Prinsu roof rack and touchless car wash. Crossbar discolored.

[3s1kill]

So I got a dab of wd40 on a rag and wiped the rails. It got nice and shiny and looked better. Not sure what it will look like when it washes off or the next time I go through the car wash.

 

[Tejas]

Mine look like that and the paint on my roof could use some love as well since it isn't all that easy to access for a proper cleaning with all of the crossbars in the way. I wouldn't worry about the staining on the bars, with exposure to the elements all of that stuff will look like crap in short order.

 

[Misato]

Oh man, that looks really terrible. That kind of things are mostly caused by the really terrible detergents and all the other solutions used by the automatic car washes. I would actually say, that most of the car washes are actually using this kind of ... trash solutions. That is exactly why I do prefer to wash my cars by myself, as I only prefer to use the best detergents. Also, once a month I like to get my car to a car detailing service. I really like to get my car clean, shiny and nice! And those guys are really great.

 

[3s1kill]

Oh man, that looks really terrible. That kind of things are mostly caused by the really terrible detergents and all the other solutions used by the automatic car washes.

Yea it looks bad, I was pissed when I first got it. Now its been almost a few years I don't care anymore lol.

 

[apc9199]

Its not the car wash, per se, but instead it is the cheap anodizing on the cross bars. Anodizing creates a very thin layer of porous aluminum oxide which is then dyed using various colors which absorb into the pores and are "sealed" using various methods. Cheap anodizing uses poor quality dye and sealer which results in the color bleeding back out of the parts, especially when soaps and detergents are used. That's why the WD-40 makes them look better temporarily. It fills in the pores until it is washed away again. There is nothing you can do about it except have the bars re-coated somehow. I recommend having them powdercoated at a reputable shop using a UV-rated powder. Cheap powder that is not UV-rated will end up doing essentially the same thing over a short period of time. Line-X or bedliner would also be good options.

 

[3s1kill]

Its not the car wash, per se, but instead it is the cheap anodizing on the cross bars. Anodizing creates a very thin layer of porous aluminum oxide which is then dyed using various colors which absorb into the pores and are "sealed" using various methods. Cheap anodizing uses poor quality dye and sealer which results in the color bleeding back out of the parts, especially when soaps and detergents are used. That's why the WD-40 makes them look better temporarily. It fills in the pores until it is washed away again. There is nothing you can do about it except have the bars re-coated somehow. I recommend having them powdercoated at a reputable shop using a UV-rated powder. Cheap powder that is not UV-rated will end up doing essentially the same thing over a short period of time. Line-X or bedliner would also be good options.

Thanks for the info. I'll wait til they are all beat up them have them coated. We have Hydro Dipping place as well. Its mainly used on guns and scratch resistant but not sure how it holds up to UV like you said.

 

[danyo492]

I wonder if the lifetime warranty from Prinsu covers defects in the powdercoat finish. I just ordered one of these and hope it holds up better than this seems to be.

 

[3s1kill]

I wonder if the lifetime warranty from Prinsu covers defects in the powdercoat finish. I just ordered one of these and hope it holds up better than this seems to be.

I didn't realize they have a lifetime warranty. I'll have to look into that. I did complain about powder coating defects on the long side rails and they sent me a complete new set of them. Never asked for the old ones back lol. Return shipping is probably not worth it.

 

[Old Tanker]

You can use a brush carwash with gentle chemicals but the brushes scratch the paint, a brushless carwash with harsh chemicals but no scratches, or do it yourself.

 

[MStudt]

This kind of seems like an issue with the racks finish since the rest of the vehicle seems fine.

Paint & anodize aren't the same, and react differently to chemicals.

This was my thought. These bars should be able to take more abuse then my paint.

Anodizing can actually handle less abuse than automotive paint. Since most of this material is used indoors they aren't going to be very UV stable.

have you tried rubbing oil on it?

Most likely all made in china.

Prinsu uses T-Slots which is made by Bonnell Aluminum, and produced in Utah.

I wonder if the lifetime warranty from Prinsu covers defects in the powdercoat finish. I just ordered one of these and hope it holds up better than this seems to be.

Doubt Prinsu will warranty an anodizing issue on something they buyout rather than make. But worth a try.

Mike

 

[Brick Sprickly]

I may have just missed it, but how old were these bars when they began to discolor? Have they worsened significantly?

 

[baldrik78]

This is just what happens to anodized aluminum bars that are exposed to sun and weather on the roof of your truck. The bars on my SSO look the same, as well as the additional bars I ordered from tnutz.com

 

[3s1kill]

I may have just missed it, but how old were these bars when they began to discolor? Have they worsened significantly?

This was a brand new roof rack. I only had it a few weeks before I ran it through a Laser Wash. They're about 18mo old now and still same issue.