Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My trailer walls are steel framed. I will be skinning the trailer in aluminum. What type of rivets do I use to mate these dissimilar metals? Steel, aluminum, or stainless rivets?

Stainless , but it will still likly react eventualy

Closed end blind rivets for sure.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/32i9GcSAqoL.jpg

Material...stainless sounds like a good choice.

You can minimize the galvanic action with a tape between the steel and the aluminum skin. Use Google

Galvanic/cathodic corrosion is pretty slow if the surface isn't constantly exposed to salt water. My aluminum skinned trailer is attached to its angle iron frame with aluminum rivets. The trailer was built in 1948 and I am seeing a few (~10) failures due to corrosion. Several of those have occurred in the last 2-5 years.

<Chas>

I have built food carts using stainless and aluminum over steel framing. I almost always use stainless steel in the shop. Just keep in mind that using a hand rivet gun and stainless rivets can be a task. I use an air powered rivet gun or occasionally for repair work a 2 hand rivet gun for the stainless. Aluminum rivets are a lot easier to pop and can be done with an inexpensive gun.

This might shed some light on a preferable way to get the best long term results.

http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/fabrica ... lar-metals

Thanks guy's! Looks like sealed stainless rivets are the best option for corrosion purposes. I will have a barrier between steel frame and aluminum skin. The trim will also be coated.