Acid Washing Aluminum Trailers

[RGilliam]

I had a requested yesterday for something I've never ventured into. Acid wash 2 48ft trailers and 2 28ft. I've been doing some reading up on it and I'm not to sure about it. It seems like it's not that hard of a process but I was just wondering how well it would clean these trailers up. They're in pretty bad shape. The company just wants them cleaned up so they can go to auction. Anyone have any tips they can give me? (other than using the search button, I've done that!) Will an acid wash do these trailers any justice?

[Biodude]

You will be shocked by what it will do. They will look so good they may not want to sell them!

[MattsPristinePW]

What makes up your acid wash?

[RGilliam]

oxalic/citric

[Jim_Cooney]

I've done plenty of acid washing. The main ingredient in a aluminum cleaner/brightener is Hydrofluoric Acid. Hydrofluoric acid can and will kill you. Unlike other acid products, you will not feel the initial burning, but the damage has already begun.

Please do plenty of research on Hydrofluoric Acid before ever attempting to use the product, and never allow an untrained employee or your customers anywhere near the area in which the product is being applied.

http://www.hcsclean.com/UserFiles/Fi...ch%20Sheet.pdf

Or other alternatives that do not contain hydrofluoric acids;

http://www.madchem.com/MSDS/Aluminum...ght%20Plus.pdf

http://www.hcsclean.com/UserFiles/Fi...ght%20Tech.pdf

[RGilliam]

Yes, Ive done some research on hydrofluoric acid and it seems like some pretty nasty stuff. Im going to stay away from that and use a citric/oxalic acid based cleaner. It seems like the safer way.

[premiumpowerwash]

If you want to go safer. Try phosphoric. You will get better results and faster ones using phosphoric ... sometimes mixed with sulfuric or better yet ammonium biflouride ( an intermediate to hydrofluoric acid - completely safe but gets good cleaning )

On the other hand.. the horror stories about hydroflouric are in situations you are using/handling very high concentrations. If you can get it mixed at 7% then run it through your injector it becomes more or less of an iratant when you are mostly exposed to it while cleaning. Even than, through the whole process of putting the 7% in your chem containers and spray the now 1-2 % you wear simple PPE you will be more than safe.

[RGilliam]

Wont citric/oxalic clean it just as well tho? Whats the pros and cons of using each one?

[premiumpowerwash]

From what I understand and know. Citric acid is a weak acid. However, Hydroflouric acid is technically a weak acid. But citric acid does not carry the corrisive ability hydroflouric does. If citric acid were to work it would work much slower, and not as well as either a phosphoric/sulfuric or HF blend. As far as oxalic acid goes. Again, from what I know. Oxalic acid is used in wood neutralizing/brightening. It also is a great rust remover. Restoring old aluminum though might not be what it is best at. Again if it were to work it would fall short of working as fast and as well as what I have mentioned. Now would you like to work longer and get a bad end result. Or, work quicker, thus cheaper, and have a better result ?

[Russ Johnson]

Mark, he's dealing with polished aluminum.

[premiumpowerwash]

The trailers in his photos are not polished aluminum. You can clearly see that in the photo and I do not know of many if any scrap carrying trailers with ribs like those that would be polished.

[Adrian]

Yes, Ive done some research on hydrofluoric acid and it seems like some pretty nasty stuff. Im going to stay away from that and use a citric/oxalic acid based cleaner. It seems like the safer way.

Ron, ox and cit are brighteners mainly used in wood resto and concrete.
They are also neutralizers as mentioned earlier.
The cit is much safer than the ox.

The ox can ruin any plans you have for creating babies. Seriously, it's been proven. You say it is the safer way vs. the HF. But exposure over the course of your biz life with OX without the proper PPE will ruin your family plans.

I know you said you have used the search function to no avail, but try the term "2 step" in the fleetwash section. That seems to be the most popular approach IMO.

Some of these fleet guys have the process down pact.

IMO, I don't think you should use what the "mainstays" aren't using. Follow their lead and do the process that is the quickest money maker with great results and the least exposure for yourself.

Keep in mind that your customers expect you to know the process without any concern of theirs for your safety and exposure to the chems.

Get the chems and PPE that will move you on to the next project in a hurry.


Right on.

[Doug T]

The trailers in his photos are not polished aluminum. You can clearly see that in the photo and I do not know of many if any scrap carrying trailers with ribs like those that would be polished.

I'd be willing to bet they were polished aluminum when they were new. I've done a few hundred that were gravel haulers. these appear to be waste haulers

[RGilliam]

yea thats what I thought. They were polished aluminum once upon a time. Anyone ever done any trailers like this?

[premiumpowerwash]

I'd be willing to bet they were polished aluminum when they were new. I've done a few hundred that were gravel haulers. these appear to be waste haulers

Do you have paypal ? Those are not polished. Please some one help me !