I use "Liquid Glass" polish which is bought at Pep Boys or online. Its a polymer and does a fabulous job of sealing the finish on my 82 which is clearcoated. On the uncoated areas it seems to work well also, and a can will get you through two coats at least on a typical trailer or mh. I found that it hardens in the hot sun, and stays shiny for a long time.
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Rallys twice a year..Lots of fun, food, and aluminum.
It makes a difference whether it has clearcoat or not.
If it's a new trailer, Airstream recommends the Walbernize line of products. They sell them on their website or you can buy them from a dealer.
If it's vintage, polished with no clearcoat...you'll get as many answers as people you ask, but we use Nu-Finish.
Shari
I'm going to go WAY out on a limb here, being as that's a good way to get it sawed off from under me, and question the belief that many seem to have that "If it's a new trailer, Airstream recommends the Walbernize line of products."
I have a relatively new trailer - a 2004 Classic - and don't remember seeing anything in my owner's manual stating that Airstream recommends Walbernize.
What I do remember seeing is the recommendation to use a good quality wax, but not any specific brand recommended.
Being a good follower of the Walbernize myth, however, I bought a bottle of Walbernize when I bought my trailer last year before leaving the dealership. Then, I put a coat of Walbernize on it the first thing when I got it home. Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with it. In my opinion (okay, saw off the limb now if you'd like) I think the only thing that keeps Walbernize in business is word of mouth from all the oldtime Airstream owners, not because it is the best product out there for waxing your Airstream.
When I visited Jackson Center for service to my trailer in early June last year, one of the factory managers there showed me a wax they sell in the factory store - I think it may be called No-Wet, but I'm not certain. He actually waxed a section of my trailer with that product and gave me a sample bottle to try. Now that is a GOOD cleaner/wax. It makes Walbernize look like a product from the 1950's (which it probably is) compared to a product from the 2xxx's.
Unless one of you chemists can "learn me" something about why Walbernize is really better than I think it is, I'm going to use more of that No-Wet, or maybe even the same McGuires wax that I've been using on my cars, trucks and former SOB travel trailers (all with clear coats) for many years with very good results.
I assume you mean wax...
I've tried the expensive pink stuff, Walbernize, too much work, no advantage over other methods. A few of my friends & I use the Protect-All spray (avail. @ Wally World, etc.). Eaiser, faster, & the results are excellent. All are clear-coated, don't know what my friend with a polished '59 uses on the bare aluminum.
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"I have a new invention, 'Instant Water'. I don't know what to add to it!"
I too bought the Walbernize as recommended by others here on the forum. I thought the story was about the aluminum expanding much more than steel was the reason for using it...
AlanSD says: <I use "Liquid Glass" polish which is bought at Pep Boys or online. Its a polymer and does a fabulous job of sealing the finish on my 82 which is clearcoated. On the uncoated areas it seems to work well also..>
Have others tried the Liquid Glass? I wondered if that would harden and then craze with the expansion. Obviously not for Alan. I'm thinking of spraycan clear-coating the sections on top where the clearcoat has failed.
I am due for a wax job and want to know how others feel. (and I have a good bit of that $$ Walbernize on the shelf.)
THe LG does not harden and then craze. It hardens in the sun, you can coat again if you like...I did three total coats. I found after a year or so it started to wear off on the roof as i could tell by the rain not beading up as much. So I recoated after a good cleaning.
What surprised me was that after a winter of no washing, just one wash with regular car wash soap brought back a nice shine to the clearcoated areas that had been sealed. My AS sits outside with a small canopy over the roof area only.
I wrote the company to see if I could get them to cut us a deal on quantity, but they did not respond.
I bought some stuff called Permaguard, which I believe is made by the Walbernize company but recommended for clear coat aluminum (at least I hope so). It is very disappointing. I'm not expecting a mirror finish, but this stuff, after 2 coats, still looks dull. Worse, it seems to streak the guard panels and even leaves them with a dirty brown tinge. I'm guessing these panels are of a different metal than the trailer. I bought a jug of this stuff, but am now willing to send it to the dump and try something else. Seems like others have recommended polyacrylics. I gotta get me some.
Worse, it seems to streak the guard panels and even leaves them with a dirty brown tinge. I'm guessing these panels are of a different metal than the trailer.
The rock guards are made of brushed stainless steel. You could use a water and ammonia solution to strip the wax off. If you want to protect them get a stainless steel polish. I remember a product called Shelia shine that works great. Spray on, and wipe off the excess. Done. It will need to be reapplied on a regular basis, but it is so easy it is not a big deal. The Shelia shine is a cleaner as well. I just do not remember where I got it. You could try a restaurant supply house. It is a commercial product.
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Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
When I was at the factory recently, I didn't see may other cleaners besideds Walbernize if any. There are 2 camps, those for units 1974 or older and one for units from 1974 and newer.
I've been using it now since 2003. Very pleased with it and unless I really goop it on, it's very easy to wipe it off.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
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