Whitehawk Molded front cap?

Caleb · 05-10-2017, 03:09 PM

We have been thinking about picking up a 2017 Whitehawk 28DSBH. My dealer didn't have one on the list of trailers he had ordered from Jayco. He called in February and was able to get one added to his original order, but it didn't have all the options I had wanted. The option I wanted the most was the molded front cap, and it doesn't have it. My biggest issue was the old tan front caps faded on the Whitehawks and I was hoping that the molded cap would hold up better. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Should I skip this unit all together because it doesn't have the molded cap? I didn't technically order this one, and I don't have money down on it.

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RedHorse1 · 05-10-2017, 03:43 PM

Caleb, that's a tough one. Both trailers we've bought have been out of inventory. The first one, an X23B, was exactly what we wanted so it was a no-brainer for us. The second, 351 RLTS 5th wheel was close. We negotiated the missing items at a very good price. The front cap is different in that I doubt it could be changed out (at no or low cost).
When I spend a signicant pile of $$$ I want what I want and am usually not satisfied with "close".
The front cap on the 5th faded and looked pretty sad in a short time. It was repainted under warranty and I would describe it as tan. Hopefully you will get some posts with some track experience to help out.

DJL1967 · 05-10-2017, 03:52 PM

Well I have a 2014 Whitehawk and the front cap was fading pretty bad. I brought it to the dealer and even though the 2 year warranty had passed by 2 months Jayco came good with repainting it. I just got the call today that it is ready for pick up. I went with repainting it white rather than the brown so we will see how it looks next week when I go get it. We were lucky to have found this one with the options we wanted on the lot of our local dealer. Couldn't beat the price either.

schrederman · 05-10-2017, 04:36 PM

Mine's white and now 9 months old and no problems... However, I keep mine in covered storage that faces north, so it never sees direct sun unless we're using it. My last TT lived there for 4 years and was still shining like new when I sold it.

Mikey · 05-10-2017, 05:34 PM

We've only had ours for a year. No fading yet, but it's covered in the winter and waxed at the beginning and end of the camping season. The brown is supposedly automotive grade paint, so I worry more about decal fade than anything else.

I suspect the cap adds a little more R-value to the front wall, I do like the docking lights on it, and it's one less wall that can delaminate, but I could have lived without it if the trailer had everything else I wanted.

Last thought. Some say it makes an aerodynamic difference and others say it improves resale. I do get better mileage towing than I'd anticipated, so maybe there's some advantage there. As for resale value, I don't plan to test that any time soon.

Whatever you get, enjoy!!!

WhiteHawker · 05-10-2017, 06:20 PM

I too have a 2014 WhiteHawk that fell victim to horrible fading on the front... I tied every trick in the book to maintain the finish and nothing worked. I contacted my dealer and they were able to repaint at no cost under warranty. I sent them pictures and they forwarded the info to Jayco for approval. The paint job turned out better than I thought...

Caleb · 05-10-2017, 06:34 PM

Whichever cap I end up going with, the regular or the molded, I just hope they've addressed this issue and neither of them fade after 2 seasons. I do wish that, if one is more durable than the other, I could know that before purchasing.

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dmh500 · 05-11-2017, 08:29 AM

If you are interested in ordering a 2018 and not finding a unit in stock, here are pictures of the 2018 cap, according to a Jayco Dealer on FB. 2018 change sheet says "New optional front gel-coated fiberglass cap w/ automotive windshield & LED lights. Available on ALL White Hawk models."

nascar camper · 05-13-2017, 08:14 AM

we ordered our whithawk in October and the dealer talked us out of the molded front cap because he said they do not seem to hold up. plus it saved us a few dollars.

Mikey · 05-13-2017, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmh500

If you are interested in ordering a 2018 and not finding a unit in stock, here are pictures of the 2018 cap, according to a Jayco Dealer on FB. 2018 change sheet says "New optional front gel-coated fiberglass cap w/ automotive windshield & LED lights. Available on ALL White Hawk models."

Oh, me likee! Not sure how they handle that window on the inside or what impact it has on heating or cooling, and it's one more seal to maintain, but it's a nice high end look!

NVGun40 · 05-13-2017, 09:22 AM

This can be subjective. The front caps tend to take a lot of abuse. They are exposed to the harsh UV's of the sun, they get hit by bugs, and because of the bugs and other road grime which comes up the front of the trailer, we tend to have to scrub just a bit more to get the stuff off. No matter how good you wax it, that wax is just a coating and it will wear off.

I wax our front cap approximately 3 - 4 times per year; by hand (IMHO, waxing by hand is the only way to truly ensure a good spread and shine). Because of the make up, I use Mequiar's Flagship (I have also used Marine 31) which is designed specifically for gel coat finishes. Gel coat is commonly used on boats, but it is also used a lot for many other fiberglass bonded surfaces such as camper shells and RVs.
To by honest, I am not sure if the paint surface of our trailer is gel coat or not. However, I have NEVER had a problem with fading on any RV rig I have owned in the past 20 years.
I did have a really bad fading problem with a Leer topper on a truck I owned in the early to mid nineties. I religiously waxed that topper, but I used standard car wax and it faded. It was because of a paint shop and this shell that I learned of using wax's made for fiberglass and gel coats.

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