I noticed some water spots or something on my trailer the other day and tried to remove them with cleaners with no results, so then I used a scotch brite pad and it removed the marks, however when it is in the sun the scratches show. anyway to fix this?
Posted 2014-11-18 10:33 PM (#161672 - in reply to #161650) Subject: RE: Scratched Aluminum
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
The only way to cosmetically match an aluminum "repair", is to blend the adjacent areas in the same way as your initial efforts. You have cleaned the smaller areas and removed some oxidation. For a complete match, the rest of the panel will have to be treated the same way. In time these areas will again weather and oxidize, but the surface textures will differ.
Posted 2014-11-19 8:36 AM (#161673 - in reply to #161650) Subject: RE: Scratched Aluminum
Veteran
Posts: 133 Location: NC
Its a new trailer 2015, but it looked like something sat in that one place on the aluminum and left a spot, maybe the paper it was wrapped in before it was put onto the trailer got wet and was acidic leaving the ,mark? im really not sure what caused it. the rest of the trailer is still shiny and new. I really don't want to scuff the entire side of a new 29ft long trailer. Any way to fill in the scratches with something?
Posted 2014-11-20 10:23 AM (#161693 - in reply to #161674) Subject: RE: Scratched Aluminum
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Originally written by postlewaitee on 2014-11-19 8:40 AM
Here is a picture, the area I "scratched" is right below the open window in a vertical line.
Brand new trailer?? Did you contact your dealer? Is that a Shadow trailer? Were the spots there when you bought it? Or, did they show up after you got home.... Sometimes it's best to leave these surfaces alone, start picking a rubbing at them and you end up with something that looks worse than it did to begin with.
Posted 2014-11-20 10:44 AM (#161694 - in reply to #161650) Subject: RE: Scratched Aluminum
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448 Location: Los Angeles, Ca.
When you used the Scotchbrite pads you put scratches into the polished aluminum. The only way to get rid of them is to polish until the scratches are gone. Start with using steel wool and progress to finer and finer grade until all the scratches are gone. Continue using rubbing compound and finally using polishing compound. When the aluminum is smooth and looking pretty close, finish with using aluminum polish. It looks like a fairly small area so it can probably be done with out using power tools. If it is taking too long, you might purchase a cheap automotive type buffing machine to use when applying the various compounds. The machine will help when blending in the newly polished area to the surrounding untreated area.I am guessing the whole process should take 3-4 hours. Good luck
Posted 2014-11-20 1:30 PM (#161696 - in reply to #161650) Subject: RE: Scratched Aluminum
Veteran
Posts: 133 Location: NC
I'm not sure if the marks were there or not I really didn't think to look for stuff like that, but when I did see it I went straight to trying to remove it without much thinking, regrettably. Its only noticeable in the sun light from farther away like in the picture. Thanks for all the ideas. I am going to try the buffing and polishing method and go from there.
Scratched Aluminum
