Pitted Aluminum Windows Support Group

My thoughts on windows:

We bought our trailer not knowing anything about trailers, vintage or otherwise. I had been lurking here prior to buying our trailer so I'd read something like “I never buy a trailer with pitted windows” statement. At the time I thought this was one of those grumpy remarks best to be ignored. After months of searching for a trailer and never being able to buy one, we ended up getting a very complete 1957 trailer with…pitted aluminum windows. I suspect our trailer has spent time at the coast.

So, I watched and read all of the information I could find on rebuilding Hehr windows. Our trailer has 4 jalousies, 2 clearview and one awning style, so there was lots to learn.  

The first window I tackled, a jalousie, was exciting. I learned to take apart the window, find new bulb seals, fuzzy strips etc, soak the windows in acid to remove deposits and sand with increasingly finer grit and polish the aluminum on a bench grinder. The first window was VERY shiny but despite all my efforts the polishing basically highlighted the pitting. With each window rebuild my frustration at the pits grew. Now that all of the windows are complete here are my suggestions if you buy a trailer with pitted aluminum windows.

The clearview windows were the most confusing to me construction wise. One of our windows was missing a metal glazing strip so I knew we needed to learn to make a new one after reading that replacements are not commercially available. I didn’t understand how to remove the metal glazing strips but Mobiltec has a couple of videos on this window style and they proved very helpful. So instead of learning to make glazing strips and only replacing one strip, we replaced all 8 of the glazing strips. These are very thin aluminum and the originals were very pitted. Replacing the strips has vastly improved the window appearance. You too can reduce 50% of your clearview window pitting my making new glazing strips. AND you get to see how easy it is to polish unpitted aluminum. Those people without pits probably don’t appreciate their shiny metal as much as you will.

I’m not sure there is much to do to upgrade a pitted awning style window except lots of sanding and polishing. The metal is thin and there’s no metal to be replaced to reduce the overall pitting. If you have mostly pitted awning style windows (early 1950’s trailer perhaps?), just be happy they aren’t jalousies, and think about all the other jobs you can knock off your list instead of rebuilding jalousie windows.

With the jalousies, the outside frame is made of much thicker aluminum and can stand up to more aggressive sanding. This takes work but looks pretty good in the end. Learn to live with the pitting on the bottom rail, it’s the worst and that’s the way it is or replace with parts from VTS, if you can. The glass holding side strips are another story. These are very pitted on my worst windows. I see that VTS has replacements for these too and if I was doing this again, I might consider buying them (http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Jalousie_Window_Side_Strips_p/vts-422.htm). Of course, VTS might not have the correct sizes etc and then you need to learn to love the pitts. I’m trying, pits add character…right?

Standing back from the trailer (at least 5 feet) works well too. 

It's true, we kept as much of the character in the old cabinets too. There is something about the aluminum that makes me want to make it shine. Clearly it's a disease and I certainly wouldn't be able to own an Airstream.