Underbody Coating

UNDERBODY COATING

DEFINITION:-

Undercoating is thick resilient coating applied to the underbody or chassis of an automobile to protect against impact damage from small stones, which will rapidly chip ordinary paint, allowing rusting to begin. It is also used to protect part like internal body panels, frame rails and inner other cavities that are not physically accessible but are prone to corrosion. The use of UBC play vital role in service life of the vehicle.

Here, we can easily understand by following image.

PURPOSE OF UNDERBODY COATING

1. Stone chip prevention
2. Improve driving comfort
3. Abort car fare
4. Dampens sound and vibration
5. Protect against corrosion
6. Made maintenance easy
7. Insulates against cold and heat
8. Hide welds, repairs and bodywork with spray

TYPES OF UNDERBODY COATING

1. Rubberized Undercoating

Used for protection of dust, moisture and dings and it is safe to apply on wheel wells and panels. It has thickness of 2 to 3mm.

2. Asphalt Based Coating

Used for heavy trucks and vans for protection from rocks, chips and moisture and gives a great durability.

3. Polyurethane Coating

This type of sealant works by seeping into all cracks and seams, displacing salt and moisture and oozing around rusty areas to bond with and protect none oxidized metal. It is quick and easy to apply.

4. Paraffin Based Coating

A paraffin based undercoating will be the cheapest and quickest option available with which to protect the under carriage of your vehicle.

BENEFITS OF UNDERBODY COATING

1. Rust Prevention

Ideally any additional underbody coating should be applied when the car is brand new and clean. Car manufacturer use thick paints and sealants for the underbody, but adding an underbody coat especially in coastal cities is useful. Salt water can corrode cars really badly. On bad roads, flying stones and pebbles can chip off the original underbody coating and leave the metal exposed. Using under body coating.

2. Sound Insulation

The thicker underbody coatings used on cars also act as effective sound dampeners. They can reduce road noise and tire noise and make cabin seem quieter due to the sound absorptive nature of rubberized paints.

3. Easy Maintenance

A uniform black underbody coating gives a car a clean look. It also makes the car easier to maintain by just hosting the underside down. You can be confident that slush build up won’t lead to rusting easily. Most underbody coats these days come with a five year warranty, which is lifetime of such a body.

DOWNSIDE OF THE UNDERBODY COATING

1. HIGH COST

Cost of underbody coating has come down, but is still expensive. This is because underbody coating offered by a car dealer is one way in which they make money off the customer.

2. RISK OF DAMAGE DURING APPLICATION

Care must be taken while apply underbody coating. This thick rubberized paint if not applied properly, can get into moving mechanical parts and cause premature failure such as into the U-Joint or CV points in a cars propeller shaft and drive shafts. This can also hinder smooth movement of suspension components, if applied incorrectly. And there is also the risk of overspray on to the car’s paint finish on the lower edges of the car.

CONCLUSION

Finally, As per the Indian road condition, a cars under body is most prone to corrosion. Under body coating provides long term protection from corrosion to car’s under body. It also protects part like internal body panels, frame rails and other inner cavities that are not physically accessible but prone to corrosion.