Underbody Coating

UNDERBODY COATING

Underbody coating is usually a dense cladding (often based on rubber) applied uniformly to the undercarriage of the automobile. It is normally sprayed or painted on when the car is just out of the dealership and is clean. But even if you are getting the undercoating applied after a couple of years, it’s fine too. This is because it can prevent further damage to the undercarriage.

There are mainly 4 types of Underbody coating. They are :

1. Rubberized Underbody coating.
2. Wax based Underbody coating.
3. Asphalt based Automobile Undercoating.
4. Polyurethane Underbody coating.

• Rubberized Underbody coating:-   This is widely considered to be the best underbody coating for your car. It protects the underbody from scratches and keeps it properly. It’s also not difficult to apply this to the undercarriage. This can be done at the authorized service center or by the local repair shop at a reasonable price. Rubberized coating is ideal if you want to keep the road noise to a minimum and rust and corrosion away.
• Wax Based Underbody coating:-  This transitory undercoating will, on the whole, fade away after a few months. On the plus side, wax-based undercoating is resistant to dampness. It is also the most cost-effective alternative.
• Asphalt Based Automobile Undercoating:-  Suitable for lorries, trucks, and other heavy vehicles. In comparison to rubber-based coatings, this gives a higher level of protection. Asphalt-based coatings, on the other hand, incorporate a small quantity of rubber for sound insulation. The application of this coating, however, takes some time.
• Polyurethane Underbody coating:-  This covering seals breaks and fractures in the vehicle’s underbody. It provides strong corrosion resistance and also binds to the metal. Unlike an asphalt-based coating, the polyurethane coating may be painted over.

Advantages of Underbody coating

1. Fight rusts:- 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.
2. Absorb 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.
3. 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.
4. Prolong's car 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.

Disadvantages of Underbody coating

1. Costly:- Some of the underbody coatings are costly compared to their life's span. 
2. Maintanence cost:- It adds up into the maintenance cost of a vehicle greatly.
3. Risk of damage during application:- Care must be taken while applying 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 joints in a cars propeller shaft or drive shafts. They can also hinder 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.