Underbody Coating

Underbody Coating

Introduction

We all know how Indian roads are. Full of pot holes, muddy, stones, sand, broken surfaces and what not. Also these includes road in country side. Since we have a good number of challenges on road, it’s become more important to take care of our cars.

All cars have belly or under body which are constantly exposed to the harsh environment. Whenever a car faces harsh environment such as mud, stone striking from tyres, clogged water, splashes, etc, it reduces the life cycle of the vehicle. During the course of time many problems occurs such as corrosion, chipping of paint, dents, etc, which threats integrity and life cycle of the vehicle.

To solve this problem Underbody coating comes into picture. Underbody coating is protective coating which is sprayed on the under body of a vehicle to protect it from external harsh environment and hence giving the vehicle long life and protects its integrity. Once the under body coating is place, it protects the vehicle from corrosion, scratches, dents, minor NVH issues, etc, and give the vehicle a minimum of 5-6 years of life extra. Unlike the visible portions of the vehicle, the underbody doesn’t get washed frequently but it absorbs most of the moisture, grime, salt and other substances we drive. Hence it is quite important to get the underbody coating done as soon as we buy in a car and also we should check it at regular interval of time. Underbody coating helps to provide an additional layer of insulation and protection to the undercarriage of the vehicle. In addition to protecting the vehicle from elemental damage, good undercarriage coating can also reduce engine noise. The underbody coating covers most of the car’s underside, including floor area, chassis, fuel tank, pans, mufflers, suspension parts and exhaust pipes, etc.

Different Types of Vehicle Undercoating

• Rubberized Undercoating

Rubberized vehicle undercoating offers sound-cushioning as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dings or dents. In addition to undercarriage, rubberized undercoating is also safe to use on wheel arch 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.

• Polyurethane Undercoating

The other option for undercoating vehicle is to use a polyurethane-based sealant. 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 other hand, this type of car undercoating generally requires a little bit more surface preparation work before applying i.e., sanding and applying an etching primer to bare metals before using.

• Wax or Paraffin-Based Undercoatings

A paraffin-based undercoating will be the cheapest and quickest option available with which to protect the undercarriage of the vehicle. However, 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 offer least base protection in moderately humid climates.

• Asphalt-Based Undercoating

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. This type of undercoating also needs more cure time others, and is not paintable.

Purpose

1. Protects Against Rust & Corrosion

The primary objective of getting underbody coating done is preventing metal components that are exposed on the bottom side of the car to damage from corrosion. We can shut out the adverse effects of corrosion on our car by simply applying a rubberised anti-rust coating all over the belly of our car.

2. Reduces NVH (Noise Vibrations Harshness) Levels

Our country is filled with roads having uneven patches and potholes and while we manoeuvre our cars through such sections, the unpaved crumbs, and pebbles hit the car from underneath or get stuck in the wheel arch. The underbody coating’s consistency is so thick that the layer it creates absorbs all the unpleasant noises and vibrations and marginally improves the driving experience.

3. Prevents Paint Chipping

Running on the highway or while pacing through a city road, we will often encounter sharp gravel or any other unattended object hitting the belly of your car with high momentum. This scrapes and chips off the metal from down below. A thick layer of Underbody Coating definitely comes to aid and minimises the effects of such contacts on the body.

4. Protects Vital Components

Underneath a car is somewhere a lot of indispensable parts of a car are left exposed like the Engine, silencer, etc. One simply can’t afford to let these parts go bad due to rusting and hence in order to save yourself from a hefty repair bill, a considerably less expensive Anti-Rust Coating is a must.

5. Effect on car’s resale value

All that damage due to corrosion, if left unattended could lead to some permanent damage, which will cost us in terms of rapid depreciation in our car’s resale value. This will make it almost impossible for our car to pass a strict inspection when we will put it up for sale. Hence, regular checks of our car’s underbody condition are the key to maintaining its value.

6. A must-have for coastal areas

Vehicles in the coastal areas are much more prone to corrosion than in any other region. The content of salt in the water floating around during the monsoon season is way too high. Adding to this is the humidity in such areas and these elements further speed up the process of corrosion. Hence getting the car done right with a nice underbody coat job is of utmost importance for people living in the coastal belts.

7. For rural / country side / un-paved / muddy roads

If you live in areas having large sections of unpaved roads, especially in rural part of the country, then monsoon is just going to make things worse. The sand is going to mix with the water and all that muck will get stuck to your car’s belly while you tread over such a course. This makes your car’s underbody more vulnerable to damage but a nice and thick coating will surely help in this case.

Pros of Underbody coating

The pros of undercoating are the protection it provides to the belly of our vehicle. If someone lives in a coastal area or in the cold weather, then these materials can be corrosive to their vehicle. Undercoating gives us an extra layer of protection against rust and corrosion, protecting our car. Even vehicles in warmer climates gain protection as debris is repelled and kept away from hitting at the vehicle.

Cons of Underbody coating

Undercoating will work best on new vehicles that have not been exposed to road conditions. A used vehicle may already have residue on the bottom of the car or even have spots of rust and corrosion. Undercoating will not help if corrosion already exists and the corrosion needs to be removed first before it can be applied, which can be expensive. It is also necessary to keep an eye on the coating since thin coating gets wear out within two or three year. Also before going for under carriage coating of new vehicle it’s necessary to talk to service people because it might lapse the warranty of the vehicle. Hence needs mitigation.