I have a fiberglass bed cover and when I bought my truck (previous owner installed) a little over a year ago, the paint was perfect. It fit exceptionally and the paint matched as well as if it had been made in the Ford assembly plant. Now, the entire top of the thing has the texture of sandpaper and in some places the paint is starting to come off. It's only the bed cover that's like this, and only the top of that. The rest of the truck as well as the sides are perfect. Is this normal, was the original paint sealed improperly, or did a frost last year that covered only the top of the cover (doesn't happen very often in central Florida) have something to do with it?

 

the frost should have nothing to do with it. Sounds to me like a crappy paint job to begin with. Honestly, I would take it to a body shop and get it repainted. It should not be all that much to do and then it will be done right.

 

I figured, it's just weird how the paint on the sides and on the lip at the back are perfect. I'll probably put some kind of protectant on my whole truck after I get it repainted.

 

Could it be water sitting on top and the sun beating down on it faded it.

 

That would explain it if it was just faded because it does retain some water after a rain, but would the paint disintegrate like that? It's like someone let a belt sander loose back there.

 

Run a clay bar over it! The top of the cab on my Grandpa's truck got like that. He uses a woodburning stove in the winter, and it puts out alot of ashes and suit. Somehow it made the top of his cab rough to the touch.

I used a clay bar on it and waxed it, and that took care of it. It was glassy smooth just like the rest of the truck when I got finished with it. They sell clay bar kits at Autozone, Advance, Oreilly's, Pep Boys, etc. They come with the clay bar, and clay bar lube. Just follow the directions on the box, and wax afterwards. Quick Detailer also works well for clay lube.

 

+1 on sun damage. Clay bar may help, just go very lightly with it b.c sounds like your clear is coming up, and like homedude said if you do it right, you can save the paint and wax it. I would wax it by hand atleast for the first coat.
-Patrick

 

yeah sun damage is a definate, also it sounds like it wasn't even cleared, when you repaint it give the tonnuea 3 clear coats

 

Add another vote for sun damage. I don't think one frost would have done it. My cover has had a few feet of snow on it with no damage.

 

I had a bed cap that did the same thing. It was painted, but never clearcoated and the sun just ate it up. I vote with the others. Get it re-painted and cleared.

 

Impossible to say sight unseen but, based on your description, I'd go with a combo of poor paint and environmental deterioration.

 

Thanks guys, looks like I'm buying a clay bar.

 

Careful...

If the paint and/or clear is failing, clay can (and probably will) cause bigger problems.

You see, clay is an abrasive cleaning technique. It's not meant to remove massive amounts of 'texture' from the paint but rather the 'stuck on' contamination that is left behind after a wash.

If the paint is failing, you *DO NOT* want to clay it as 1) you'll thrash a perfectly good clay bar (they're not really cheap) and 2) you run the risk of causing more damage plus having to deal with a HUGE PITA of dealing with removing clay that can be left behind on the paint because it was used in an incorrect fashion...

 

I'll 2nd RP's advice.

 

If it was manufactured by Snug Top they give a lifetime waranty on the finish to the origanal owner but if you know the person you bought it from maybey they could help you out. That is if its a Snug Top.