Yahoo Message Number: 64047 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64047)
Just when you think you've encountered every substance that can stick to a paint job - a new one pop's up! (I bet a mad scientist worked on this one:)!).
We had pre-tripped cleaned our Allure and CRV Toad (I like to start with a clean rig, and then do my best to keep it up on the road.) The very first day's drive, we pulled into Zion from San Diego - and found both the below panels and back of the RV, as well as the Toad - covered with some white/light grey substance.
I'm used to fighting bugs, dirt and tar splashes - but this stuff is like a glue. To give you a perspective, I spent a solid 30 mins cleaning just the CRV's front windshield and two front door windows. It required breaking out the ice scraper, and a straight edge razor blade, followed by green nylon scrub pad. Tried simple green, glass cleaner, rubbing alcohol and bug removal goop. It came down to scraping and scrubbing. The substance feels like mild sand paper.
Later in the trip, we pre sprayed the full surface of the car with Simple Green, let it sit for 10-15 mins, then went thru a brush contacting car wash. Removed some dirt, but not the substance from h_ll...
OK - So here is all I can think of on what this stuff may be:
1) The RV and Toad were damp from early AM dew in San Diego, as we headed out of town. Much overnight work going on in one section of I15, within 30 mins of leaving home. While I did not see or detect any unusual dust or construction powder. They could have just finsihed sand blasting the concrete roadway, or perhpas wet cutting sections of concrete. Perhaps this tossed up a fine dust, that then hit the wet car, and became this evil substance. (But, this would have been cured concrete, and I did not think that just cutting it back up to a fine dust would have allowed it to become this tough to get off?)
2) Going thru Vegas on I15, lots of construction, and I did get stuck behind a large constuction truck for several miles, that was dropping what I thought was some powder mix used for large on the job mixing of concrete. Not a concrete truck, this was a 'hopper' like truck, that had a sraight hanging down chute from the back. Each bump, some stuff would shake out and hit the road way. I assumed it was a dry powder, because it appeared to break up on contact with the roadway. By Vegas, my RV and Toad were dry for sure - so I would have thought that this dry powder would not have stuck (was not pleased about the air cleaner, is what I was thinking - tried hard to get out from around it, but you know how people in traffic don't want a RV/Toad in front of them, and the hole to move over took several miles). I'm wondering if this may have not been dry powder, but a portland cement mix, ready to add to the on the job mixing of a batch of concrete? Anyone with large construction experience have any thoughts on this? I could see that if this material was not dry, but a wet mix that was bouncing up in the air some after shaking of this truck, our RV could have tossed it back up and over the Toad and along the beltline of the RV???
Say it is cement? Any ideas on how to remove this from the paint and class? I was thinking maybe a mild mix of CLR, to see if this could break it down. I know that muriatic acid will effect concrete, but - frankly don't know what the impact would be on the paint??
Last question on this subject. If worse case I can't get this off, I may end up needing a sand and paint job (Toad is worse then the RV, but I'm concerned about the RV too...). I can't prove this happened in Vegas or in San Diego, but suspect it was in Vegas - as I saw this material escaping in front of me. I did not get the name of the company, I never got by him, before he turned off on a left offramp 'loop' road division. Does this mean I have to work with my insurance company under comprehensive damage? (Understand, my goal is to do the work and get this subtance off - but I've already some damage on the glass of the CRV - I had to do something so that I could see out the windows).
We made sure this did not ruin our trip, as 'things happen', and we still had a great first Big Trip... Sure sorry this was so long winded, but was trying to share as much as I know, or speculate, so that I could get some input from this gang...
Best,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Yahoo Message Number: 64051 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64051)
Smitty, if it is concrete-related you could experiment with an acidic solution. Try to go easy. Start with some white vinegar from the kitchen, straight from the bottle on a rag or Q-tip. Just dab a spot, wait a while and wash off. If that is helpful then straight vinegar in a spray bottle might be the ticket. If it seems to be working but is too slow than something stronger might be in order.
--
Lee Zaborowski
07 Intrigue 12153, Cat C-13
Yahoo Message Number: 64052 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64052)
Lee - Thanks! I did Google this, but must have a tupo (typo:!) in my first search, as this time I found both your comment about white vinegar and if needed, stepping up to muratic acid (diluted at first).
I'll do a test section with the white vinegar, and cross my fingergs!
It's neat to have all this internet stuff to search things, but quite often I find the person sitting at the keyboard (me:)!) - can be the weakest link...
Best,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Yahoo Message Number: 64054 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64054)
Wow, Smitty, I am sorry to hear that. I winced more and more as I read through your (excellent) description of the "stuff". Sounds like any RV (especially those with ACREAGE of shiny paint) owner would have nightmares about that.
I wrote to empathize, but also to ask you to please let us know about your research of what it was, and the steps you take to fix the damage. I suppose a good wax on painted surfaces might help, but who knows. Note to self - fresh up the wax job on coach and towed.
We had a budding graffiti artist that discovered a freshly painted sign on a delivery van of mine, and Goof Off did a good job of removing the spray paint without hurting the cured sign or paint. Goof Off smells like it has a modified toluene base, but I do not know for sure. Maybe that will help cut the bond of the "stuff". I never saw any damage to the cured paint, but still washed and waxed the area immediately after cleaning to stop any chemical action.
Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527
Yahoo Message Number: 64060 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64060)
I guess I'd check with an auto body paint shop for other solutions before stepping up to muriatic acid.
