Front End Decals

[marsman]

I have a 2019 5,0TA which I picked up in Chilliwack last April. I drove across Canada in it back home to Sudbury Ontario. Last winter, we took about 3 month long trip from Sudbury to Texas, through Louisiana, Alabama Georgia and back home to Sudbury. The large decals on the front of the 5th wheel are 50% peeled off and it obviously does not look very good. Two Questions:

1. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

2. Recommendations on whether I should write to Escape and have them replace or should I simply remove them.

I don't have a lot of experience with this but it seems logical to me that any decals on that front face are going to eventually wear down from being blasted as you're driving down the road??

[Rossue]

I started with removing the front decal, then kept going!

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Rossue

I started with removing the front decal, then kept going!

Same here. After the decals started to peel and fade, I removed all the decals. Never been happier!

[gbaglo]

My decals are all in place and look new. I wax twice a year and use Simonize Wash 'N' Wax in between. Mine are Forest Green, which I gather are more durable than some of the lighter colours.

[1200bruce]

We're going to order are 5.0 next December with no decals at all.

[marsman]

Can I ask the folks who have removed theirs how they did it without damaging the gel coat?? Thanks

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by marsman

Can I ask the folks who have removed theirs how they did it without damaging the gel coat?? Thanks

Hi: marsman... Our nose graphics curled up and I thought it was from bug remover I had used. I peeled the rest of them off carefully with a hair dryer... but they left a ghost image behind. A quick call to ETI and they sent a new strip for the front. My installer from Auto Trim Design & Signs http://www.autotrimdesign.on.ca put them on while I waited. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by 1200bruce

We're going to order are 5.0 next December with no decals at all.

Hi: 1200bruce... OH NO!!! Not another nakid escape. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by marsman

Can I ask the folks who have removed theirs how they did it without damaging the gel coat?? Thanks

Hair dryer on low applied to the decal as you are removing it. Use a plastic scrapper to lift an end and start peeling it off.

If the decal has been on the trailer over a few years, there is probably whiter gelcoat under the decal than the rest of the trailer. Some fiberglass rubbing compound helps the "ghost" go away.

The life of your graphics depends on what color you chose. I made the mistake of ordering the gold color which has a life of one year and was peeling within two.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ors-17568.html

[cpaharley2008]

Hey Alf,
Did you chew out that installer who was on his cell phone while "working" on your Escape? Multitasking is one thing but not on my time....poor work ethics.....rant over.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hey Alf,
Did you chew out that installer who was on his cell phone while "working" on your Escape? Multitasking is one thing but not on my time....poor work ethics.....rant over.

Hi: cpaharley2008... He was talking to one of his kids when I interrupted him with my little job. He's so good he could have put the graphics on with one hand tied behind his back. He did the truck in our own garage too so I'm not telling him how to do my work though he did ask how I wanted it done. He's an artist!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

As long as he finished and you are satisfied, that is what is important.

[Hollybee]

Our solution for the E21C we picked up last June..was to order her w/o decals. WE have only the mud flaps and the nice tire cover to tell folks about her. WE like the simplicity and plain lines. Sorry for your mess.

[marsman]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions, never thought of the hair dryer to help me do this. Winter is right around the corner here and it seldom climbs to more than a few degrees above freezing here in Sudbury now so I'll have to wait until next year to try removing those god awful decals. Was too bad on our trip, we had a lot of folks walk up to us to see and talk about the trailer but invariably they always spotted the curled and peeling graphics and would comment on that; I felt like it was saying something bad about the quality of the trailer so I always felt eager to point out that other than the decals we had no issues whatsoever with our 5TA! Frustrating huh

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: marsman... Our nose graphics curled up and I thought it was from bug remover I had used. I peeled the rest of them off carefully with a hair dryer... but they left a ghost image behind. A quick call to ETI and they sent a new strip for the front. My installer from Auto Trim Design & Signs http://www.autotrimdesign.on.ca put them on while I waited. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Looks really nice Alf !