Underbody Coating

Underbody coating

Need: The underbody of a car is often the most neglicted part of the vehicle. The upperbody of the vehicle is washed frequently to rid it of any dirt or grime and prevent any accumulation. However the underbody of the car is always buffetted by debris on the road, dirt and grime. If the roads are wet due to rain or snow then water is also splashed on the under body of the car. The wheel arches are hit the most and are succeptable to maximum damage followed by the area around them, this is due to the tyres flinging debri onto the wheel arches and the underbody. If left unchecked the buildup of grime and moisture will lead to muc that sticks to the bottom of the car. This muc absorbs water and can hold it for a long period of time against the underbody of the car which can lead to corossion.

The job of the underbody coating is to prevent the road debri from causing chip damage when flung against the underbody of the car. While also preventing the grime and dirt from sticking to the underbody and preventing the direct contact of moisture with the underbody.

Advantages of underbody coating:

1. Prevents chip damage from pebbles and gravel that are flung onto the underbody by the tyres.
2. Prevents rusting due to moisture. (essential in vehicles in coastal areas)
3. Rubberised underbody coating in critical areas prevent the road and tyre noise from entering the cabin as they act as sound dampners.
4. Ease of washing, as the underbody of the car can be hosed down with a pressure washer without any worry of rusting.
5. Maintains the condition of the underbody thus the resale value of the car is maintained.

Types:

1. OEM: This is the underbody coating provided straight from the factroy, most mordern cars are given this treatment. However in budget vehicles the coating provided by the factory is considered to be bare minimum coating needed. These factory coatings are of a rubberized material which is sparyed inside the whell arches and critical joints of the car. The thickness and area of this coating depends upon how much the company is willing to spend on the coating as this cost will finally increase the price of the new car.
2. Aftermarket Underbody coating: This coating is done by private shops working mostly with 3M to provide underbody coating. These coatings provided in various options. This type of coating is generally better quality than the coating provided by the manufacturer. The underbody coating is made upof a rubberized material and is done to the whole underbody of the car. The exhaust system is coated in zync if the customer chooses so. A tar based coating is also available with a lower life.
3. Teflon coating: It is a thin layer of polymer type material which is sprayed onto the paint and the underbody of the car. A teflon coat provides protection from corossion as well as protects the paint of the vehicle from UV rays of the sun. A teflon coat is a temporary solution as it will ware off in six months or lesser.

Process:

1. The coating should preferabily done on a car when it is brand new and doesnt have too many kilometers run.
2. The underbody of the car is throughly washed and any dust or debri is removed.
3. It is then left to dry.
4. The exhaust system is wrapped to prevent any overspray of the underbody coat from hitting the system as it will heat up and burn the coat leading to unwanted smoke and smell.
5. A layer of the rubberized material is sprayed on the underbody of the car.
6. The layer of the underbody coat is then left to cure for the specified time as mentioned by the company manufacturing the underbody coat.
7. Primer is then applied to the exhaust system and then it is coated with a zinc coat which is temperature and corossion resistant. This will incarease the lifespan of the exhaust system.

The process mentioned above is followed by 3M car care shops.

Underbody coating is necessary to prolong the life of the floor of the vehicle. Some companies provide good quality underbody coating in all the necessary areas. This coating is more than sufficient for the life span of the vehicle. However some companies skimp out on the underbody coating to keep the car agressively priced. Some companies in todays time like Tata have direct tieups with 3M for their coating and the customer is also given a warrenty card for the same through the company.