Spring is here, and we all know what that means. Potholes. Potholes everywhere. If you’ve recently hit one of Jasper’s several spring road features, bring your vehicle to our service center to make sure everything is still in good shape. Even if you don’t feel anything particularly wrong at the moment, there are several issues that can arise down the line simply from hitting one major pothole on your way to work.
Alignment Issues
The most likely issue you’ll encounter after driving through a pothole is a misaligned suspension. The problem with an issue like this is that you probably won’t notice an issue immediately unless you have actually broken a part (More on that later). As you drive, a misaligned suspension will cause accelerated tire wear, worn out wheel bearings, and eventually you’ll notice poor handling and vibrations as you drive. Having your alignment checked immediately after hitting a pothole will let us correct any issues before they can get any bigger, and you’ll enjoy the long-term savings of one-time vigilance.
Broken Suspension Components
You might think that you would immediately notice a suspension problem after hitting a pothole, but its likely you wouldn’t notice a cracked or leaking shock for hundreds or thousands of miles after it begins. Your shocks are filled with fluid that controls damping and expansion as you encounter bumps and dips in the road. However, an extreme bump can crack the reservoir or loosen a seal that will cause a slow leak. You won’t notice a rough ride right away, but after a while you’ll find sloppy handling and longer stopping distances as the shock collapses with no fluid left to control compression.
These are just a few of the issues you can encounter after hitting a pothole, and Ruxer Ford is here to help Japser drivers take care of your vehicles as we deal with crumbling spring roads in our area.