Aluminum Trailer cleaner? What works best?

[Hot Shot Merc]

Hey Guys I bought a used aluminum trailer that has been used primarily in the salt but has been taken care of pretty good.It has the 5 1/2" in aluminum I beams and are a little dull from being used for two or three years.It has that rough look.

I was wondering what yall think might be the BEST product and procedure to clean the Aluminum.

Thanx,Rob:)

[Ospreyproduction]

Mothers aluminum polish and a buffer. Not one of those BS orbital buffers, a real one. Use a wool pad and the liquid Mothers polish and you can make it look like chrome. Like a PIMP.:D

[RNM018]

PAINT :rolleyes: Rich Martin 018

[drasticplastic]

Cling toilet bowl cleaner and a brush with 11/2"-2" bristles. Lightly dampen an area, apply t/b cleaner and spread around with a old paint brush, let it sit for a few minutes then scrub with the scrub brush then rinse and onto the next section. This is just like cleaning the aluminum tubes on a pontoon. It will clean-up/acid etch to a very nice finish. It will go fairly fast once you get the hang of it. If you want to polish it after this cleaning you can. Have fun. P.S. don't do this in direct sun, it dries to fast.

[FLMIRAGE]

Rob,
You can clean peoples' pools but you don't know how to clean a trailer?:) :) :eek:

[Hot Shot Merc]

brush with 11/2"-2" bristles Drastic, what does this mean? Sorry I dont understand.I think its the phos, acid that does all the work.Am I correct?

Hey Snapperhead;) Big difference in a pool to a trailer:D

[Ospreyproduction]

I believe thats hydrachloric acid doing the work.

[props4u2]

Rob,
There is a cleaner called alumabrite, can be purchased wherever chemicals for power washers are purchased. Very quick & easy to use.

Lee

[Tom Foley]

Rob , get some red Scotchbrite hand pads and wd 40 or the equivalent and work the aluminumin one direction. Use plenty of WD and wash with simple green and water when done . Then go into polishing mode , it will look great , however large pitting will remain . Get to work !!

[Stoker1]

Rob, stop by one of the local car dealers. Drive around to the back where they detail the cars for delivery & ask if they'll hit it for you. A old bud worked at one & they used the acid in a pump spray. A quick hit on the toughest rims & a shot with the pressure washer was all it took.

[mr fun]

time is my enemy, and you could do what Lee is suggesting when you have about a weekend of free time and it would definatly BLING. go to a truck supply house, or a peterbilt dealer, get a product called "white lightening" get a spray bottle {or wash out an old 409 etc. bottle good, no mixing of chemicals) spray it on a wet surface after a good degreasing w/purple etc. let foam and before it dries, hose it off. WALA, bright metal. some bad areas may take a second app. fun out (if you wait i'll bring some to palatka and show you. ;) )

[Hot Shot Merc]

Thanx guys.I dont realy want to take it to the BLING level and polish it just looking for a quik cleaner to spray on and scrub a little if nessecary.I was hoping for a several guys to mention the same product then I know for sure what to get the first time.

I do pressure washing and pool service for a living so I have the acid and the washer.I'll try a solution of acid and water on a small spot and see what it does.Most of the products you guys mentioned are more than likely acid based anyway.I dont want to spend a lot of time on it and it isnt very bad to begin with.Thanx,Rob:)

[Hottrucks]

Fun out you beat me to it I use it on all the big truck fuel tanks and the bed on the dumper it's very fast and easy!! alos the wheels

[mr fun]

Fun out you beat me to it I use it on all the big truck fuel tanks and the bed on the dumper it's very fast and easy!! alos the wheels 10-4! who has more experince w/trailers road grime and apperance than the trucking industry, i did not know you were in the biz, i'll pm ya, fun out :cool:

[Airboater]

Rob I just got one of the Mothers Power Balls and it works great,I used a scotck pad with super clean with very little water to delute it then polished it with Mothers polish .

[drasticplastic]

Hot shot the brush has bristles that are 1.5" or 2.0" long, like the brush you use to scrub the tires on a car etc., nothin special. I can do a 24' pontoon(tubes inside+out and the stantions and eng. mount) in @2 hrs. Yes it is the Muratic acid it the toilet bowl cleaner that is doing most of the work. It will "etch" it to a like new(raw aluminum) finish. This works alot faster than scotch bright pads etc. because you can cover a larger area (@4' sections at a time) quicker. Sorry I didn't get back to ya sooner, had snowmobile races to go to Sat.. Get some T/B cleaner and "refreshments" and go to town on it. Jon.

[Hot Shot Merc]

Hey Thanx Jon.I'll try that.Sounds pretty basic.Rob:)

[drasticplastic]

Yer welcome, Yep just straight forward scrubadubdub.

[150aintenuff]

aluma brite full strength no scrubbing but will come out a whitich blue color, to bring to shine of natural aluminum an SOS , Scotchbrite, or 1000 grit sanpaper will remove the acid residue.. but the white aluminum look is ok 2.. and on some things hides the road spots better..

[MODVP22]

Guys, the aluminum alloy those trailers are made of is not really soft enough to "shine" like we all think of polished aluminum. I've tried on a LoadMaster trailer we got from FL and also on my jetski trailer.
Cleaning it would be easy using a scotchbrite pad and some Laquor thinner. You may want to spray it with a clear urathane coat to protect it. Just my 2 cents

[1BadAction]

go to www .dont-worry-about-it-its-only-a-friggin-boat-trailer.com

otherwise, becareful what you use on it, aluminum gets f-ed up easily.

[JWS]

Go anywhere that semi truck and trailers are washed. I just had my 20 foot aliminum trailer done at a local truck stop for $15.00 and it looked like new.

[Jeff H]

Cleaning AL,

For the easest method on my aluminium sled trailer (which sees nothing but salt spray) is Eagle One Etching Mag Cleaner. Spray it on hose it off. Thats it. Also works well on my jack plate and sportmaster gearcase.

you can find it at most auto supply houses.


Jeff H
SE 007