Underbody Coating

UNDERBODY COATING

Underbody coating is a sprayable coating which protects the under surface of the vehicle from protection.

Underbody coating provides long term protection from corrosion to car's underbody. It also protects parts like internal body pannels, frame rails and other inner cavities that are not physically accessible but aare prone to corrosion.

Protecting the underbelly of the car should be our top priority. Especially when heavy precipitation causes the roads to become mini-rivers and the cars are left stranded there. this makes them prone to heavy corrosion in the underbody region.

It protects the underbody substrates from:

• Environmental conditions
• Impacts
• Dampens sound and Vibrations
• Insulates against cold and heat
• Protects against corrosion
• Seals off seams
• Hides welds, repairs and bodywork with spray.

TYPES:

1. RUBBERISED UNDERCOATING

Rubberised undercoating is easy to apply and offers sound cushoining as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dings or dents.

In addition to your undercarriage, rubberised undercoating is also safe to use on wheel wells and quater panels and dries to a soft rubbury finish that prevents further rust, damage or moisture seeps. The coating can be painted over and if necessary for bodywork can be easiy removed with an undercoating removal spray.

Overall rubberised undercoating is generally the best option for protecting a vehicle's undercarriage as it provides the simplest and best protective measure against rust and moistures.

2. POLYURETHANE UNDERCOATING

The other option for undercoating our vehicle is to use a polyurethane-based sealant. This type of vehicle undercoating is a little bit quicker and easier to apply.

Often times, polyurethane undercoating will come in canister preloaded into an application gun. This type of sealant works by seeping into all cracks and seams, displacing salt and moisture and oozing arround rusty areas to bond with and protect unoxidised metal. It also sands quickly in case if anyone needs to perform bodywork and can be painted over.

On the filpside, this type of car undercoating generally requires a little bit more surface preperation work before applying.. Sanding and applying an etching primer to bare metals before using are generally recomended.

3. WAX OR PARAFFIN BASED UNDERCOATING

A paraffin based undercoating will be the most cheapest and quickest option available with which to pretect the undercarriage of the car. However it should be kept in mind that the undercoating will wear off quicker than the other types of undercoating and will need to be stripped and reapplied atleast once every year.

Wax based undercoating never really harden. During application they drip or flow into seams and cracks to provide protective properties. They are usually contained in spray gun canister or in aerosol can and can offer protection in moderatley humid climates.

4. ASPHALT BASED UNDERCOATING

For standard vehicles all the above mentioned undercoating processess will provide sufficient protection. For large trucks and heavy machinery,asphalt based undercoating provides extra protection/durability against rocks, chips and moisture.

Asphalt based undercoating generally contains a liitle bit of rubberised material that sets up firmly and also helps soften noise. Generally sold in 5 gallon containers, this type of undercoating also needs more cure time than the other ones and is not paintable making it best to use for undercarraiges.

PROCESS OF UNDERBODY COATING:

• Firstly, the rust from the underbody of the vehicle should be completely removed. It can be removed by processes such as sandblasting or sanding depending on the area and the amount of rust.
• Once the rust has been removed, it should be washed properly and then leave it so that it can dry. This is to ensure that the underbody does not acquire any kind of contamination or dust. Also a degreaser should be used to cleanse the metal parts.
• Most undercoating is generally apllied with a spray gun. A disposable spray gun works best; once the undercoating hardens, it becomes very difficult to clean the gun with thinner. A Schutz disposable spray gun works the best.
• No matter which undercoating is selected for the vehice\lee, 2 coats of undercoating provides the best protection. So it has to be made sure that there is ample time between the 2 coats.
• Finally, the undercoating has to be completely dried up before taking the car out on the road.

ADVANTAGES OF UNDERBODY COATING:

• MINIMISES SOUND:- It minimises the sound underneath the car resulting a noiseless, smooth driving experience.
• HEAT INSULATION:- It insulates the interior of the car from extreme temperatures from beneath the vehicle providing a comfortable driving .
• ANTI-CHIPPING PROPERTY:- If any stone hits the underbody, it does not gets chipped away hence protecting the underbody of the vehicle from any exposure to humidity or water.

DISADVANTAGES OF UNDERBODY COATING:

• Applying underbody coating will not have any effect on the already coroded part.
• Undercoating is costly
• Since the corrosion starts after few years, undeerbody coating is not preferable to owner who frquently changes car.