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Replacing Coach Armor

Yahoo Message Number: 9327
I thought I posted this question in a eariler post but 'CRS' seems to have gotten the best of me.

Has anyone replaced the 'Lexan' armor with the newer film type armor? I understand there would be some body repairs but is it a good idea? If you have done it, would you do it again? Thanks,
Larry

'99 Affinity

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9330
When we bought our 98 Allure I saw how much work it created and left it off.
Over 4 years I touched up the nicks and then had the front painted. On the new Intrigue I had the film installed and after 6000 miles I have just one little nick. Once the film has been waxed its a dream to keep clean. When we go to home comming I am going to have it installed over the front windows. I had a 6" strip installed down the side of the coach, on the front of the steps and around the exhaust pipe. I am very satisfied. TOM 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9331
From: "C. Marshall" cmarshall@...>

Quote
When we

go to home comming I am going to have it installed over the front windows.
Do you mean on the entire windshield? If your state has motor vehicle inspection, you better check the law. I know that's illegal here in NJ, for example.

That said, I did a neat job applying a protective film on our toad's headlights and they haven't noticed .

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9332
I forgot to mention in my previous message ... I broke my Coach Armor recently. While returning home from a trip, we drove through a lot of highway construction on Rt 301 in Maryland. There were orange traffic cones to the right of us and a drop off to the left, including sharp drop offs onto drainage grates that hadn't yet been raised. So, naturally I was "hugging" the cones as we drove by.
After we drove past hundred of cones and almost to the end, I whacked one good and broke off around 4" of the right side of the bottom shield.
What to do ... what to do. I have three options. (1) Call Coach Armor and ask them how much to replace the lower shield, then pick myself off the floor when they give me the answer ... especially considering shipping costs. (2) Have a replacement piece made locally, then pick myself off the floor, etc. (3) Cut off the broken end and an equivalent length on the other end, so that the fog lights are no longer covered. (4) Remove the lower shield and leave it off.

I elected to do #4 ... and I can't believe how much better the front of the coach looks without it! The fake bumper and the area above it are covered with that rough finish that helps to protect against nicks, so the lack of the lower shield shouldn't be a problem. The two mounting brackets below the headlights will be removed and SS bolts inserted into the holes. The four mounting brackets below the "bumper" will be removed and nothing placed into the holes. The two plastic standoffs to either side of the license plate will remain in place, since they're unobtrusive.
I'll keep the brackets and broken shield in my shed in case I change my mind .

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9341
I knew when I pushed the send key I goofed. Above the windshield especially around the marker lights. The difference between a waxed clear coat and waxed 3m shield is like night and day. So Sorry! TWI 11731

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9342
Larry

Are you talking about the new 3M mask product? I have never seen anyone replace the coach armor with 3M, but I do perfer the 3M. It doesn't take away from the beauity of the front cap like the armor does. After it is applied you realy dont even know it is there. Does your Affinity have the stainless on the lower portion of you coach? That area would not recieve 3M as it is so durrable on its own.
FYI

CC no longer applies the coach armor and 99% of their coaches recieve 3M Nick

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9346
-Nick, right on. I wanted to know if people are replacing their old style 'Lexan' heavy, thick, ugly, plastic, armor with the film plastic [you call 3M] I don't know who makes it but it seems to be used now inplace of the 'Lexan' The Old armor is so hard to remove for Generator maintenace and cleaning, I just figured folks would have had enough of the hassle and replaced it with the lighter user friendly stuff.

Larry

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9348
Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt that mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the shield to wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and replaced with 3m film, and could not be happier.
Just washing the front of the coach was a pain.
38,000 miles with the 3m film, no stone nicks whatsoever.
After replacing 2 windshield panels, ($700 each) I HAVE thought about plastering it on the windshield! (just kidding)

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm

Quote from: tbeer45
I thought I posted this question in a eariler post but 'CRS' seems

to

Quote
have gotten the best of me.
Has anyone replaced the 'Lexan' armor with the newer film type

armor?

Quote
I understand there would be some body repairs but is it a good

idea?

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9350
Bill, thanks for the reply. What did you do about the mounting hole for the old coach armor, did you fill and paint them or just leave them? Thanks again,
Larry

'99 Affinity

Quote from: Bill\[br\
Harris"]
Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt that > mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the shield

to

Quote
wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and replaced > with 3m film, and could not be happier.
Just washing the front of the coach was a pain.
38,000 miles with the 3m film, no stone nicks whatsoever.
After replacing 2 windshield panels, ($700 each) I HAVE thought > about plastering it on the windshield! (just kidding) > Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm

Quote from: tbeer45"[/quote
Quote
>]
> I thought I posted this question in a eariler post but 'CRS'

seems

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9353
Bill, where did you get the 3m stuff???...and do you know if you can install it yourself????

