Underbody Coating
Underbody Coating
Underbody refers to the belly of your car, the underside that sits closest to the road. Everyday as you drive, rocks, road debris, and salt on snowy roads brushes up against the underbody of your car. When you bring your car in for service, it’s raised on a rack so that the mechanic can access certain components and inspect the underside of the car for damage or rust in order to prevent more serious conditions from developing.
Why should you get Underbody Coating for your car?
Just like how people require shelter and additional care, cars need them too. Just parking your car inside a garage will not solve the problem as the car is exposed to ever-changing weather conditions especially in a country like India. Cars need to be given additional care especially during monsoon seasons and South India’s monsoon season just being around the corner, the car’s underbody should be given extra care. A car’s underbody is exposed the most to muddy terrains, potholes, debris and stones, and wet and even flooded roads that lead to corrosion of the underbody. Since the underbody is hard for us to inspect by ourselves, it is important to have an underbody coating in order to ensure your car is protected during these times. But here’s a list of reasons why you should get underbody coating and what all external factors it prevents.
Protection against corrosion
The main reason for getting an underbody coating is to prevent rusting and corrosion. This is not only required during the monsoon season but also in hot and humid climatic conditions. The coating is also a must if you tend to live in coastal regions where the humidity in these areas speeds up the process of corrosion. This can be eliminated by asking your car service professional to apply a rubberised anti-rusting coat on your car’s underbelly.
Protection of vital car components
The car underneath holds vital components like the silencer, engine, and numerous other wires and small engine components for different purposes in the car. The car’s underneath cannot simply be led to corrosion and further damage due to the car being driven during any weather condition. To avoid further major issues, the antirust coating is a must for the underbody. This is again extremely important if you’re living in an all-year monsoon season or moderately high rainy regions as underbody coating is highly necessary for these situations.
Car’s resale value might be affected if not taken care of
Just ensuring your car looks outside and inside is not enough. One must take great care of the underbody as well as the resale value would be greatly affected due to high corrosion. It should not be left uncared for which would lead to permanent damage and huge loss and might not be taken for resale. Therefore, regular inspection of the car’s underbody must be carried out in order to retain the car’s value.
Reduces NVH(Noise Vibration Harshness) levels
Being in a country where not all roads are smooth enough and are filled with potholes, stones, debris, and uneven road levelling, the underbody coating prevents and absorbs all noise created by the contact of the surface of the road and the car by minimising this.
Car underbody coating prevents paint from chipping
When your car travels at high speed on a highway, the small stones and debris hit your car’s underbody in this process and may lead to chipping of the underbody paint. Hence, it is advisable to have a thick layer of underbody coating to prevent paint from chipping
Interior and Exterior | It’s Car Hygiene Time!
This is why you should go for underbody coating for your car. You will see a striking difference in NVH levels and it will also help you preserve your car. Some manufacturers do offer it straight from the factory. Check it out before buying one. If you are buying a second-hand car, a Pitstop expert can inspect it for you along with dozens of other tests.
Different Types of Vehicle Undercoating
Having undercoating professionally applied to your vehicle can be expensive, but fortunately, if your budget is tight, you can do it yourself for a fraction of the price. Here are some of the various types of undercoating available.
Rubberized Undercoating
Rubberized vehicle undercoating is easy to apply and offers sound-cushioning as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dings or dents.
In addition to your undercarriage, rubberized undercoating is also safe to use on wheel wells and quarter panels, and dries to a soft rubbery finish that prevents further rust, damage, or moisture seeps. The coating can be painted over and, if necessary for bodywork, can be easily removed with an undercoating removal spray.
Overall, rubberized coating is generally the best option for protecting your vehicle's undercarriage, as it provides the simplest and best protective measures against rust and moisture
Polyurethane Undercoating
The other option for undercoating your vehicle is to use a polyurethane-based sealant. This type of vehicle undercoating is a little bit quicker and easier to apply.
Oftentimes, polyurethane undercoating will come in canisters ready to preload into an application gun. 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 unoxidized metal. It also sands quickly in case you'll need to perform bodywork and can be painted over.
On the flipside, this type of car undercoating generally requires a little bit more surface prep work before applying -- sanding and applying an etching primer to bare metals before using are
Wax or Paraffin-Based Undercoatings
A paraffin-based undercoating will be the cheapest and quickest option available with which to protect the undercarriage of your vehicle. However, keep in mind that it will wear off quicker than other types of undercoating and will need to be stripped and reapplied at least once every year.
Wax-based undercoatings never truly harden. During application, they drip or flow into seams and cracks to provide protective properties. They 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
For standard vehicles, any of the aforementioned types of undercoating will provide sufficient protection. For large trucks and heavy machinery, asphalt-based undercoating provides a bit of extra durability against rocks, chips, and moisture.
Asphalt-based undercoating generally 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.
Advantages
- Underbody coating will protect the vehicle against corrosion which results in a life of the vehicle.
2. Underbody coating can be applied to damaged areas which reduce the visible nicks, chips, and scratches.
3. There are various types of underbody coatings available in the market which are used according to our requirement.
4. Underbody Coatings can be self-applied with some basic car maintenance skills.
5. Applying a layer of undercoating creates a barrier against the sound, which creates an interior that is quieter results in noise reduction.
Disadvantages
- The biggest drawback of the underbody coating is the cost, its very expensive at the professional service centres.
2. Underbody coating adds weight to the vehicle which will have an impact on the fuel efficiency of the car.
3. Underbody coating must be reapplied for every 2 to 3 Years for better results.
4. In most of the cases underbody coating for a new vehicle is generally provided by the manufacturer but a third-party undercoating service may void the vehicle warranty.