diamond satin clear coat

[perryg114]

The acid we are talking about is a weak acid that is consumed in producing a porous oxide layer that will allow the clear coat or paint to bond to the metal. Usually, it is something like hexavalent chromium (bad stuff). It is what is called a conversion coating. It also helps prevent corrosion because now the metal has a continous oxide layer on it. You can take this process further and make the oxide layer thicker with more chemicals and usually electrolysis. This process would be called anodize. This is what AVION did to their trailers and the EPA maybe responsible for these trailers no longer being made. Aluminum will form its own oxide layer and that is the color of weathered aluminum. This is one reason that it last so long. The oxide protects the metal from further oxidation most of the time. Salt will corrode most metals even stainless steel. High strength aluminum alloys will corrode more readily than pure aluminum and that is why the old trailers had a layer of pure aluminum over the top called Al-clad. I think Airstream started using non-coated alloys of lower strength aluminum in the 70's. These alloys did not require the more expensive Al-cladding. The bad thing is that the newer Airstreams have corrosion problems. I think this is partly because the alloy and partly because of the fact the panels are coated before they are fabbed into a trailer and the edges and holes are not coated.

Andy how about finding out from Airstream how they coated their old trailers?

Perry

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by perryg114

The acid we are talking about is a weak acid that is consumed in producing a porous oxide layer that will allow the clear coat or paint to bond to the metal. Usually, it is something like hexavalent chromium (into a trailer and the edges and holes are not coated.

Andy how about finding out from Airstream how they coated their old trailers?

Perry

Perry.

Not everyone would pick a non abusive acid, simply because to them, acid is acid.

Airstream has used, in the past many years, several different types of clear coatings, that bond to bare aluminum.

They all lasted about 5 years or so, regardless of waxing or not.

Simple exposure to the sun, started the aging process.

Todays coating is not applied by Airstream.

Todays coating is even very tough against Aircraft stripper.

A relatively new panel's coating won't even be touched by Aircraft stripper.

Andy

[arden_dean]

Ok plasticoat works, are there other products that work?

I've heard that KBS' Diamondfinish Clear works for small repairs has anyone used it to refinish the whole camper?

Thanks for the input.

[Lance M]

You might inquire with P&S in Ohio or Oasis in AZ. They might tell you their process.

adonh has his trailer shined and clear coated at Oasis.

Here is his thread on the subject.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f474...ing-87114.html

[arden_dean]

It sounds like they are using something like this.


POR 15 GPCQ Glisten Pc Clearcoat

POR 15 GPCQ Glisten Pc Clearcoat Quart Kit Quart Kit With Hardner

[Lance M]

I have a small kit of Glisten PC that I have been waiting to try. I plan to polish a small 4'x4' sheet from an old scrap trailer and then apply the Glisten PC to see how it works (or not). Let it sit in the Texas sun for a year and see how it holds up.
Sharkhide is another product that comes up around here from time to time.
There is another thread around here where someone shared his bad experience with the POR Glisten PC.

[arden_dean]

shark hide looks good !!!