How do you tell if a trailer roof is metal or fiberglass? I have a 2002 CM trailer and in a couple of spots, the roof paint has worn off and it's white underneath. It is not rust, it's white. Is it steel that has been primed with white primer or what?
Posted 2009-03-12 7:17 PM (#101231 - in reply to #101229) Subject: RE: Roof Question
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Florida
I am going to go out on a limb here. It seems after looking at the cm web page http://www.cmtrailers.com/horse.html that the steel trailers have white roofs and the aluminum trailers have aluminum / silver roofs. Which I believe unless privately painted is common in the industry
Posted 2009-03-12 7:26 PM (#101232 - in reply to #101229) Subject: RE: Roof Question
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Tap it with a screwdriver handle. Fiberglass will make a dull thunking noise. Aluminum will make a metallic, crisp pling.
If the inside of the stall area is not insulated, the roof's bottom surface should be visible. Most aluminum trailers are not painted inside. Steel trailers usually are to prevent rusting.
If you're unsure, scratch it with a sharp knife blade. If you see a dull whitish line, it's probably fiberglass. If you see a shinny scratch, it's metallic. If it's metallic, place a magnet against the surface. A reaction will indicate a steel skin, no reaction indicates an aluminum roof.