

 

pgc1lsxwlmujgenhn5zzd4sxwo1krsl6.jpg.682064210df9ece20d5e589ed8582861.jpgThe above shows the difference in sheen between the coated area and the rest of the Oliver.  It also shows some of the left over "road marks" after I'd already cleaned twice.

 

32wa6irxsplj3qh6v3096mlkhfatsakl.jpg.3b05e43f8cb50e1536458451b81bbac3.jpgAbove:  the start of the big peel.

 

ebpl6zx43knu2r6nqz1orhhlw37wcfgg.jpg.5f5d794c72a94f5e63eb8a8eac7f3f6b.jpgAll finished peeling with the ball of coating showing the gloss surface of both previously coated and un-coated sections of Twist.

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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How about the back of the trailer? Yesterday on the way down to the Eclipse through the Idaho Panhandle I went slowly on some fresh road construction and later found a jagged rock bigger than my thumb lying on the top of the rear bumper platform. It appears to have ricocheted off the front of the bumper, then off the back of the Ollie. There was no damage to the lights or gelcoat. But it could easily have trashed a light.

 

These trailers really need mudflaps from the factory, for stone chip protection and to keep muck off the fresh water connections, which is unsanitary and messy...

 

My winter project is multiple under-frame rock guards and a Stone Stomper.

 

I hope I don't damage the trailer in the meantime.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WAa

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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It too has amazed me when I see the number and size of pebbles both on top of the rear  and inside the bumper compartment.  I guess that the good news is that (for the most part) the velocity of these when they hit is not the same as those that tend to hit the front of the Oliver.  I don't see why this spray on protection film wouldn't work on the rear of the Oliver.  But, at some point the masking, taping and then removal simply would not be worth the time and I'd look for a more permanent solution similar to what you are looking at for this coming winter.  In the meantime it appears to me that you have two potential solutions - slow down or don't travel those roads causing the problem.

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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