KarenG Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 I've gotten mixed info on the Protective shield on my 2008 Safari Simba. Can someone clear up the question for me? I plan to remove it and have all the materials so if you have good input, great and thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution Bill R Posted December 3, 2023 Solution Share Posted December 3, 2023 1 hour ago, KarenG said: I plan to remove it and have all the materials so if you have good input, great and thanks in advance! Here is the first of a 3 part video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 I believe the shield installed on Monaco coaches has been the Diamond Shield, HOWEVER, the Window Sticker & Data Card probably states that it is the 3M shield. Dave Pratt knows the history. I hired Dazzling Detail to remove mine on the Windsor. They repainted and touched up areas that were damaged after removal. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Pratt Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 Monaco never installed the 3M film on the front of any of their production coaches. Although the window sticker said otherwise. The Diamond Shield film is only 0.4mm thick where as the 3M film is 0.8mm thick and is a far better product. Dazzling Details uses only the 3M film and they will come to you to replace the film. It takes them two days to complete the process of removing and installing new film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 4, 2023 Author Share Posted December 4, 2023 (edited) Thank you for the additional info! Very helpful! Do you have any contact info for them? I'm the the Fort Worth Texas area. Edited December 4, 2023 by KarenG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 3 hours ago, Dr4Film said: I believe the shield installed on Monaco coaches has been the Diamond Shield, HOWEVER, the Window Sticker & Data Card probably states that it is the 3M shield. Dave Pratt knows the history. I hired Dazzling Detail to remove mine on the Windsor. They repainted and touched up areas that were damaged after removal. Wow! That business should be using your before/ after, for their advertising! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacwjames Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 I did mine myself ~11 years ago, didn't look as bad as Richard but bad enough for me to want to remove it. I tried different solvents and even got a quart of solvent from a body shop. None worked great. People will freak out but what I found worked the best was a puppy training pad soaked with some gas, I'd lay it on the area and then use a plastic scraper to lift the film off. Did the same thing with the glue. I also bought a steamer which helped a little. I actually removed the generator slide door and laid it flat. Probably took me 3 days to do it, had a few paint chips come off caused by rocks. I opted not to put anything back and overall the front has held up pretty well. I did watch the video that Bill posted. At the time I didn't have a source for those types of scrapers but I bought and used them when I redid my belt molding and they definitely work. I liked the sharpening technique they posted for the scrapewrs, looks like these scrapers would help. Not sure what their Ugly Juice is, tried to find a MSDS sheet on it but couldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 4 minutes ago, jacwjames said: Not sure what their Ugly Juice is, tried to find a MSDS sheet on it but couldn't. I think the Ugly Shield sells their Ugly Juice. Not cheap! https://uglyshieldremoval.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J A Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 Remove Film on Front of RV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_IRnzQQtyk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 4, 2023 Author Share Posted December 4, 2023 Additional question. My coach has vinyl graphics. Obviously I need to be cautious, but any recommendations on how to deal with that welcome! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astgerma Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 Contractors Solvent works great for removing the Diamond shield. It can be purchased on the internet or at Walmart or Home Depot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 5, 2023 Author Share Posted December 5, 2023 Additional question. My coach has vinyl graphics. Obviously I need to be cautious, but any recommendations on how to deal with that welcome! Thanks! Great!! Because that's what I bought! And you steamed & scraped the shield first including off vinyl graphics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipper Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 My 2008 Safari Simba had the Diamond Shield and it looked just like your photos. I had it removed and repainted by a good RV shop near where the unit is stored. Very good job but on the expensive side. Chip 2008 Simba pulling a Wrangler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 8, 2023 Author Share Posted December 8, 2023 I need to expand questions and your answers for the removal of the Diamond Shield. I have vinyl graphics under the diamond shield and I'm concerned about the Solvent on the graphics. It seems to want to soften the vinyl. Thanks for your input. Imput Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 (edited) You 'Sure' that's not paint? The sidewalls on your coach has vinyl graphics rather than paint? Edited December 8, 2023 by 96 EVO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 8, 2023 Author Share Posted December 8, 2023 Yes. I super sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Whitlow Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 Quote "Thank you for the additional info! Very helpful! Do you have any contact info for them? I'm the the Fort Worth Texas area." Any contact info for Dazzling Details? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 17, 2023 Author Share Posted December 17, 2023 I found them in East Texas through Google. They travel, yes. He was to call me back but never did. I moved on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted December 17, 2023 Share Posted December 17, 2023 3 hours ago, Tom Whitlow said: Any contact info for Dazzling Details? Dazzling Detail in Florida - Paul Newman,407-948-9284 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 18, 2023 Author Share Posted December 18, 2023 Well that's quite a difference!! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted December 27, 2023 Author Share Posted December 27, 2023 Just to bring this forward, I've learned a lot and wanted to share. I got the shield off, tedious but satisfying. Buh-bye! The long handled scrapers recommended did not work for me. I couldn't get the leverage, nor have the hand strength. The plastic single edge blades worked great. Orange ones for the majority of the areas and went through about 90 blades total. Interestingly, the firmer black plastic blade was the best for over the vinyl graphics. Once I got the hang of angle, pressure, etc. Still, with steam, it was almost impossible not to damage the graphics with gouges and chipped edges. ( I'm dealing with solutions on that now. So if you have input...I'm all ears.) I used the Solv-It contractors solution, and it worked just fine. I can see where cool or warmer weather is a huge influence. It did take at least 3 passes, sometimes 4-5 to get adhesive off with the single edge blades. But, what I found really helped finish off the adhesive was Scrub Daddy! That smiley face scrubber was terrific at taking it off, even on the graphics, cleaning well and doing no damage. I hired our lawn guy who was needing work to help with the project for 6 days, and he got the higher and low areas that would have been especially difficult for me. What we got done in 6 days would have taken me a month, and it's getting too chilly to deal with that. So Merry Christmas to me! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill R Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 Great job @KarenG Looks wonderful! Can you share a link of the plastic single edge blade scarper you used? And how much of the De Solv-it did you end up using? Looking to make this a summer project for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 Thanks, it's getting there! The vinyl graphics were an issue but I'm working on it. The black razor blades came from Walmart in a 5 pack. I did not see them anywhere else. Oranfe from Amazon. All were super inexpensive, but the ratings were good and they were perfect for the job. My personal recommendation is use them up. Newer blades with sharp edges are worth it, and and I did use 220 and 320 sandpaper to touch up the up a little in between. I'm still finishing the adhesive removal, but I used about 3/4 gallon. The weather will impact how much solvent. Warmer weather would have helped. It was 50-ish with wind chills in the 40s and lots of wind. A side note: be sure to cover off your headlights and back up cameras, windshield wipers, etc really well. I used plastic bags and painter's tape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenG Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 OK. An update. We had some pretty cold weather so the work stopped for a while. But, it is mostly cleaned, and I still need to do paint touch up, but I loaded up, gave it a good washing and headed to a lakeside site for 3 days. Just me and the dog. First time for the dog, a senior Boxer mix I adopted almost a year ago, and first time for me by myself. We did great. Trying to get responses to my requests for paint estimates have been frustrating. Business is so good apparently, they can not respond. So, I will probably get the paint match and do it myself....after a lot of praying. I'm glad I removed the shield. Waiting would have caused more damage it seems. There were some rock chips even with the shield, and I did some scrapes in the removal, and there were hints of mold I dealt with, but it is so much better. I opted to remove the broad stripe across the cap. Too many dings. So here it is. To date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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