Vinyl top removal

I want to remove the vinyl top of my Eureka ( it's in bad shape and starting to lift at the belt line) she still has a mint interior and she runs like a charm and l hate to scrap her. l will replace it with a rhino bed liner product. How hard is it to remove the vinyl ?
This will be my summer project
Thanks Mike
 
It isn't difficult to remove the vinyl, however, you still have the padding underneath that will need to be removed, and that might present a challenge. Once you get the padded backing off, then the next thing to do is to prepare the metal so the roof is perfectly smooth. Once all that work is done, I suggest that you have a body shop put a coating of primer-sealer onto the metal, and then topcoat with a durable layer of black paint to seal out the elements. Then have the Rhino Liner applied as a topcoat. The last thing that you will want is for the roof to develop rust under the Rhino liner. Preparation is everything in preservation. The good news is that you don't have to pay a shop to do the labor-intensive work that will be required in preparation.
 
Don't do it! Replace the vinyl with vinyl. "Rhino liner" is not comparable to anything Eureka would have ever done. Tom would roll over in his grave.
I know, but lm not prepared to dish out $1,000's of dollars for a new vinyl top. Don't get me wrong, l love this car but l just can't drive it the way it is so if l can do something the keep the car on the road l will... It may not be original but it will still be on the road
 
The prep work is the same or should be either way you go. But if you choose the bed liner us a shop that does line x. You can get it in colors even metallic. They could match close to what is on there. The expense will be more then a couple of rattle cans but it will be worth it. First check with Maimie corporation for the price of the material for for a new top. Vers the price of a good spray on top.
 
A top is not that much. They go in with weld wood contact cement. padding if it is a padded top has a number of choices. The advantage is you don't need to finish the seams as will under the padding. Two people can put the top on in a couple of hrs. I have done a number of them. And i can walk you threw it if you want to try.
 
Line-X is the only way to go. All other truck bedliner is ugly. it's either lumpy, inconsistent pattern or becomes chalky. And rattle can is the worst. I've already experimented and have done Line-X to a couple coaches. Still looks great after years of being on there. Looks beautiful on a coach roof.
And Paul is correct. Prep it well. You will notice imperfections even as thick as the stuff is. Once that stuff is on there, it's not coming off easy.
Removal of the vinyl is easy. You can run across the edge of the trim with a razor blade just deep enough to puncture the vinyl. Leave the trim on when you have is sprayed or you might have a hard time getting the trim back on if they spray the area where the trim is.
Another thing to keep in mind is how they installed the back glass. That is the toughest part with the truck bedliner on a coach. If they installed it like S&S. They glued the window from the outside. Then placed a vinyl covered dressing over the window. Only the trained eye will know because they tucked the vinyl discreetly under the weatherstripping. To remove the dressing, you have to peel the vinyl and the screws are underneath. I'm thinking you will be fine if it is a Eureka. But it's best to investigate before doing that. If it is made that way, I would have them just spray right over the vinyl because there is really no other good way to go about it. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!
 
It's your coach and you can do what you want, obviously. However, I agree with Kurt. But if you aren't going to go with replacing the vinyl, it sounds like Jeremy has some good tips. Personally, as a collector, I'd never touch a used coach with bedliner, it looks awful imo. If anything, give it a smooth paint job on the roof.
 
Line-X is the only way to go. All other truck bedliner is ugly. it's either lumpy, inconsistent pattern or becomes chalky. And rattle can is the worst. I've already experimented and have done Line-X to a couple coaches. Still looks great after years of being on there. Looks beautiful on a coach roof.
And Paul is correct. Prep it well. You will notice imperfections even as thick as the stuff is. Once that stuff is on there, it's not coming off easy.
Removal of the vinyl is easy. You can run across the edge of the trim with a razor blade just deep enough to puncture the vinyl. Leave the trim on when you have is sprayed or you might have a hard time getting the trim back on if they spray the area where the trim is.
Another thing to keep in mind is how they installed the back glass. That is the toughest part with the truck bedliner on a coach. If they installed it like S&S. They glued the window from the outside. Then placed a vinyl covered dressing over the window. Only the trained eye will know because they tucked the vinyl discreetly under the weatherstripping. To remove the dressing, you have to peel the vinyl and the screws are underneath. I'm thinking you will be fine if it is a Eureka. But it's best to investigate before doing that. If it is made that way, I would have them just spray right over the vinyl because there is really no other good way to go about it. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project!
Thanks never thought about the trim or back door
 
