Underbody Coating

1. Write a one-pager about Under-Body Coating and its purpose, its types in detail, and its pros and cons

Mayur Vispute

Underbody Coating

Introduction-

Underbody coating is usually a dense cladding (often based on rubber) applied uniformly to the undercarriage of the automobile. It is normally sprayed or painted on when the car is just out of the dealership and is clean. But even if you are getting the undercoating applied after a couple of years, it’s fine too. This is because it can prevent further damage to the undercarriage.

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.

Purpose of Underbody Coating-

Undercoating is the sprayed application of a wax or rubber-based composite onto the entire underside of the vehicle. It's designed to create a rust-proof layer between the underside of the vehicle and the water, ice, and salt of the road. Undercoating provides a more comprehensive protective layer for your vehicle.

Protection aggainst Corrosion-

The main reason for getting an underbody coating is to prevent rusting and corrosion. This is not only required during the monsoon season but also in hot and humid climatic conditions. The coating is also a must if you tend to live in coastal regions where the humidity in these areas speeds up the process of corrosion. This can be eliminated by asking your car service professional to apply a rubberised anti-rusting coat on your car’s underbelly.

Protection of Vital car component-

The car underneath holds vital components like the silencer, engine, and numerous other wires and small engine components for different purposes in the car. The car’s underneath cannot simply be led to corrosion and further damage due to the car being driven during any weather condition. To avoid further major issues, the antirust coating is a must for the underbody. This is again extremely important if you’re living in an all-year monsoon season or moderately high rainy regions as underbody coating is highly necessary for these situations.

Keep the Value-

Just ensuring your car looks outside and inside is not enough. One must take great care of the underbody as well as the resale value would be greatly affected due to high corrosion. It should not be left uncared for which would lead to permanent damage and huge loss and might not be taken for resale. Therefore, regular inspection of the car’s underbody must be carried out in order to retain the car’s value.

Reduces NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) Levels-

Being in a country where not all roads are smooth enough and are filled with potholes, stones, debris, and uneven road levelling, the underbody coating prevents and absorbs all noise created by the contact of the surface of the road and the car by minimising this.

Prevents Paint from Chipping-

When your car travels at high speed on a highway, the small stones and debris hit your car’s underbody in this process and may lead to chipping of the underbody paint. Hence, it is advisable to have a thick layer of underbody coating to prevent paint from chipping. Thus, you must get your car’s underbody coating done from time to time to ensure the above factors do not affect your car. Here at Pitstop, we offer underbody inspection and coating services hassle-free. We also highly recommend getting underbody coating not just for the monsoon season, but for any season throughout the year.

Types of Underbody Coating-

Rubberized Undercoating-

Rubberized vehicle undercoating is easy to apply and offers sound-cushioning as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dings or dents.In addition to your undercarriage, rubberized undercoating is also safe to use on wheel wells 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 with an undercoating removal spray.Overall, rubberized coating is generally the best option for protecting your vehicle's undercarriage, as it provides the simplest and best protective measures against rust and moisture.

Polyurethane Undercoating-

The other option for undercoating your vehicle is to use a polyurethane-based sealant. This type of vehicle undercoating is a little bit quicker and easier to apply.Oftentimes, polyurethane undercoating will come in canisters ready to preload into an application gun. 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 flipside, this type of car undercoating generally requires a little bit more surface prep work before applying -- sanding and applying an etching primer to bare metals before using are generally recommended.

Wax or Paraffin based undercoatings-

A paraffin-based undercoating will be the cheapest and quickest option available with which to protect the undercarriage of your vehicle. However, keep in mind that 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 are usually available in a spray gun canister or in an aerosol can and offer at least a base protection in moderately humid climates.

Asphalt based undercoating-

For standard vehicles, any of the aforementioned types of undercoating will provide sufficient protection. 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. Generally sold in five gallon containers, this type of undercoating also needs more cure time than the other three, and is NOT paintable, making it best to use only for undercarriages.

Advantages of Underbody Coating-

Fights Rust-

It plays an important role in keeping corrosion at bay. Underbody coating can come in handy especially if you live near the sea, where there is too much humidity, and rusting is just one of those everyday things. You should also seriously consider undercoating if you reside 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. There would be fewer dents, dings and scratches on the undercarriage for you to fret about.

Disadvantages of Underbody Coating-

• It won't do anything about the corrosion which is already present.
• It works best on new cars.
• A third party undercoating service might void your vehicle warranty.
• It adds weight to the vehicle.

Thank you.