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Topic: Front and rear cap trim (or not).  (Read 509 times) previous topic - next topic

Front and rear cap trim (or not).

 Is it possible to mold the front and rear end caps into the body of a coach. Is that ever done when a "full body paint" is done.. I've never noticed that in any pics of the work done. A search of it didn't bring up much either.
 I recently resealed one side of the coach belt line and part of the end cap trim including new SS screws and caulk, all that. Now I see the new caulk already being a pain to clean. I'd love to just bondo that seam and get rid of THAT. seam anyway.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Front and rear cap trim (or not).

Reply #1 –
Xtreme can do that and FT body shop I am sure. If there is movement between panels it might not be a thing to do?
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Front and rear cap trim (or not).

Reply #2 –
If you ask Rance at Xtreme he will tell you that the seam adds a stress relief point, sort of like they do in concrete. If the side wall is stressed and can move just a bit relative to the end caps then other cracks are less likely.  If it is all glassed together then the stress has to go somewhere, the weakest place and will cause a crack (stress relief) there.

If they are going to glass it in they will grind back a few inches or more on each side of the joint and add nonwoven glass mat, resin, maybe a layer of woven material, some more glass mat and more resin.  Then that all gets ground and sanded close to flat and then sprayed with get goat.  Then all of that gets sanded and polished.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Front and rear cap trim (or not).

Reply #3 –
Bob, et al.....i am pretty sure the fix now on some newer coaches is to return them to the old way, that is to say they put on the seam cover strip and do not try to fill in so as to eliminate the appearance as was bought.  Even more, why do I think that I saw newish coach last Oct that is now built with the seam cover?

Bob, worth a check on that, may help your analysis....but do wharever Xtreme says.
Mike
2001 U320 4010 Build 5878 (Gus)
Wrangle Unlimited Toad
Nacogdoches

Re: Front and rear cap trim (or not).

Reply #4 –
I see.. Thanks for the replies.  I thought maybe it was a stress point or relief thing. Was just a little jealous of some newer coaches that are " smoother" in appearance  --- but --- I get it. I'll move on to more important coach things. ( it was pretty far down on the priority list anyway).      Great to get a variety of the same answer. Thanks to all.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR
 

Re: Front and rear cap trim (or not).

Reply #5 –
FOT moved away from the seam cover strip because  of leakage. On my 2007 Nimbus and models in the 2008 year moved away from seam strips to eliminate the water leakage that was occurring. FOT removed all my seam strips, fiberglassed the seam together, and glued the seam strip over the filled in part for looks. The strip does nothing now but is for show. Numerous problems were occurring with the strips on the newer models.
Bob
Bob & Kathy
2007 Nimbus
Full Timers
Retired Charter Bus Owner/Operator