Quote from: Bill Harris
Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt that > mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the shield

to

Quote
wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and replaced > with 3m film, and could not be happier.
Just washing the front of the coach was a pain.
38,000 miles with the 3m film, no stone nicks whatsoever.
After replacing 2 windshield panels, ($700 each) I HAVE thought > about plastering it on the windshield! (just kidding) > Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm

Quote from: tbeer45"[/quote
Quote
>]
> I thought I posted this question in a eariler post but 'CRS'

seems

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9362
The 3M mask (aka invisible bra) is professionally installed. CC has a private contractor that does all the work on site in JC. The name of the company is Nortec Designs. I would recommend having them do the install. There are a few other companies that carry the product, but Nortec has a computer that cuts a kit for each individual coach depending on the style of the front cap. You can call CC to get there phone # or email me and I will give it to you. But to answer your question, no you can not install it your self. I have seen it done many times, and it truly is an art.

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9364
I had it done at Holland Motor in Mich, they filled them in and touched up the area, you can not tell they were ever there.

Bill Harris

Quote from: tbeer45
Bill, thanks for the reply. What did you do about the mounting

hole

Quote
for the old coach armor, did you fill and paint them or just leave > them? Thanks again,
Larry

'99 Affinity
Quote from: Bill
Harris"
ris"]
> Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt

that

Quote
mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the

shield

Quote
to

> wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and

replaced

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9365
Holland Motors installed the film. I had found a place in Elkhart, Indiana that could have installed it also.
I will say, you would probabaly be better off at a place that does it all the time, Holland ended up putting it on in horizontal strips, due to the shape of the coach.
I suspect, with proper heating and stretching, it could have been installed in one piece by someone with more experience. It would look better up close.

http://www.invinca-shield.com/main.htm
Bill Harris

Quote from: ragarue
Bill, where did you get the 3m stuff???...and do you know if you

can

Quote
install it yourself????

[quote author=Bill Harris"

> Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt

that

Quote
mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the

shield

Quote
to

> wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and

replaced

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9368
Bill, thanks, I think that is the way to go . I like to keep stuff original looking but getting that Lexan off would be an improvement.
Larry

'99 Affinity

Quote from: Bill\[br\
Harris"]
I had it done at Holland Motor in Mich, they filled them in and > touched up the area, you can not tell they were ever there.
Bill Harris

Quote from: tbeer45"[/quote
Quote
>]
> Bill, thanks for the reply. What did you do about the mounting > hole

> for the old coach armor, did you fill and paint them or just

leave

Quote
them? Thanks again,
> Larry

> '99 Affinity
[quote author=Bill
> Harris"]
> > Larry, our coach armor broke on our first trip, the mtg brkt > that

> > mounts to the wiper post was never tightened, allowing the > shield
> to

> > wobble in the wind, and it cracked. I had it removed and > replaced

> > with 3m film, and could not be happier.
> > Just washing the front of the coach was a pain.
> > 38,000 miles with the 3m film, no stone nicks whatsoever.
> > After replacing 2 windshield panels, ($700 each) I HAVE thought > > > about plastering it on the windshield! (just kidding) > > > Bill Harris

> > 03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
> > Datastorm
> >

[quote author=tbeer45"
>
> >]
> > > I thought I posted this question in a eariler post but 'CRS' > > seems
> > to

> > > have gotten the best of me.
> > > Has anyone replaced the 'Lexan' armor with the newer film

type

Quote
> armor?

> > > I understand there would be some body repairs but is it a

good

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9377
From: "Bill Harris" bill@...>

Quote
Holland Motors installed the film. I had found a place in Elkhart,
Indiana that could have installed it also. (snip) Our Intrigue's paint has a rough, anti-nick surface on the lower portion. I assume that the plastic film isn't installed over this surface?

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97
 

Re: Replacing Coach Armor

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 9386
Hick, you are correct.

Bill Harris

Quote from: Dick Campagna

From: "Bill Harris"

> Holland Motors installed the film. I had found a place in

Elkhart,

Quote
Indiana that could have installed it also. (snip) >
Our Intrigue's paint has a rough, anti-nick surface on the lower

portion. I