A method of treating a substrate, such as a metal surface, by application of a silane coating composition containing at least one water-soluble or dispersible silane and a polymeric resin, which may be provided as a water-based dispersion of polymeric resin, the polymeric resin being present in an amount less than 10% by weight of the composition to slow the rate of corrosion of the metal surface and/or to promote adhesion of rubber thereto. The at least one silane can include a bis-amino silane, a vinyl silane, a bis-sulfur silane, or mixtures thereof and the polymeric resin may include an epoxy resin, acrylate resin, polyurethane resin, novolac resin, or mixtures thereof. The silane coating compositions may be either water or solvent based.