Corrosion problems with new Airstreams

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Pure curiosity - anyone here with good photoshop skills? Could you attempt to show us an AS fully engulfed in filliform corrosion? I'm serious - I'd be interested to see it....

I'm not saying I'd go for that look - but honestly, it would be interesting to see one totally covered in it. You might like it!

Not!

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Barbieri

So the questions that begs to be asked is. What type of anode? How is it connected and how many?

[U]Anode[/U]Will not control Filiform.

...well it might help here.



NASA is a good corrosion resource.

Bob

[rodsterinfl]

There is very little likelihood that filiform corrosion will lead to perforation.

No, it is a surface condition between the coating and the aluminum. I have it. I treated the trailer with CorrosionX and Plex and wax it but EVERY time I camp it rains and my Airstream is now kept covered but in open air. I have noticed more corrosion. I believe it is a natural phenomenon to the method of production and not something that can be avoided. Slowed, yes, by some greasy or water rejecting chemical but it is not avoidable in moisture prone areas (humidity). I shared that a few years ago, at the Tampa Supershow, brand new Airstreams had filiform corrosion- I took pictures of it around rivets, at the door handle and the side handle by the door. I have categorized it in my mind as an aging process for an Airstream. Naturally new ones have the least and older ones have more that have been exposed to wet conditions more often. What I am most thankful for is a dry wood floor!

[mikesSE]

I have a huge FILIFORM problem on my '07 Safari.My Airstream buddies that believe JC think the problem is overrated.It isn't.I have GreenBall (Airstream Factory wheels)on my Safari.They have FILIFORM corrosion on them also.The same size and look wheel was installed on bass boat trailers in '07-'10 and are dunked in water repeatedly and show NO FILIFORM corrosion on them.I worked on aircraft that showed electrical CORROSION on unprimed aluminum.I believe our 'faraday cages' are showing this corrosion,that A/S is denying happening.Static Discharge?

[J. Morgan]

Its decay. Everything decays.

Earlier tonight I crumpled a previously solid piece of a previously formidable piece of steel into a substance that resembles dirt. Given the right amount of time, everything decays....

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Its decay. Everything decays.

Earlier tonight I crumpled a previously solid piece of a previously formidable piece of steel into a substance that resembles dirt. Given the right amount of time, everything decays....

Aluminum decays, Airstream coats the aluminum to slow decay. The coating lacks the fortitude on the cut edges to block the decay monster out and the monster creeps under the coating edgewise.

Filiform is an inevitable decay that can’t be stopped, only delayed....

[r carl]

Now you know one of the reasons Avion used anodized aluminum.

[Gene]

I don't think it is a "natural" event in the sense every Airstream will get it everywhere. If that were so, every Airstream, no matter where it was, would have the same corrosion. My taillights and door hinges got it. I sanded and sanded, coated and then it would come back a few years later. But it happened no where else on the trailer and there are plenty of people with no corrosion.

It helps to live in the high desert of western colorado as we do, so moisture and salt probably have a negative effect on the aluminum. Those factors certainly corrode other metals.

Aluminum does eventually deteriorate, but not nearly so fast as Airstreams get corroded. There are plenty of aluminum exteriors that are fine for decades so long as coatings are not disturbed.

I don't know why the taillights and door hinges corrode first and foremost. Answers may be found there.

We sold ours to a guy in Alabama (someday i may change my info), so corrosion may increase there. Maybe he is reading this now.

And, Hi Bob, known to me as "corrosion master".

Gene

[DannyClark]

Not going to read through over 2000 posts, but I’m curious if anyone mentioned galvanic corrosion. I wonder what the effect of installing some sacrificial zincs might have. All the electrical do-dads we have installed now might be causing additional issues. I’m reminded of this every time I turn on the lights in my 26U and the television goes on the fritz:-).

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by Gene

I don't think it is a "natural" event in the sense every Airstream will get it everywhere. If that were so, every Airstream, no matter where it was, would have the same corrosion. My taillights and door hinges got it. I sanded and sanded, coated and then it would come back a few years later. But it happened no where else on the trailer and there are plenty of people with no corrosion.

It helps to live in the high desert of western colorado as we do, so moisture and salt probably have a negative effect on the aluminum. Those factors certainly corrode other metals.

Aluminum does eventually deteriorate, but not nearly so fast as Airstreams get corroded. There are plenty of aluminum exteriors that are fine for decades so long as coatings are not disturbed.

