Suggestions for cleaning/polishing options with little time?

[Gen Disarray]

I plan on taking my newly aquired 68 trade wind (24ft) on two trips this fall, the first one in about 3 weeks. I expect to be able to dedicate a total of 2-3 days to cleaning the exterior. From what I see here it doesnt look like a full blown polishing is in the cards. Given the time constrains, can anyone suggest the best appoach to making the trailer look its best? Is there a "sorta" polish proceedure or is soap and water the best I can do?

Thanks

[InsideOut]

If it were my trailer, and I didn't want to go the polishing route, I would do the following for each of the conditions noted below:

1. Clearcoat intact - wash with water & mild car wash type soap then apply a protectant like Walbernize products
2. Clearcoat failing - strip remaining clearcoat to remove milkiness
3. No clearcoat - wash with water & mild car wash type soap then apply a coat of Nu-Finish.

Hope this helps ~ other opinions will undoubtedly vary

Shari

[silverleeper]

Hi Rodney, I used a cleaner wax and then Wabernized. The cleaner wax to remover the years of stuff and Wabernize to protect and shine. I still have the old clearcoat thats failing in some spots. I'm happy with the results and I get complements on the shine... Happy days Lee

[robandzoe]

Get a gallon of this stuff and put it on, like paint, and let it sit for an hour, and power wash it off, and it'll remove the clear coat, and the trailer will shine pretty good. Then, after your trip, do the polish thing.

Rob

[Gen Disarray]

How do you tell if there is still clear coat?

[Ferroequine]

Check this thread. If your trailer's skin looks like ours did, then I agree that stripping it will give you the quickest result to something presentable. I stripped with a product similar to what robandzoe mentioned - you can see the results of this other thread.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

How do you tell if there is still clear coat?

The easiest way is to wash a small patch, then put some toothpaste on your finger and rub gently. If it turns black, no cleatcoat, if it doesn't it has clearcoat. The black is actually the oxidation from the aluminum, if it has clearcaot you won't remove any oxidation, thus no black.

You only need to test a very tiny area...it's best to do somewhere where it isn't very visable.

Also, if it has failing clearcoat, it will look very splotchy with milky patches...

Shari

[SC Overlander]

Can anyone out there tell me if AS has always used clearcoat? I recently purchased a 59 Overlander and am just curious if the clearcoat was even applied back then

Jake

[silverleeper]

Originally Posted by Oregon Overlander

Can anyone out there tell me if AS has always used clearcoat? I recently purchased a 59 Overlander and am just curious if the clearcoat was even applied back then

Jake

Hi, It was clearcoated back then. I'm not sure when AS started clearcoating the trailers. My 60 18 footer has it. Lee

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by silverleeper

Hi, It was clearcoated back then. I'm not sure when AS started clearcoating the trailers. My 60 18 footer has it. Lee

Based on brochures & price lists I've seen, I always believed it was a new option in 1964 and became standard in late 1965.

Could your '60 have had it added at a later date? Maybe it was optional prior to '64...

Shari

[silverleeper]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

Based on brochures & price lists I've seen, I always believed it was a new option in 1964 and became standard in late 1965.

Could your '60 have had it added at a later date? Maybe it was optional prior to '64...

Shari

I'm not sure. The clearcoat is even under the trim pieces that didn't look like they have ever been removed. If trailer could only talk. Lee

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by silverleeper

If trailer could only talk. Lee

Oh the stories they would tell ~

Shari