Restriping

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shearhawk

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Apr 4, 2006
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Have a 91 Coachmen and considering restriping myself.  Anybody have a good source for graphics and pinstriping?
Thanks,
Randy
 
Try Googling for "decals", "car graphics" or "vehicle striping" and you will find dozens.  I put a set of fancy vinyl decals on  a pickup several years ago and it wasn't too difficult. Just takes time and patience to get it right.
 
Shearhawk,

Let me guess, the decals are faded and cracked, mainly the blue and purple, but not so much the green?  HAHA!  I have a 95 Coachmen and I'm in the slow process of restriping mine.  When I say slow process, I mean I am taking off the current decals one by one, so that I can still drive it with some sense of pride in ownership.

As for the replacement decals. The best searches under Google are "Auto Decals" or "Boat Decals".  Leave the Motorhome or RV out of the search, otherwise you'll end up with pages of Marketing Wraps they put on buses and some RV's.  Also, check with a local "reputable" body shop or even a local RV repair shop and ask them who they would refer you to. I've found a place locally that said they could replicate my decals if I brought in the coach and a picture. I wouldn't mind replicating, but I'm going to go with more modern color scheme. I figure if I'm going to go through the hassle and work of replacing the decals, might as well make it look more up to date.

I've also called Coachmen to see if they had replacements, but due to the year they don't. After talking with the RV repair shop I'm glad they didn't have them, cause he said it was $900 to replace one strip on a RV they just repaired, can't imagine what they would charge for the whole kit? 

Lastly, I haven't gotten a quote from anyone on replacing the decals, but when I was inquiring, earlier this year, they guy suggested I could save a boat load of money by removing the old decals myself.  As mentioned, I've started, and now I know why they charge so much to remove the old ones.  If you decide to do it yourself, go to a local auto paint store and buy a couple eraser wheels that go in your drill, they work pretty good at getting the old stuff off, but it takes a while.

Good luck, if you find any good sites out there for decals, I'd appreciate it if you would share the info. Just post a link in this thread?



 
You got me curious!  Here is a pretty decent site, they have a large variety of decals and designs that you can customize.  Hope this helps a little

http://www.signnetwork.com/index.asp
 
Shadowman,

Thanks, would like to find something more modern as well.  I find myself looking at RV on the road and I like the sweeping decals.  Have not found yet.  How do you like the Banks system?  The Stinger is that Exhaust only?  Been thinking about it but man is it expensive, worth it?
 
Shearhawk,

I've done the same thing, I keep looking at the more modern coaches and trying to find something that I like as well as something that will go with the coach. Don't want to go to out of control.

As for the Banks system, the stinger system is the Ram Air intake and the Exahaust, basically the whole system, without the Manifolds.  The price was a bit to swallow, but it was probably the best add I've done to the Motorhome. Some people may think I'm polishing a turd, but I plan on keeping the coach for a while, at least until I hit the lottery or retire, so I wanted to make it enjoyable to drive. The added power has allowed me to enjoy driving for several reasons. I don't have to drive in 3rd gear as much and therefore it reduces the inside noise, it has improved my gas mileage by 1.5 miles per gallon which is 23%. Not to mention, I now look forward to the inclines to see how fast I can go up them, unlike before when I would cringe at the thought of going up a hill. When I'm not towing a trailer, I have the same response around town that I have in my Tahoe. I don't race around town, but I keep up with traffic without even thinking about it.  Sorry, I could go on and on about the differences, but I think you get the point by now. I realize everyones experiences are different, but for my set up, it was absolutely fantastic.

 
I WOULD NOT use that much heat on gelcoat.

I have removed some of the stripes on our coach bu using a 12-18" dowel rod and carefully (starting at the narrow end if there is one) winding the stripe around the dowel as I pulled at a 90 degree angle. Using the dowel spreads the stress over the entire stripe and prevents tearing them as often. After spending a day removing the first six feet of striping I removed 35-40 feet the second day with out any real work except a little excess glue.

I did work in direct sunlight that helped soften the stripes.
 
You can use a hair dryer or maybe a heat gun on a low setting, but I would not use a torch, even on aluminum. Just too much heat in a focused spot and the danger of melting a real hole or badly oxidiizng the surface.  But if you are determined to try it, they do have flame spreaders for removing paint via a torch, though. That used to be the professional paint removal tool until heat guns came along. It's much easier to control heat and flow it out over the surface with a heat gun than with a torch.
 
Shadowman,

  I like that "Polishing a Turd".  I have a heat gun that I am going to try.  Turbo charged Hair Dryer.
Will post the results.  May try the hair dryer first, though. 
  When you installed the Banks system, how did you get around the check engine light with removing the converter and oxygen sensors?

ShearHawk
 
Thanks for the input guys. Also let me know how your heat gun works. I was told by a painter to use the torch but had reservations. I have some decals on the back of the trailer that I need to remove in order to put labels for my website. I did try acetate...don't do that ::) It didn't help much removing the decals and did remove the paint :mad:
 
When you installed the Banks system, how did you get around the check engine light with removing the converter and oxygen sensors?

Adding a Banks Stinger or full kit with headers  should not cause the Check Engine light to come on. If it does, talk to Banks to find out what is wrong and get it corrected.

You should not remove the O2 sensor - the ECM will never run in closed loop mode if you do. That will cost you fuel and longevity as well.
 
Shearhawk,

I second what RVRoamer said. Never gave it a  second thought, probably because there was nothing in the instructions to lead me to believe it would be a problem. The only caution was to not force the O2 sensor for fear of breaking it. I didn't have any problems removing it. I removed the Catalytic converter as well and never had any issues with the check engine light. I'm honestly not that mechanically inclined. My father on the other hand is, and forced me as a child to help him work on his vehicles, so I do know a little about some of the older cars. The newer ones I take straight to the shop, I digress, but installing the Stinger System was very simple. The only "Specialty Tool" if you call it that, was a recipricating saw to cut out the tail pipe that wrappedd itself around the rear axle.

I'm really not an employee of banks nor their paid spokesman, but I would do it again in a second. I told my friend about it and he tried a different route. He has a 454 in his 1 ton truck and uses it to pull a 30' toy  hauler. When I told him about my experience, he took his truck to a muffler shop where they installed dual exhaust, then he installed the K&N air flow system. All totaled he spent the same amount that I did $600 on the exhaust and $300 on the K&N. He didn't notice any difference on his truck. I don't know what the differences are, but I'm sure glad I went the Banks Route.

Sorry, for rambling, but just sharing experiences in case your leaning one way or another. 
 
Removing the catalytic converter will not cause a Check Engine light becasue there is no feedback from that point to te ECM. It will, however, increase exhaust emissions and probably cause you to fail an emissions test if your state has them.  There should be no need to remove the catalytic converter and its against the law to do so on a vehicle that was oriinally equipped with one.
 
OOPS - Let me splain!

I did remove the Cat Converter during the installation process, but put it back when putting the new muffler and exhaust on. Sorry for any confusion.
 

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