Are airstream made with through clad alloy

[got polish]

The skin on a AS is so thin I would have to say it is through clad but I've herd it may not be. I have polished lots of them but none as bad as Jim Wagmins he had it parked 200 yards from a San Diego beach in a pop up car port for something like 10 years. Well thats a sweat box with dash of salt. Yep it did quit a # to the top & about 1/3 down. I should have took pic but after getting in to this job I just wanted to get it done & put it under the never again list. My point is I used 150 girt (yep 150) on the top & then worked my to 600, a 45 DI grinder with VF SV wheels to get around the rivets. I'm sure the alloy is 1/3 thiner on top. But it shined up very nice & still looks good to day.

[InsideOut]

Welcome to the forums!

I don't know what "through clad" is and you don't say what year Airstream you are talking about, but I can tell you the older vintage trailers are made with 2024-T3 aircraft Alclad aluminum. It's an aluminum alloy with a very thin coat of purer aluminum on the surface.

Shari

[crestonrv]

the clad is .005 thick is most likely gone after sanding. skin is .032 is thicker than it seems, tough stuff. trailers built prior to 1962 are clad after are not and don,t polish as well coating was optional at first then all coated.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by got polish

The skin on a AS is so thin I would have to say it is through clad but I've herd it may not be. I have polished lots of them but none as bad as Jim Wagmins he had it parked 200 yards from a San Diego beach in a pop up car port for something like 10 years. Well thats a sweat box with dash of salt. Yep it did quit a # to the top & about 1/3 down. I should have took pic but after getting in to this job I just wanted to get it done & put it under the never again list. My point is I used 150 girt (yep 150) on the top & then worked my to 600, a 45 DI grinder with VF SV wheels to get around the rivets. I'm sure the alloy is 1/3 thiner on top. But it shined up very nice & still looks good to day.

Alclad is like a sandwich, if you wish.

The bread is pure aluminum, and the beef, is the tough stuff, the strength.

It's doubtful that you can polish away .005 of the alclad.

Andy