Oxidation removal?

[gunther]

Looking at purchasing a 2007 airstream and it has a oxidation spots can they be removed? Has been sitting outside at the coast.
Any info would be great, first airstream so have no idea
if it is big deal.
Thanks

[ROBERT CROSS]

Oxidization?

Look anything like this?

A foto will help.

Bob

[gunther]

I do not have a good up close picture and have seen the unit it person.
Have requested close ups. Called a couple of airstream service dept.
one said if it is in the seams replace the panels, the other said
can buff out but will never go away and hard for resale.
Also not sure how much of the unit has the problem. thanks

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Oxidization?

Look anything like this?

A foto will help.

Bob

This photo shows the results of "salt water damage".

The salt in the moisture, in the air, penetrates the cracks in the clearcoat.

In this case, near the edge where the metal was cut.

It also very easily penetrates cracks in aged out clearcoat.

Since the salt is an acid to the aluminum, it will etch the metal, leaving irregular shape holes.

If simeone wanted to polish them out, a large amount of the metal must be removed. Then, the appearance of the metal will change where the polixhing took place.

To replace the sheet meatl, is an option, but a very expensive one.

Probably the easiest and cheapest way to correct the issue, is to hide it.

That can be done by adding, in this case, belt line molding to the lower edge of the panels.

Keeping a very good coat of wax on the coach, retards the ability of the salt water etchings.

Andy

[ROBERT CROSS]

gunther,

A lot more info here...

Just type "corrosion" in the search bar above for a lot more info.

You will not be able to cosmetically get rid of it, but it can be controlled with due diligence, filiform corrosion has not been a structural concern.

Good Luck

Bob

[robertbeavers]

Originally Posted by gunther

Looking at purchasing a 2007 airstream and it has a oxidation spots can they be removed? Has been sitting outside at the coast.
Any info would be great, first airstream so have no idea
if it is big deal.
Thanks

Andy gave you some good advice that it would be better to hide. I had the same problem ,I used a small brass brush on my drill to clean up the edges, also go real slow & you could mask out the good side so the drill won't damage it. I have used JB Weld on the edge to touch up the damage edge. Next you could use some aluminum paint to hide the edge . RB