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ShikariJones · 08-25-2008, 02:50 PM

Not too long a go I had a 28ft anodized Avion painted silver as the anodizing had weathered too badly to refinish.Cost about $2k

Had it done in Duncan on Vancouver Island and the results were astonishing.Looked like a new trailer and wiill last for decades.

This is what I will do with my 29er when the time comes and then there will be no further Plasicoat,Clearcoat issues every few years.

Some purists may say that this is defacing an airstream--so to them I say--I'll do it my way and relax--you do it your way and watch the stuff fall off every few years.

2airishuman · 08-25-2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillTex

...Once the surface oxidizes is there real structural damage that may be happening that I am not aware of?...

hi bill

i think your rational is right on the skin side, peeling clearcoat isn't a significant risk to the shell.

my concern over nearly 25 years with ONE 'stream was NOT the skin primarily.

it was gaskets, seals, window fittings/trim and so on.

most of the plastic, rubber and other exterior bits DO lose their original fit and begin to malfunction.

so water leaks, and crud leaks and so on do eventually effect the structure.

we can use acryl-r or other sealants in many places

but keeping up the little bits and gaskets seems MORE important than the original PLASTICOAT/KOTE...

although doing this gasket/window seal work doesn't look much like a new hair doo...

cheers
2air'

shikari'....

there are a LOT of threads on PAINTING streams here.

even factory NEW units have had paint some years and so did the argosy line...

paint can LOOK GREAT, but gaskets and seals still need attention.

ROBERT CROSS · 08-25-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

oh boy, prepare for a frantic peeled banana reply!

duck and cover for the sermon on frosting...

i just wanna know who makes the friggin' cake mix...

cheers
2air'

Please be kind to the "FRANTIC BANANA"

purman · 08-25-2008, 03:50 PM

My question here is (while I wait for my subfloor sealer to dry) Is if the clear coat or whatever we are calling it came off once, why would you want to put it on again... Won't it just come off again???.. Wouldn't it be better to strip it and put some kind of wax on the aluminum???

Just wondering.....

ROBERT CROSS · 08-25-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

My question here is (while I wait for my subfloor sealer to dry) Is if the clear coat or whatever we are calling it came off once, why would you want to put it on again... Won't it just come off again???.. Wouldn't it be better to strip it and put some kind of wax on the aluminum???

Just wondering.....

Exaclty what I did here, post 493

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f142...s-31743-5.html

Inland RV Center, In · 08-25-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

My question here is (while I wait for my subfloor sealer to dry) Is if the clear coat or whatever we are calling it came off once, why would you want to put it on again... Won't it just come off again???.. Wouldn't it be better to strip it and put some kind of wax on the aluminum???

Just wondering.....

Plasticoat is good for about 5 years.

Then it needs to be replasticoated.

Wax lasts maybe 6 months, if done properly, and then it's gone too.

So, why wax at all?

Painting the trailer metallic silver, lasts far longer, like 20 to 25 years, if done properly.

So why plasticoat? Why wax?

Why not metallic silver.

Painting a house is not permanent either.

Andy

purman · 08-25-2008, 04:38 PM

Good point, So no matter what you do you are in for some work.... man... What have I got myself into...

Maybe i just leave the outside looking old and the inside new (less work, and more time for camping) Thats the why I want it...

So if you buff it out and spend all that time and don't clear coat it, HOW LONG TILL YOU HAVE TO BUFF IT AGAIN!!!!!

Inland RV Center, In · 08-25-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

Good point, So no matter what you do you are in for some work.... man... What have I got myself into...

Maybe i just leave the outside looking old and the inside new (less work, and more time for camping) Thats the why I want it...

So if you buff it out and spend all that time and don't clear coat it, HOW LONG TILL YOU HAVE TO BUFF IT AGAIN!!!!!

Good thought, but wrong again.

The exterior of your Airstream requires work.

You must decide what you want to do.

If you polish it, since the aluminum is alclad, you "MUST": keep it waxes, not sort of or maybe, "BUT" waxed.

If you wax the raw metal, then if you don't travel very far with it, like near salt water, then you should wash and wax it every month. If your near salt water, then wash and wax every week.

