Can anyone offer some advice on cleaning Eagle siding? Mine appears original with the anodization intact but not very bright and some white/milky streaking. I have searched the boards and did see a single reference to wiping it down with brake fluid - which will last a few weeks - but I'm a little hesitant to try this for fear of damaging the anodization. I have tried a mild cleaner (Simple Green) with a soft bristle brush then sponge and soapy water with limited success. Any suggestions?
Unfortunatly, what you have is what you get!
You can try wiping it down with PB Blaster or equivelant but like the brake fluid, only last a short while.
Ace
KC, use Dupont # 7 chrome cleaner and polish stay away from the simple green it will get worse your problem is caused by being washed at a place that used acid in the wash most truck washes use it CA and AZ are only states I know of that do not allow acid wash FWIW good luck and I hope you can bring it back Sonnie Gray had his siding ruined by a truck wash>I have 2 more products I use to keep mine up 1 is Wicked Metal Polish and the other is Blue Magic it going to be a lot of work to bring it back if it is not to late
what about using a compond with a polishing wheel?anybody?
KC forgot to tell you www.wickedproducts.com is the online store and you can buy Blue Magic at Auto Zone
Quote from: van on August 13, 2008, 05:48:11 PM
what about using a compond with a polishing wheel?anybody?
Hey Van, I'm on my 3rd Walmart buffer/polisher so far this summer. I'm using rubbing compound and polishing compound trying to make the
stainless look like chrome. I've started at the front and bottoms of the bay doors. Lot's of hard work but is slowly coming around. Still got a long ways to go though! :P There isn't an easy solution that I'm aware of. But if someone knows of one, I'm all ears ;D
Made stainless bold.
Richard
Aluminum and stainless are two different animals stay away from aluminium siding with a buffer and compound
Contrary to what luvrbus has stated, polishing the anodized aluminum on your siding is the worst thing you could ever do! WHY? Once you do it, your anodizing will be gone and then you will have to ALWAYS polish it to keep it clean and some what shiny! It's much more work then you think just to maintain it! The anodizing was put on it to protect the aluminum. If you want it to look like chrome you will be best to replace it at a very high cost per foot when you order the polished siding! They make polished siding for a reason just as they anodized the siding for a reason!
To each his own but if it were me, I'd leave it alone OR replace it with what you looking for!
Ace
Depending on the weather the brake fluid will last for 4-6 weeks. It takes only about five minutes to apply and significantly improves the appearance.
Richard
Ace,
Quote from: luvrbus on August 13, 2008, 07:00:03 PM
Aluminum and stainless are two different animals stay away from aluminium siding with a buffer and compound
You both agree!
Once the anodized is removed the aluminum will start to oxidize, it's there to protect it.
Paul
Quote from: luvrbus on August 13, 2008, 07:00:03 PM
Aluminum and stainless are two different animals stay away from aluminium siding with a buffer and compound
Maybe I should have highlighted the word 'STAINLESS' in my replay ;) I definitely wasn't implying that anyone should be trying to make their aluminum look like chrome with a buffer/polisher :o. Sorry, Will
I have mirrior siding on my Eagle and it not that easy to keep up,Clifford has a satin finish on his siding anyone that has seen his Eagle will tell you it is prefect and been there since 1996 that I know of he washes it with a turtle wax car wash and any milky streaks he uses some product to remove them.But using brake fliud would be a no no for me any place it gets on the paint there is damage to the area
Thanks for all the good advice! Sounds like my best bet is a good cleaning with a kitchen sponge scrubby pad (per the Airstream folks) then I'll try the brake fluid or similar (ATF has been suggested also) - good point about the paint removal tendancy of brake fluid.
Quote from: PP
Maybe I should have highlighted the word 'STAINLESS' in my replay ;) I definitely wasn't implying that anyone should be trying to make their aluminum look like chrome with a buffer/polisher :o. Sorry, Will
PP,
I caught it the first time and I believe most others did too. '
Now about that "chrome look" check out Fred Hobe's site. I think you'll find it very informative.
http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/fredhobe.htm
;D BK ;D
KC if you are going to use a product like brake fluid or ATF use boiled linseed oil dosen't collect dust as bad
howdy do da,brake fluid huh.Cliff you didn't think mine was a smooth sides I hope ,harran coachways had the bottom of the bus painted also.I want this off but was afraid of what it was gonna look like. tried using piant stripper on a small area ,very labor intensive.Should I use brake fluid to remove the paint and if so which one ,dot3 ?dot five is synthetic.From the small spot that I uncovered looks pretty shiney(why would anyone paint this?)and didn't look too marred,scrubby pad huh,that won't scrach the coating off? perspireing minds want to know.
Quote from: van on August 14, 2008, 08:49:38 AM
howdy do da,brake fluid huh.Cliff you didn't think mine was a smooth sides I hope ,harran coachways had the bottom of the bus painted also.I want this off but was afraid of what it was gonna look like. tried using piant stripper on a small area ,very labor intensive.Should I use brake fluid to remove the paint and if so which one ,dot3 ?dot five is synthetic.From the small spot that I uncovered looks pretty shiney(why would anyone paint this?)and didn't look too marred,scrubby pad huh,that won't scrach the coating off? perspireing minds want to know.
They were trying to make it look more modern by painting it and making it appear to be a "newer smoothside coach" by painting it. This way they could fool customers into believing it was a newer coach. FWIW ;D BK ;D
Van,
Stipping paint is a lot of work no matter how you do it! If I was to do one again (I sure hope not) I would use aircraft stripper. That stuff works pretty good! Just be careful and not get it on anything that you don't want stripped, it will be ugly.
I sanded all the paint off our Eagle, about 10 coats total. But I didn't have any paint on the ribbed aluminum either.
Good Luck,
Paul
I've always just used turtle wax on mine applied by hand. It looks great and I only do it every couple years.