Underbody Coating

What is under Body Coating:

Underbody coating is a thick cladding (typically made of rubber) that is placed uniformly on the car’s underside. When the automobile is fresh off the lot and spotless, it is usually sprayed or painted on. But it’s acceptable if you apply the undercoating after a couple of years. This is because it might protect the undercarriage from additional harm.

>The above figure clearly explains to us about the actual usage of underbody coating, it looks very good after the underbody coating completes.

Why UnderBody coating :

>In Indian road conditions, a car's underbody is most prone to corrosion. Underbody coating provides long-term protection from corrosion to the 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.

>A car’s underbody is exposed the most to muddy terrains, potholes, debris and stones, and wet and even flooded roads that lead to corrosion of the underbody. Since the underbody is hard for us to inspect by ourselves, it is important to have an underbody coating in order to ensure your car is protected during these times. But here’s a list of reasons why you should get underbody coating and what all external factors it prevents. 

Purpose:

• Protection against corrosion
• Protection of car vital components like silencer, engine, numerous other wires, and small engine components for different purposes in the car. 
• Reduces NVH(Noise Vibration Harshness) levels
• Car underbody coating prevents the paint from chipping
• Covering all the welded joints

Underbody Coating Types:

1. Rubberized under body Coating:

>This is widely considered to be the best underbody coating for your cars. It protects the underbody from scratches and keeps it properly. It’s also not difficult to apply this to the undercarriage. This can be done at the authorized service center or by the local repair shop at a reasonable price. Rubberized coating is ideal if you want to keep the road noise to a minimum and rust and corrosion away.

>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.

2. Wax Based Under Body Coating:

>This transitory undercoating will, on the whole, fade away after a few months. On the plus side, wax-based undercoating is resistant to dampness. It is also the most cost-effective alternative.

3. Asphalt Based UnderBody coating:

>Suitable for lorries, trucks, and other heavy vehicles. In comparison to rubber-based coatings, this gives a higher level of protection. Asphalt-based coatings, on the other hand, incorporate a small quantity of rubber for sound insulation. The application of this coating, however, takes some time.

>Asphalt Based Undercoating does require a thicker film thickness meaning you will have to apply more product to the surface to be protected than if you use Wax Based Undercoating. Additionally, Asphalt based products require more surface preparation because they can actually seal in rust and moisture allowing them to continue to grow. Finally, Asphalt based products continue to dry out over time causing.

4. Polyurethane Under Body Coating:

>This covering seals breaks and fractures in the vehicle’s underbody. It provides strong corrosion resistance and also binds to the metal. Unlike an asphalt-based coating, the polyurethane coating may be painted over.

>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 the unoxidized metal. It also sands quickly in case you'll need to perform bodywork and can be painted over. On the flip side, this type of car undercoating generally requires a little bit more surface prep work before applying to sand, and applying an etching primer to bare metals before using is generally recommended.

Pros:

1. It provides a layer of protection against corrosion.

2. It will extend the life of your vehicle.

3. It can be applied to damaged areas.

4. It may help to reduce interior noise.

Con's:

1. It is less helpful if corrosion is already present.

2. It works best on new cars.

3. Most vehicles make it five years before corrosion begins to show.

4. It adds weight to the vehicle.

5. An undercoating is not impervious to damage.