Detailing a trailer?

[gators241987]

My client this past weekend wants me to detail his trailer. Would normal automotive supplies work? What are some of you guys who have trailers using on them? Here are a few pics.

[Jokeman]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

Yup, I do my snowmobile trailer every year. For the aluminum, I would use Sled-Brite Aluma-Kleen. Spray it on, hose it off. Then I take a rotary with a finishing pad and NXT metal polish on the diamond plate.

I just throw a coat of wax on my paint since the sled trailers do not have smooth sides and its a rough finish aluminum.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

You need to find out what kind of coating is on the exterior?

Can you call the manufacture and ask them? Looks like paint but it could be anodized or if it's paint it could be electrolytically applied and very thin?

Try to find out what the exterior black coating is before working on it, if you get someone knowledgeable on the phone then ask them what they recommend for restoring and maintaining the coating on these trailers.

[gators241987]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

I called them and it was baked enamal? help anymore? they said use blue coral car soap or amoral soap. i guess they've never heard of megs

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

I called them and it was baked enamel? help anymore? they said use blue coral car soap or amoral soap.

i guess they've never heard of megs

Naw, they're just not enthusiasts...


Take any light cleaning product you have as in a Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, ScratchX, ColorX, A12 Cleaner/Wax, M09, M82, M80, M66 etc. and rub some onto a small area with a little passion and see if it makes the paint look better.

IF it does this mean you can work on it as in you can apply products and improve how it looks from where you started.

Then just follow Meguiar's philosophy,

"Use the least aggressive product to get the job done"

Try to use a cleaner/wax to remove the oxidation and stains because that way you only have to go around the trailer once. If necessary, do a two step and try M80 first followed by either a cleaner/wax or a product like NXT or M21

Stick with foam pads and if possible a DA Polisher.

Take some good before pictures in daylight and then some afters to share with the forum.

Good luck!

[Jeepster04]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

You an use megs soap without any problems.

If its baked enamel then its hard. Thats what they used on washers and dryers. Im curious how someone would handle something like that.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

You an use megs soap without any problems.

If its baked enamel then its hard. Thats what they used on washers and dryers. Im curious how someone would handle something like that.

You're correct about the washer and dryer finishes and if this is the type of baked enamel then it doesn't react as well to cleaning and polishing like automotive baked enamel.

Thus the reason to have him test a light cleaning product to a small area.

Testing is the safe approach, certainly don't want to take a wool pad on a rotary buffer with a compound to to this kind of finish to test it out, if it didn't work you could have created a huge problem fixing the test spot.

Have few pictures to post related to this, hang tight while we process them...

[gators241987]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

whats a fair price to charge for this job? I plan on washing and using scratch x on a few choice spots and collinite 845 as the lsp. metyl polish on the aluminum and cleaning out the inside with apc. normal detail of mine runs about $150.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Detailing a trailer?

whats a fair price to charge for this job?

normal detail of mine runs about $150.

As much as you can!

Seriously, $150.00 to $200.00 sounds good, depends upon how fast you can get the job done.