Aluminum trailer corrosion issue regardless of make..

mndriver

curmudgeon extraordinare
Must have date of manufacture 11/16 to 1/17.

Looking for pictures of driver's side rivets on body of great Dane reefer or vans
 
Pulled in for an oil change...truck in front of me had a great Dane from the actual dealer I bought mine from....

DOM 12/16........
IMG_20170506_145326681.jpg IMG_20170506_145342741.jpg IMG_20170506_145315006.jpg




Why is his important to me?

Because I ordered a brand new custom specd 2016 trailer that was manufactured on 7/15. I put it into service on 9/8/15.
 
These pictures of my trailer were taken 4/16....

corrosion_01.png corrosion_05.png

This is a buddy's 2014 utility after 3 winter's out of Chicago. Custom paint isn't even stopping this from happening. Nor is it related to any one brand. They all are doing this. Great Dane, Utility, Wabash, CIMC

IMG_20161204_145348862.jpg
 
Great Dane changed the size of the rivets used in the manufacture of their trailer in 10/8/16 to a smaller rivet head.

I was given a $5000 "discount" and told they would provide me with the anti corrosion paint to have it applied, but I'd have to pay the labor. Low estimate is $3000.


In 2011, the US became a single market supplier for all aluminum body panels for trailers.

Not just semi trailers, but travel trailers, rv trailers, and utility trailers too.
 
Great Dane changed the size of the rivets used in the manufacture of their trailer in 10/8/16 to a smaller rivet head.

I was given a $5000 "discount" and told they would provide me with the anti corrosion paint to have it applied, but I'd have to pay the labor. Low estimate is $3000.


In 2011, the US became a single market supplier for all aluminum body panels for trailers.

Not just semi trailers, but travel trailers, rv trailers, and utility trailers too.
i seem to recall, when i had my ford ranger, i wanted to mount a cb antenna, by drilling a hole in the back of the cab. the mechanic in the shop warned my to not do this, as the hole drilled, will expose to fresh cut to the elements, and no matter the amount of sealant, moisture will still get into the newly drilled holes.

so, now in that case of yours, the holes were most likely pre-drilled, then painted. that would seem to makes sense. todays paints are of a water base now, to eliminate the VOC's and other air pollutants.

wouldn't surprise me that when the rivets were inserted, they scratched the freshy paint sheets, now exposing those points to the elements.

to see rows of shiny rivets may look "nice", but maybe perhaps, they should have painted over them, for more weather protection.

all they can do (if under warranty) is remove the rivets, prep the surface, and use new rivets.

will this happen again.>??

most likely...yes.
 
Great Dane changed the size of the rivets used in the manufacture of their trailer in 10/8/16 to a smaller rivet head.

I was given a $5000 "discount" and told they would provide me with the anti corrosion paint to have it applied, but I'd have to pay the labor. Low estimate is $3000.


In 2011, the US became a single market supplier for all aluminum body panels for trailers.

Not just semi trailers, but travel trailers, rv trailers, and utility trailers too.
What does the size of the rivet head have to do with the corrosion?

I'd be thinking more along the lines of crappy paint or galvanic corrosion like if it's galvanized rivets in aluminum sheeting.

In this chart, "zinc and alloys" crosses paths with "aluminum and alloys" at a red square indicating corrosion risk.

Are the rivets galvanized steel?

012-Bi-Metallic_Corrosion_of_Commonly_Encountered_Materials (1).png
 
Sounds like planned obsolescence to me. An engineer should know about galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals.

Even I know about that, and I'm just a duck. :toothpick:

Quack Quack,.... and stuff.
 
Sounds like planned obsolescence to me. An engineer should know about galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals.

Even I know about that, and I'm just a duck. :toothpick:

Quack Quack,.... and stuff.
I won't say I'm happy.

But it's not great Dane I have the issues with
 
I won't say I'm happy.

But it's not great Dane I have the issues with
It would be the manufacturer choosing to use zinc plated rivets in aluminum...

Unless they've always done it that way but successfully compensated with good anti-corrosion coatings on the aluminum.

Your dissatisfaction seems to be directed at the manufacturer of the aluminum.

I don't know if barn siding (steel) will stand up to dissimilar metals in the fasteners but I do know that whatever they coat it with is freakin' awesome.. I have scraps of it that laid directly on dirt outside from August 2008 until I was patching the barn roof last fall. They washed up and looked brand new. So I used them on the roof and you can't tell the difference.

They should paint cars with that stuff.
 
Either the rivet manufacturer's changed something.

As it was explained to me, the trailer manufacturer's were forced to change panels
 
Great Dane tried passing it off to me as road salt and mag chlorides etc the road plows use.

Then they started to blah blah blah a out corrosion testing.

When I asked them for the astm testing standard they used, suddenly I was passed to another department to address my issue.

Then I asked them again for the ASTM standard.

They never did give it to me.


Within a month though of me speaking up, I was suddenly told the VP of warranty and manufacturing we're handling my warranty claim directly.

Thanks I could only get an answer from my trailer sales rep.

And things have been interesting since.
 
i seem to recall, when i had my ford ranger, i wanted to mount a cb antenna, by drilling a hole in the back of the cab. the mechanic in the shop warned my to not do this, as the hole drilled, will expose to fresh cut to the elements, and no matter the amount of sealant, moisture will still get into the newly drilled holes.

so, now in that case of yours, the holes were most likely pre-drilled, then painted. that would seem to makes sense. todays paints are of a water base now, to eliminate the VOC's and other air pollutants.

wouldn't surprise me that when the rivets were inserted, they scratched the freshy paint sheets, now exposing those points to the elements.

to see rows of shiny rivets may look "nice", but maybe perhaps, they should have painted over them, for more weather protection.

all they can do (if under warranty) is remove the rivets, prep the surface, and use new rivets.

will this happen again.>??

most likely...yes.

Only the base coat is waterborne, clear is still solvent based.

Edit... Boy do I feel like a dumbass... didnt see the post was from '17...
 

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