Open Today Sales: 9 AM-6 PM
Just like any other urban area, the roadways in Fort Lupton, CO, can fall victim to the occasional pothole. While our city officials work to keep them to a minimum, they can pose a danger to the health of your vehicle if you’re not careful around them. Here are five parts of your vehicle that potholes can damage and what you should do to protect them.
Tires
Your tires are the only place where your vehicle meets the road, and when the roads are in poor condition, it shows. When you hit a pothole, it can have an immediate effect in the form of a blowout, damaged tire walls, or debris that becomes lodged in the tire. There can also be long-term or delayed damage that comes from frequently hitting potholes. You may begin to notice excessive wear that requires you to replace your tires more frequently or uneven wear that has the same result. Properly maintaining your tires with things like routine tire rotations and keeping them properly inflated can reduce some of the possible damage of hitting a pothole, but the best thing to do is to avoid potholes as much as possible.
Wheels
Your wheels can also become damaged by hitting a pothole. If you are traveling at higher speeds when the impact occurs, you may bend, crack, or dent your wheel’s rim. It can also damage the hub and bearings in the wheel assembly, causing vibrations and noises or even stopping the wheel from rotating properly.
Suspension
Hitting a pothole can be detrimental to your vehicle suspension, especially if it is a common occurrence. A particularly hard hit can cause damage to the shocks, struts, and control arm, which will lead to poor handling, cornering, and an overall decrease in performance.
Alignment
Any sudden impact can cause the wheels of your vehicle to become misaligned, and that includes hitting a pothole. Left unaddressed, misalignment can cause steering difficulties, such as your vehicle pulling to one side. It can also cause uneven tire wear.
Undercarriage
There are several components of your vehicle located in the undercarriage, depending on the severity of the impact, hitting a pothole can cause damage to any number of these components, including the exhaust system, oil pan, brakes and brake lines, subframe, and chassis, or even the fuel system.
To avoid potholes, stay vigilant and keep an eye on the road ahead. If you spot a pothole, navigate around it or slow down to minimize impact. Whenever it’s possible, opt for major roads and highways, which are usually better maintained than backroads. Lastly, help reduce potholes by reporting them to your local transportation department whenever you encounter one.
No matter how cautious you are, hitting a pothole is sometimes unavoidable. If you've recently encountered one and suspect your vehicle might need a wheel alignment or tire inspection, schedule an appointment with the service team at Yoder Chevrolet to ensure your vehicle stays in top condition.