Is Undercoating A Real Thing? And Other Vehicle Protection Questions

Posted on: 6 May 2018

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At one time, people joked that undercoating was a fake thing for which mechanics charged extra. They would kiddingly warn consumers against asking for the "undercoating special." However, undercoating is NOT a fake thing, nor is it a joke of any kind. In fact, it is very real. Here are a few other vehicle protection questions that often get a raised eyebrow until consumers are shown the truth.

Splashing Through Asphalt to Protect the Underside of Your Truck

Believe it or not, the concept of using bitumen to protect the underside of one's truck started as a practical joke/prank. Someone tricked someone else to drive through a watery puddle of poorly-mixed asphalt. The result was a protective undercoating that lasted almost as long as a road. Now you can buy this stuff in a spray on can or paint-on can of mixture that requires a special roller to apply. 

Rubber Undercoating Will Not Make Your Car Bounce

Yes, this spray-on undercoating is rubber. It will prevent the underside of your car or truck from rusting. It will not cause your vehicle to bounce over low bumps in the road, nor will it prevent your shocks from wearing out. You can easily apply this stuff yourself, but you will have to buy about four to eight cans of the stuff to spray all of the underside metal plates of your vehicle.

Rustproofing Does Work -- for a Time

Rustproofing as an undercoating does work, but it is limited. In places where rain, snow, and ice are uncommon, a rustproofing spray coat will last a year or two. If you live where rains are heavy, or snow and ice occur a few months out of the year, you will have to wash under your vehicle and recoat the underside every few months. Driving through salt and/or sand a lot also means that you will have to reapply the rustproofing coat. Thankfully, there are auto car washes now that offer the rustproofing undercoat as an extra step in the car wash process.

Soundproofing, Too?

Yes, sometimes people like to soundproof the undersides of their cars. It may sound bizarre, given the very nature of cars and trucks and that they always make noise. However, soundproofing a truck can help a hunter sneak up on his/her prey in the wild. You can buy undercoating sprays that soundproof your vehicle as well as rubberize it and seal it against rust/corrosion.

For more information on finding the best undercoating for trucks, contact your local auto accessories store.