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Old 01-26-2005, 10:53 AM   #5
dmac
Rivet Master
Profile:  2003 25' Safari
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
Posts: 672

Based on my experience I believe that the Alcoa clear coating is disturbed:

-At the edges of the aluminum where it was cut by Airstream
-At the rivits where the holes were drilled/punched by Airstream, and the riviting operation smashes the clear
-Wherever a stone chip, sandblasting, or heavy duty bug splat occurs - making a small break in the film

Exposure to salt and water results in filiform corrosion starting at each disturbance. The corrosion then worm-tracks it's way across the skin surface. Once it starts it cannot be stopped, except by stripping the panel and recoating, or replacing the panel. I had my trailer indoors, clean, with multiple coats of Walbernize... and it still got worse, until the panels were replaced.
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Dan
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