I don't know why the taillights and door hinges corrode first and foremost. Answers may be found there.

We sold ours to a guy in Alabama (someday i may change my info), so corrosion may increase there. Maybe he is reading this now.

And, Hi Bob, known to me as "corrosion master".

Gene

Some edges are protected better than others. Any picture I have ever seen of filiform starts at the edge of a panel or through a rivet hole.

Its more of a surface defect as filiform, but it looks like corrosion to me. Corrosion that is happening between the aluminum and the clear coat, which not only shows as corrosion, but also as discolored clear coat.

Its part of the aging process of aluminum and the coating. Some edges will turn faster, some will turn slower.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by DannyClark

Not going to read through over 2000 posts, but I’m curious if anyone mentioned galvanic corrosion. I wonder what the effect of installing some sacrificial zincs might have. All the electrical do-dads we have installed now might be causing additional issues. I’m reminded of this every time I turn on the lights in my 26U and the television goes on the fritz:-).

Where would you put them?.?maybe have more and better grounds , clean and grease them...mine sits under a lean- to next to my shop...so far I have not seen any corrosion yet...we are dry here in southern Montana..and no salt air....if you stay off the roads in the winter time...

[rmkrum]

Zincs only work on boats sitting in water. If your Airstream is sitting in water, you might have a somewhat bigger problem than corrosion [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]

[Msmoto]

I wonder why my 3 year old Serenity has absolutely no evidence of this corrosion. It has been near the ocean, high altitude, heat, cold, yet no corrosion. It is washed regularly, but maybe the secret is keeping it garaged when not on the road.

The fact I have none suggests the answer is not clear. Could it have been, or is it, specific lots of the aluminum JC uses are differing in their ability to resist this phenomenon?

[DoublTrouble]

I have been diligent with my maintenance regimen. Wash monthly, Corrosion X on all rivets 3x per year. Wax 3 x per year. Stored outside 5 miles from Pacific Ocean. I have seen tiny lines at panel edges. I treated with more X and Nyalic clearcoat. Msmoto, storing inside could be a huge advantage. Regarding the ground, I have issues with mine. The only way I found it was because my 12 volt light circuit in the front kept blowing the inline dimmer fuse. My technician found the corroded ground bar and we are working on some mod for that.... maybe that is a contributing factor?

[Pragnar2]

Originally Posted by Hoonanea

I'm attaching a picture of the marker lights from my 2012 International that were "upgraded" under warranty because of corrosion that had started at the tips where they are sharp and cut through the clearcoat. I also have a PDF document I'll have to attach later when I'm not using the iPad that shows how to do the replacement. It is the set of instructions that Jackson Center sent to the dealer that performed the warranty work.

I know this was a while ago, but do you happen to have those instructions? I'm dealing with light replacement on a 2011 FC we bought used, and I'm thinking there has to be a better way than what I had to do on the first 2 lights.

Thanks!

[DoublTrouble]

is this what you are looking for?

[Pragnar2]

Yes, thank you!

[NOAZRK2690]

My 2004 34' S/O AS clear coat has been polished with Glare twice a year, is plugged into electric most of the time and sits outside all the time. There was no filiform at all after 13 years. About ten months ago I noticed Filiform developing on the wheels and now it is beginning on the edges of the end caps. Something has happened or changed. I believe there has been some kind of electrical change. Today I'm cleaning my grounding cable connection, sanding the plugs on my 50amp cord and ordering some Corrosion X and clearcoat touchup. Regardless of the potential effectivmess, I'm going to install a couple pieces of zinc sacraficial metal then keep an eye on it. I've also gotten into the habit of having one metal stablizer or the tongue jack make direct contact with the ground rather then insulated on plastic or wood.

Any other ideas? I don't agree that filiform is a "natural deterioration". In my case it started quickly.

[rmkrum]

Sacrificial zincs work great—-on boats immersed in water. I seriously doubt they will do anything for filiform corrosion. I have never seen an aircraft sporting sacrificial zincs in my 20+ years at Boeing, and I suspect our coating and corrosion experts might know what they are doing[emoji3]

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by NOAZRK2690

I don't agree that filiform is a "natural deterioration". In my case it started quickly.

Not really quickly. Your clearcoat is 14 years old. We have to expect that the stuff eventually will start to show the effects of exposure to weather, UV, temperature changes, flexing while being towed over not always smooth roads, etc.

Tim