So buffing the trailer is at least monthly work, namely wash and wax.

Plasticoating is every 5 years or so, and a wax job once a year where your at.

Metallic silver, lasts 20 to 30 years, and like a car should be waxed every 6 months.

OR. you can go to K-mart, buy the darkest sunglasses they have, and the problem is gone.

Seriously, you cannot leave alclad aluminun bare. The elements in the air that we breathe, will attack it, usually in short order.

But on the positive side, taking care of your Airstream, will usually keep you close to the house.

Andy

BillTex · 08-26-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Seriously, you cannot leave alclad aluminun bare. The elements in the air that we breathe, will attack it, usually in short order.

Andy

So if your clearplastireplastickoate is failing, and you do nothing...what will happen?
Once the skin has oxidized (protective layer of sorts) shouldn't that be the end of any "damage" to the skin?

(The above ASSumes you do maintain gaskets/seals/etc).

Bill

Inland RV Center, In · 08-26-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillTex

Once the skin has oxidized (protective layer of sorts) shouldn't that be the end of any "damage" to the skin?

Bill

NO. It will continue, until stopped.

Andy

2airishuman · 08-26-2008, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillTex

...Once the skin has oxidized (protective layer of sorts) shouldn't that be the end of any "damage" to the skin?...

i don't think alum surface oxidation has exactly the same protective qualities as it does on iron.

but there are 1000s of units on the road that fit this description and they are doing fine AND look ok to me...

i've seen some with such a uniform light frost/patina, that it would be a sin to shine'em, because they ALREADY look great.

it's somewhat like removing the original finish and 400 years of crud from antique furniture,

old looking BETTER than new is weird (because they weren't shiny then either)

but just because it's oxidizing, doesn't mean the owner isn't continuing to assult the surface, with goofy washings, sprays or slopped on soups...

or that a old unit isn't getting a BEATING from road salts or the atmosphere beyond just surface film...

IF you like how it looks LEAVE it as is.

but i doubt u will get many vendors who vend surface treatments to give blessings to doing nothing...

and when panels get replaced and surface looks piecemeal, a buff and coating with paint or clear or polish is reasonable.

cheers
2air'

ROBERT CROSS · 08-26-2008, 02:52 PM

Sandy & I just loved the way ours looked...

Cleaned/waxed but never shined...but then again we've been dull all our lives.

vhord · 08-26-2008, 03:07 PM

Okay, (if you do not have any immediate plans to polish it) is it better to leave the remaining clearcoat on along with the filiform corrosion or should you strip it and let the aluminum oxidize without a coating?

I keep thinking of the filiform as being some sort of cancer under the clearcoat. Is the filiform more or less invasive to the skin than simple oxidation or is it the same thing?

BillTex · 08-27-2008, 06:12 AM

Well, I will keep washing/waxing for now...as soon as I find $5k lying around we will do something. I am tempted to paint it (as noted above)...

Thanx, Bill

dogpound · 10-27-2008, 02:45 PM

Some of the members here need to talk to some vintage owners who have polished out their units. It takes hours and hours and hours to get a good luster. I have the top half of my 98 unit beginning to shed the coating and it is the 2nd coat that it has had. The original coat didn't last 3 years. For small spots like the small spot over the Airstream name I was told to use a clear acrylic spray by an A/S dealer (name not needed). I am taking the route of trying to buff the bare aluminum with 303 which can be bought at Camping World. (Sorry Andy). I do know if you try to use Turtle Wax on the aluminum that has lost it's clear coat it will turn black and then it is hell getting any luster back. Enjoy the work.
Bob
FCU # 10105
AIR # 28748

CharlieE · 10-27-2008, 06:33 PM

I stripped, compounded and polished my 1990 using nuvite. I only use Nuvite compound. I use Turtle Wax "ICE" a polymer for polish. I first remove swirl marks with Nuvite F7 and cyclo polisher. I spray on the ICE and wipe with a micro towel. No effort, doesn't water spot. I read corn starch on a rag removes black marks from polish. I tried it with black from Nuvite and black dissapears. Just sprinkle some corn starch on a seperate micro fiber towel and wipe away the black.Don't know if it would work with other polish generate black. CharlieE