Lee
Yahoo Message Number: 64066 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64066)
I'll be dang... After my last posting, I did take a run to Ace and bought a bottle of Muriatic Acid (read many sources on Google that I could try this if needed, just to be sure to not get it on chrome, rubber, plastics). I tried two small test ares with:
1) White Vinegar
2) 1/4 diluted muriatic acid
Let them both sit for 3 mins, watching to see if I could see the muriatic acid working on the 'cement'. Nothing noted after three mins, and I then tried to remove the substance from h_ell with a wet micro fiber cloth. NO IMPACT AT ALL - nothing, just felt like wet sand paper.
I added enough miriatic acid to make a 50/50 mix. Repeated the the test, this time waiting 5 mins. NO IMPACT - AGAIN.
So I figured it must not be cement, as I had thought. As I looked at different parts of the paint surface, I found darker spots of the substance. The CRV has white paint. And I have a good coat of Zaino on it. (The coach, has a base coat of Zaino, and then I tried the Eagle One Nano Spary On/Wipe Off on my final cleaning before we left. So the paint is protected well.)
I could not get to my Bug/Tar remover, the Coach is in it's spot, and it is too tight to open the lower basement doors. But I did try some Electical Contact Cleaner, on the same spot. Sprayed it on a cloth, held the cloth to the paint for two mins - and then softly wiped with the a micro fiber cloth. THE SUBSTANCE FROM H_LL, started to come off!!! Repeated again, and the test area is back down to the clear paint again.
So, I think I'll make another run to Ace or Home Depot, and get a big bottle of the Goof Off.
I'm really not sure what this is. Being in two constuction zones of driving that day, with the first one being still dark with lights on, I could have hit a patch of fresh tar with nearby concrete cutting mixed into the mix? Or, just plain old dust. My next door neighbor said it could havde been from a big truck exhaust, with dust tossed into the mix...
If the Goof Off does not get it off as well as the Contract Cleaner, I'll post again. Once I know the CRV is OK, I'll start the process on the coach - but probably not until next weekend.
Thanks for the input guys,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Yahoo Message Number: 64073 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64073)
I recalled a product I used to get some stubborn tape residue off, may be something you can use. It is volatile enough that I was a little scared of it, but no damage, and that hardened residue wiped off with no damage. 3M adhesive remover spray. Might be cheaper than Goof Off. I have no idea which would be less dangerous for the paint - maybe someone has an old paint panel around to experiment.
Glad you are making progress on that stuff.
Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527
Yahoo Message Number: 64074 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64074)
Try WD-40 on it Smitty...
buck
k7wn. '99magna5653, C10, Allison 4060
======================================================
Yahoo Message Number: 64081 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64081)
Smitty,
Since the contact cleaner seams to be working I would try a product that Wurth makes and I think it's called cclean-Solve. Wurth makes a lot of products for body shops. I keep some at the shop and it is a great product.
http://www.autogeek.net/wucl.html (http://www.autogeek.net/wucl.html) Kevin Burns
00 affinity 5865
Yahoo Message Number: 64084 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64084)
It sounds like you may have run over some wet line paint. The paint used to paint lines on the highway. It has all the characteristics you describe.
Mikee
Yahoo Message Number: 64234 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64234)
Sounds like something I found on my coach. Look's like concrete but not really sure. I used a clay bar at the detail shop and with lots of elbow grease it came off a small area I worked on. I am taking it Monday to the detail shop for THEM to remove the rest of it. ...
Good Luck
Yahoo Message Number: 64245 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64245)
Hi Smitty,
Sorry to hear about your damage from what would be an awesome trip. I would quit trying to fix this and call the insurance company. It's clearly road damage and they will know that. Comprehensive should come into play. It must have made you crazy! Good luck. Debbie
Yahoo Message Number: 64299 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64299)
Update, CRV is 95% done. 6 cans of Stoner Tarminator, 3 full car washes with Dawn. Then about an hour of touch up/off rubbing compound. Two coats of wax.
I know that I'm lucky this is white paint. I can see the damage to the clear coat. I'm stopping on the CRV for now. But know I have another weekend in the near future, of Porter Cable polisher with clay bar, medium then fine polishing ahead. I only hope that the usually thin clear coat that Honda applies, is thick enough for me to get the fine swirls out of.
The Allure's back right lower panels, drive and tag wheels, just took 3 full cans of Tarminator, and two hours of washing. Looks clean, but for sure the dark maroon color shows the damage to the clear coat. So, I'm going to stop now (lost my shade now too)' and regroup. On one panel, after Tarminator with a soft brush scrubbing and rinse, I also tried Griots spray on dry wash. Figured the lubricants might help. A clean soft brushing, rinse, then mitt final wash later. Still show surface fine lines in the clear coat - better, but still the damage is taking place.
I'm not a pro, but, I do pride myself on taking care of all our cars and rv. I do feel I know what I'm doing, and I'm the one that friends and family come too for help on these things. I have all the 'right stuff', and IMO - the 'stuff' is top notch.
I'm going to call around to some detail/restoration shops - and may go in and have them do a cargo door too, to see if they can do it better. My thinking is that the damage is done, and a full lower waste line buffing is needed.
All of this, is with a pre trip wash and good wax coat. 2 coats on the waste line, from knowing it takes the beating.
Guys, not complaining at all. This happens, and it sure will not get us down. I've probably lost 5 lbs working on the CRV, so that is a positive!
Best to all,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Yahoo Message Number: 64308 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/64308)
Smitty, did you try to talk to your insurance company about the damage? If they are going to cover you, they might want to see a damaged portion, so they can evaluate it. Insurance adjusters need something to justify their coverage.
Just a thought. Sorry you had to go through this, though we have learned a lot from your experience.
Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527