Clear Coat Advice

[emilyweav]

I need some help with my 71 Sovereign. The clear coat is peeling off of the top. I just bought it a few months ago and I don't think it's always been taken care of like it should be. I've done research and seen the polish/wax method as well as redoing the clearcoat. I also saw someone who just "buffed" the places where the clear coat was peeling and it looked great. I was just wondering if it's possible to buff it instead of polish (I'm not looking for a mirror finish, just not peeling) and then apply wax regularly to protect the exposed aluminum. Is there any reason this would or wouldn't work? Thanks in advance!

[TinCan Don]

Originally Posted by emilyweav

I need some help with my 71 Sovereign. The clear coat is peeling off of the top. I just bought it a few months ago and I don't think it's always been taken care of like it should be. I've done research and seen the polish/wax method as well as redoing the clearcoat. I also saw someone who just "buffed" the places where the clear coat was peeling and it looked great. I was just wondering if it's possible to buff it instead of polish (I'm not looking for a mirror finish, just not peeling) and then apply wax regularly to protect the exposed aluminum. Is there any reason this would or wouldn't work? Thanks in advance!

I am also looking for a answer to this question with my 1973. If someone could help us out, it would1 be appreciated.

[sgschwend]

My 2 cents: the clear coat protects the aluminum. The polishing method works on the principle that very smooth surfaces will withstand the elements better than less smooth surface. The folks that use this method still need to renew it.


When I fixed my clear coat I found there wasn't an easy way to do only the top. The stripper would contact the sides too and therefore it was necessary to do everything at once.


I did watch a video of a Airstream service provider that could do a trailer in about one day. So we did go that route.



We masked the trailer using the automotive method of masking, then applied a thick layer of paint stripper (the citrus orange stuff worked great), the stripper is applied at the end of the day so that nature helps keep it moist. In the morning power washing the trailer, then a small amount of touch up, and some very fine steel wool to try and match the patina. Then shot Matrix automotive clear coat (get the quick drying formula, a gallon is more than enough).


It took two of us one day to do our 25' trailer.

[AldeanFan]

You can try what you’re suggesting and see if it works. You might be happy with it.
The problem is that polished, buffed and clear coated all look different.

I stripped and polished my trailer. It’s been 4 years since I started and I’m not to a mirror finish yet but I think it looks great and looks better each summer.

Just stripping off the flaking clear made a huge improvement.

There was an member here that stripped and polished only the top half of their trailer and it looks great.

[aerstream]

Originally Posted by sgschwend

My 2 cents: the clear coat protects the aluminum. The polishing method works on the principle that very smooth surfaces will withstand the elements better than less smooth surface. The folks that use this method still need to renew it.


When I fixed my clear coat I found there wasn't an easy way to do only the top. The stripper would contact the sides too and therefore it was necessary to do everything at once.


I did watch a video of a Airstream service provider that could do a trailer in about one day. So we did go that route.



We masked the trailer using the automotive method of masking, then applied a thick layer of paint stripper (the citrus orange stuff worked great), the stripper is applied at the end of the day so that nature helps keep it moist. In the morning power washing the trailer, then a small amount of touch up, and some very fine steel wool to try and match the patina. Then shot Matrix automotive clear coat (get the quick drying formula, a gallon is more than enough).


It took two of us one day to do our 25' trailer.

Has this held up for you? I'm in the same boat.. my boyfriend does not like the polished shine look but I am reading clear coat is next to impossible to do on your own but it seems like you've had success. Did you refinish the whole trailer or just certain spots?

[sgschwend]

To respond to your question:

Yes we clear coated the entire trailer, removed the decals and nameplates, and re-coated the belly pan.

I would say it is an easy job. We used automotive clear coat (Matrix). I would get the fast dry for our location in the PNW. You apply it with a HVLP spray gun. Masking is done just like a car paint job, which is paper applicator that applies painters tape to one edge (masking is fast that way).


Use Google to search for Airstream Clearcoat vids, there is a good one that show how they do the work. We pretty much copied how they did it.


It takes two days to do this, and perhaps another half day to refinish the nameplates and use a rattle can to spray the belly pan.

[sgschwend]

Here's that vid showing how to strip the clearcoat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7J0-fbsxs

[Slimpockets]

Never use steel wool on aluminum. Get the 3m pads. The steel can get into the surface of the aluminum and cause corrosion.

[featherbedder]

Why not use white bus-kote or like kind of paint it cuts down on inside heat and very hard to see from ground? Not expensive to do. AS now paints top white. Apply from awning rail and same other side. There are many threads of this but I would use bus- kote instead of other paints. No on going maintenance to do or waxing like shiny aluminum.

[ck21084]

I am interested in any advise you might have on the clear. My end caps are in rough shape and need to be protected. I am planning a visit to P&S next year but don’t want to wait that long before preventing additional damage.

[sgschwend]

You could clear coat the end cap(s) only.

Just prep and then clear coat the end cap. Watch the video in this thread. It really is a fast process to strip and clear coat you might try one and then decide to do the rest another weekend.

[AtomicNo13]

The word on the street is that despite the name P&S might not be in the reclear coat business any more!

[Bill M.]

I stripped my 25’ with citri strip and recoat it with Nylaic, a coating marketed to make school buses shine. I was careful to not make marks in the Al. I used a Al chemical polish from Outdoors Mart for a quick hand rub on the oxidized areas. Overall it was fairly easy to do and looks fairly good. It has been 2 full years and a trip to Alaska and it still looks the same. I started out just to do some segments but kept going when it went well. I bought a cheap HVLP gun from Woodcraft to coat with. I first tried Clearcoat in the little cans but was very disappointed with my results with that approach.

[stream3]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

The word on the street is that despite the name P&S might not be in the reclear coat business any more!

Sad but true according to what Kevin Ruth told me a couple of weeks ago. I'm really disappointed as I had planned on having them do the same thing with my current 1988 345LE. Kevin told me it's the correct kind of clear coat that is not available, and they are now doing polishing. Really too bad as they do exceptional work. I had P&S do my first 345LE twenty years ago and it looked like it just came from the factory. I don't hate tbe mirror polish look, I just prefer the factory finish sheen and really want to make this one look like a brand new model. If anybody knows of a shop doing this please let us know.