Underbody Coating

UNDERCOATING:

Undercoating is a thick coating applied to the underside parts of the vehicle to prevent them from rusting. It is normally sprayed or painted uniformly when it is out from showroom and from service centres. It is not necessary to get undercoating after every service. It’s fine to get it done after couple of years.

Before & after undercoating the lower body parts.

There are different types of undercoating as follows:

1. Rubberized Undercoating:

This is generally considered as one of the best coating in the automobile industry. It preserves the underbody well, protects it from scratches. Applying this to the bottom carriage is easier.

2. Wax based Undercoating:

The life span of this coating is too less and will wear away in few months. This type of coating has great hustle with the moisture. It is the most affordable option in market.

3. Asphalt Based Automotive Undercoating:

Best sited for trucks and large vehicles this provides a greater degree of protection compared to rubber-based coatings. This method of coating contains little amount of rubber for sound-insulation purposes. It is a time-consuming process.

4. Polyurethane Undercoating:

This coating closes up splits and fractures on the underbody of the vehicle. It offers up good protection against corrosion and also bonds with the metal. Unlike in the case of asphalt-based coating, you can paint over the polyurethane coating.

Advantages:

1. Fights rust:

Vehicle in the regions where the humidity, snow and moisture are more the chance of parts getting rusted is also high, so it is better to get undercoating to prevent rusting of the automobile parts.

2. Absorbs Noise:

If the coating is thick then the noise reaching the cabin will be reduced.

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.

4. Prolong Car’s Life:

Good undercoating not only defends the underbody from corrosion but also protects the engine and transmission as well. The damage received by the underbody parts will be less.

Disadvantages:

1. Less Effective if corosion already exists:

Once there is rust underneath, vehicle undercoating won’t give you many effective results. Though the coating will be covering the damage that already took place, the rust inside will continue its job to lead to corrosion.

2. Works well on new vehicles:

If your car is already old enough or you bought a used one, then undercoating wouldn’t be a good choice. As coating the underneath of a used or old car requires the removal of all the residue, it will cost you more which is definitely not the best idea.

3. Need to reapply every 3 to 5years:

You must be ready to invest on under coating every 3 to 5years. If you are living near coastal areas then it would be better to have undercoating for every 3years.