I just left that tiny little bit of vinyl under the trim. The roof was fiberglass, so I didn't see it being an issue. The surface that needed to be sprayed was clean and free of any leftovers from the old top. I do understand where Ed is coming from. If it is steel, it would be a good idea to remove the last of the vinyl.
 
I just left that tiny little bit of vinyl under the trim. The roof was fiberglass, so I didn't see it being an issue. The surface that needed to be sprayed was clean and free of any leftovers from the old top. I do understand where Ed is coming from. If it is steel, it would be a good idea to remove the last of the vinyl.
It is a fiberglass top (87 Eureka) There is no leakage at all, all the damage is along the beltline. The top is very badly faded and the vinyl is only lifting at the beltline. I had the vinyl stretched at the beltline maybe 4-5 years ago and the guy did the best he could with what he had to work with, but he did tell me there wasn't much vinyl under the trim to work with.
 
If the problem is fading. Not cracking. If you can live with the edge of the vinyl that has shrank a little bit. I would suggest dying the vinyl. I've done this with great results. SEM brand makes stuff that comes in a rattle can. Best to use an adhesion promoter prior to spraying it on. My car is a daily driver and gets exposed to all kinds of weather. The stuff has never came off. I changed the roof color from silver to black. Can't even tell it was applied with a rattle can. It's spendy at $15 to $20 a can but it's worth it.
 
The SEM products are also available in pints and quarts for use with a paint spray gun. I have a local paint supplier that will custom mix the SEM colors to match an existing vinyl material. They also can put it up in a rattle can as a custom color.
 
I just thought about something. If you remove that trim around the windshield. Make sure you use the tool made for releasing the clips. You can get the tool from most of any auto parts store for under $10. You will damage your stainless if you pull on it. That is the one area I would suggest pulling the trim. Generally you will find steel and fiberglass coming together at that point. If there is any rust, brush a little POR15 on the surface. Its about the easiest way to treat it without yanking the windshield and grinding. I have had pretty good results with that stuff. The cheaper stuff you get from places like AutoZone don't really hold the test of time.
 
Harbor fright us to be a source for the cheap set of trim, door clip and handle removing tools. But the last time looked for then they were discontinued. i had to go to Wal-Mart dot com to get then. They were still around 10 buck for the set.
 
Buying the tools isn't the difficult part, knowing how to use them is. I remember about 60 years ago when I started to remove some moldings from a car that I didn't get the angle correct, and I chipped the edge of the glass. The chip resulted in a crack, hence a windshield replacement. Just happy that the boss didn't make me pay for the glass. I learned quickly to be more careful in the future.
 
It's your coach and you can do what you want, obviously. However, I agree with Kurt. But if you aren't going to go with replacing the vinyl, it sounds like Jeremy has some good tips. Personally, as a collector, I'd never touch a used coach with bedliner, it looks awful imo. If anything, give it a smooth paint job on the roof.
I just thought about something. If you remove that trim around the windshield. Make sure you use the tool made for releasing the clips. You can get the tool from most of any auto parts store for under $10. You will damage your stainless if you pull on it. That is the one area I would suggest pulling the trim. Generally you will find steel and fiberglass coming together at that point. If there is any rust, brush a little POR15 on the surface. Its about the easiest way to treat it without yanking the windshield and grinding. I have had pretty good results with that stuff. The cheaper stuff you get from places like AutoZone don't really hold the test of time.
I have a guy down the street l know that does auto glass so that's not a problem.
 
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