Under Body Coating submitted by Shrikant Sawant

UNDER BODY COATING-Submitted by- Shrikant Sawant

It’s important to protect all aspects of your vehicle from damage, rust, and decay. From the windshield to the tires to the actual body of your car, automobiles need upkeep to prevent them from becoming an undriveable pile of rust. All the moving parts work together to form a well-functioning and safe-to-drive whole, and it’s easy to forget about the things on your vehicle that you don’t see — like the underbelly. That’s where car under coating comes into play.

Importance of Underbody Coating

No matter the climate, the underbelly of every vehicle needs proper care and protection. Under coating helps protect your vehicle against rust and corrosion. Poor roads, rocks getting thrown from the tires dents the metal, and corrosion from slosh in the rain, all plays a huge part in the damage or decay of a vehicle’s underbody. Used vehicles especially will need a little underbelly protection while it’s already been exposed to contaminants and rust, applying undercoating will prevent further damage. Underbody Treatment protects the car underbody from rust, increasing the longevity of the car and thus enhancing its resale value. It minimizes the sound from underneath the car resulting a noiseless, smooth driving experience. It insulates the interior of the car from extreme temperatures from beneath the vehicle providing a comfortable cabin experience.

Following images will give better idea of necessity of underbody coating.

Without Underbody Coating With Underbody Coating

About Underbody Coating

Underbody Coating (UBC) is a plastisol that is a shear-thinning paste, which is applied to the vehicle in the paint shop. UBC is applied on the underside of the vehicle and in the wheel wells. Once curing is complete in the paint-shop ovens, UBC becomes a semi-elastic/solid that resists corrosion and abrasion. It is hardly affected by temperature and can be applied vertically and horizontally completely drip and mist-free across a wide range of temperatures. Once applied, an elastic, non-adhesive and highly wear-resistant black film is created.

Types of underbody coating-

Rubberized Undercoating- It is easy to apply and offers sound-cushioning as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dings or dents. This coating can be painted over and, if necessary for bodywork, can be easily removed with an undercoating removal spray.

Polyurethane Undercoating- This undercoating is a little bit quicker and easier to apply. Oftentimes, polyurethane undercoating will come in canisters ready to preload into an application gun. It also dries quickly in case you’ll need to perform bodywork and can be painted over. On the other hand it generally requires a little bit more surface prep work before applying, sanding and applying an etching primer to bare metals are generally recommended.

Wax or Paraffin-Based Under coatings- Paraffin type of undercoating are cheapest and quickest option available, but it easily wears off than other options and will need to be stripped and reapplied at least once every year. Wax-based UBC never truly harden and these are usually available in a spray gun canister or in an aerosol can and offer at least a base protection in moderately humid climates.

Asphalt-Based Undercoating- It is specially used for large trucks and heavy machinery as it provides a bit of extra durability against rocks, chips, and moisture. It contains a little bit of rubberized material that sets up firmly and also helps soften noise. Generally sold in five gallon containers, this type of undercoating also needs more cure time than the other three, and is NOT paintable, making it best to use only for undercarriages.

SOP for applying UBC- Select the right kind of car undercoating will go a long way towards protecting your car from damage caused by the elements and help prevent further rust or decay. Make sure your work area is clean, well-ventilated, and has adequate lighting. Wearing a dust mask and old protective clothing is advised.

• Clean underbody thoroughly and try to make surface rust free by sanding or sandblasting
• Once you’ve removed the rust and prepped your undercarriage for coating, use degreaser to clean the metal t is also recommended.
• Give it a quick rinse and let it dry to ensure you aren’t further trapping any contaminants on your vehicle’s underbody.
• Most undercoating is generally applied with a spray gun. Apply two coats will provide the optimum protection. Allow ample dry time between coats.
• Let the undercoating cure completely (usually overnight) before driving your vehicle on the road.

Following images will provide idea about how it looks before and after UBC treatment.

Following are the few propperties of Under Body Coating material

• Appearance- Black, white, off white color
• Specific Gravity - 0.95to 1. 36g/ml
• Viscosity - 75-130 Pa.s.

Thank You