Underbody Coating
UNDERBODY COATING
INTRODUCTION
A car’s underbody is exposed to the most wear and tear caused by muddy water, potholed roads, stones, and other obstacles on the road. Because it’s not in plain sight, we often do not see the damage.
The Underbody Treatments offers you a long term solution for issues related to corrosion and rust. It also minimizes sound from underneath the vehicle and insulates against the heat and cold.
WHAT IS UNDERBODY COATING?
The underbody coating that is most commonly used on cars is a thick, rubberized paint that forms a 2-3 mm thick coating all along the underside of the car when sprayed on. You also get a thinner clear coat underbody coating which is like a lacquer that coats the entire underside of the car. Some even inject rust-preventive coating material into crevices such as the bottom of doors and door sills, to protect them from rust.
Some car manufacturers already offer some underbody coating straight out of the factory which is usually sprayed inside the wheel arches and under the floorboard of the car.
Different methods for applying undercoating products:
- Spray
The most common method of dealer-applied undercoating is via the spray. The coating itself is a tar-like substance that ‘sticks’ to the undercarriage components and acts as a barrier to resist salt, moisture, oxygen, and other items that lead to corrosion.
- Electronic
This method involves removing the electrical current capacity of items underneath the vehicle. It circulates a weak electrical current through the materials, which reduces the potential of corrosion.
- Drip Oil Spray
Drip oil spray is an incredibly messy, but very effective method of protecting the undercarriage. When it’s sprayed, it fills all the nooks and crannies of the chassis, providing an exceptional layer of protection. The problem is it takes a long time to cure. In fact, it’ll continue to drip for a minimum of 48 hours in most cases, and not fully cure for up to a week.
- Dripless Oil Spray
This is a wax-like substance that will be applied to the entire vehicle (body and undercarriage) to provide a rather strong layer of protection but can wear thin sooner than other traditional methods.
Benefits of underbody coating
1. Minimizes Sound: It minimizes the sound from underneath the car resulting a noiseless, smooth driving experience.
2.Heat Insulation: It insulates the interior of the car from extreme temperatures from beneath the vehicle providing a comfortable cabin experience.
3.Anti-chipping property: If any stone hits the coating it does not get chipped away hence protects the underbody from exposure to water.
4.Rust Prevention
Ideally, any additional underbody coating should be applied when the car is brand new and clean. Car manufacturers use thick paints and sealants for the underbody, but adding an underbody coat especially in coastal cities is useful. Saltwater tends to corrode cars really badly.
Downsides to underbody coating:
High cost
The cost of underbody coating has come down but is still expensive. This is because the underbody coating offered by a car dealer is one way in which they make money off the customer.
Risk of damage during application
Care must be taken while applying the underbody coating. This thick rubberized paint if not applied properly, can get into moving mechanical parts and cause premature failures – such as into the U-joint or CV joints in a car's propeller shaft or drive shafts. They can also hinder the smooth movement of suspension components if applied incorrectly. And there’s also the risk of overspray on to the car’s paint finish on the lower edges of the car.
IMAGES RELATED TO UNDERBODY COATING
Before underbody Coating
After underbody Coating