Underbody Coating

1. Underbody Coating and how it protects our car

Underbody coating is usually a dense cladding (often based on rubber) applied uniformly to the undercarriage of the automobile. 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. Underbody coating can also reduce wear and tear.

Types of Undercoating:

The various kinds of automotive underbody coating that one can go for are as follows,

• Rubberized Underbody Coating: This is generally thought of as the best underbody coating for car. It preserves the underbody well, protecting it from scratches. Applying this to the undercarriage is not much of a hassle either.

• Wax Based Underbody Coating:

This – more or less – ephemeral undercoating will wear away in a few months’ time. On the upside, wax-based undercoating puts up a big fight against moisture. It is also the most affordable option out there.

• Asphalt Based Automotive Underbody Coating:

Best suited for lorries, trucks and large vehicles this provides a greater degree of protection compared to rubber-based coatings. However, asphalt-based coatings contain little amounts of rubber for sound-insulation purposes. The process of applying this coating is a bit time-consuming though.

• Polyurethane Underbody Coating:

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 of Underbody Coating:

• Fights Rust:

It plays an important role in keeping corrosion at bay. Underbody coating can come in handy especially if one lives near the sea, where there is too much humidity, and rusting is just one of those everyday things. One should also seriously consider undercoating if one resides 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.

• Reduces NVH (Noise Vibrations Harshness) Levels:

Our country is filled with roads having uneven patches and potholes and while we maneuver our cars through such sections, the unpaved crumbs, and pebbles hit the car from underneath or get stuck in the wheel wells. 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.

• Prevents Paint Chipping:

Running on the highway or while pacing through a city road, you 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 minimizes the effects of such contacts on the body.

• 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.

2. Why your car needs Underbody Coating

• A must-have if you live in 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 your car done right with a nice underbody coat job is of utmost importance for people living that beach life.

• If you live near unpaved/muddy roads:

If you live in areas having large sections of unpaved roads, 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 and a nice and thick coating will surely help.

3. Products:

• MAFRA Lubrigraph Anti Rust Coating, Car Underbody Protection
• VISTA AUTO CARE Underbody Evo- Anti gravel Coating
• Evershine Underbody Anti Rust Coating
• 3M Underseal Car Anti Rust Under Chassis Coating