Underbody Coating

In Indian road conditions, a cars underbody is most prone to corrosion. Underbody coating provides long term protection from corrosion to car’s underbody. It also protects parts like internal body panels, frame rails and other inner cavities that are not physically accessible but are prone to corrosion.

Benefits OF UNDER BODY COATING:

• Minimizes Sound: It minimizes the sound from underneath the car resulting a noiseless, smooth driving experience.

• Heat Insulation: It insulates the interior of the car from extreme temperatures from beneath the vehicle providing a comfortable cabin experience.

• Anti-chipping property: If any stone hits the coating it does not get chipped away hence protects the underbody from exposure to water.

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.

Thus, you must get your car’s underbody coating done from time to time to ensure the above factors do not affect your car. Here at Pitstop, we offer underbody inspection and coating services hassle-free. We also highly recommend getting underbody coating not just for the monsoon season, but for any season throughout the year.

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.

PURPOSE:

The main purpose of undercoating is to check rust especially in the body components like frame rails along with other exposed metal parts. Underbody coating can also reduce wear and tear.

Car Undercoating:

No matter the climate, the underbelly of every vehicle needs proper care and protection. Undercoating helps protect your vehicle against rust and corrosion.

Seals on the underbelly parts have gotten a lot tighter and more effective at keeping out dust and moisture, but there are other factors to consider. Poor roads, rocks getting thrown from the tires and denting the metal, and corrosion from road salt in the winter all play a huge part in the damage or decay of a vehicle's underbelly. 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.

The Difference Between Rust Protection and Undercoating

Undercoating and rust protection often go hand-in-hand, but they are actually two different things. Rust protection generally goes inside your vehicle, while undercoating is used for protection outside of the vehicle, and there are a variety of coatings available. Depending on the level of damage and how much protection you want for your vehicle will determine which type of automotive undercoating you choose.

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 UNDERBODY COATING 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 SEALENT. 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 generally recommended.

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 of Undercoating

Now we will tell you why you should consider investing in a vehicle underbody coating.

• Fights Rust
  

  It plays an important role in keeping corrosion at bay. Underbody coating can come in handy especially if you live near the sea, where there is too much humidity, and rusting is just one of those everyday things. You should also seriously consider undercoating if you reside in a place where it snows in winter.

• Absorbs Noise

  Believe it or not, very thick undercoating can soften the noises that reach the cabin. Since the undercoating is often made up of rubber it absorbs some of the rackets. The occupants of the car could spare themselves of the road noises – at least up to a certain extend.

• Reinforcement
  

  If your car comes with stock underbody coating, using another coating on top of it, is not going to hurt. It will offer additional reinforcement, protecting the underbody from water, road debris, gravel and small pebbles. There would also be a lesser chance for the factory coat to flake away.

• Prolong Car’s Life
  

  Good undercoating not only defends the underbody from corrosion but also protects the engine and transmission as well! Less rusting coupled with slower wear and tear can surely add years to the lifespan of your vehicle. There would be fewer dents, dings and scratches on the undercarriage for you to fret about.

• Warranty and Other Perks
  You can get a warranty on many undercoatings. As it will help you to claim it if it is exposed to rusting in the underbody .