1STMON042052822

Rick March, General Manager
Customer Relations Group
Greetings! As I write this article, I am getting ready to attend a rally over in Logan, Ohio called Urban Air. It is
always a great time and I hope the weather is good for them. As I was putting my rally presentation together, I
included the information I have concerning filiform corrosion and the steps taken to neutralize it. I thought I
would share it with everyone this month.
I should point out that not only can it happen on the trailer exterior itself, but also the aluminum wheels,
castings, etc. that are installed on the trailer. While I am not an expert on the subject, we have learned over the
years how to neutralize it. I will list the steps we take in our service center to neutralize the corrosion and keep
it from spreading.
I appreciate all the feedback I have received and keep it coming!
Neutralizing Filiform Corrosion
Filiform corrosion is a process that can happen to an Airstream trailer’s aluminum shell, wheels, bumper, etc. if
there is a break, rock chip, scratch, etc. in the protective clear coat that is applied to the exterior aluminum of
the trailers. Basically, it allows moisture to penetrate under the coating in the affected areas. This will cause
surface corrosion on the aluminum under the coating, It will usually show up as a white substance that if not
taken care of in its early stages can continue to spread. There is not a process that can remove this corrosion
completely other than sanding and polishing out the aluminum completely, but it can be neutralized and
protected. It is relatively easy to neutralize if you have the right products. I will show you a few pictures to help
explain the process.
Picture of Filiform Corrosion
Use a pocket knife or sharp edge putty knife to scrape the top of the corrosion (blister) slightly. The object here
is to make sure you remove the protective clear coat over the affected area so the corrosion can be neutralized.
After scraping the top coating off the corrosion spray the affected area with Corrosion X (part number
90101W). After spraying this you should visibly see this area turn a dark grey in color. This will let you know
that the corrosion has been neutralized. If the corrosion does not turn dark grey than you should scrape the area
again as the clear coat may still be present, not allowing the Corrosion X to neutralize the area.
Clean the affected area with Isopropyl alcohol and then use a clear coat pen (part number 90000W-03) to cover
and protect the area. This will help seal the area from the elements after neutralizing.
I would love to hear from you and if you have a suggestion or topic you would like to see covered in a future
article, or have a question just drop me a line at [email protected] .
Have a great month!
Rick March