itdood

Hey folks!

I hit a nasty pothole this morning going to work (2k3 only 1400 miles ) Driver's side, front and back took the hit.

I can see scuff marks on the sidewalls. The rims are fine. The tires didn't blister.

When I go onto the highway, from about 50 - 65, I felt a slight vibration. It sorta went away for a bit and comes and goes. The frequency feels higher than an unbalanced tire.

I'm going to try rotating the tires tonight, see if that helps.

I'm worried that I damamged the wheel bearing or bent something. (car doesn't pull)

It's been a brutal winter, my other car was almost totaled, now this.

If anyone has any ideas on what I might have done I sure would apprecaite the help...

vito1281

I can definitely see where you're coming from. Although I haven't hit any significant ones yet (and hopefully won't), driving right now is like a damn challenge course, trying to avoid all the potholes. Seems like the salt has eaten away at the asphalt, and I see MAJOR pot holes almost daily. We pay taxes, and what do we get???--a bill to fix our cars cause they don't fix the holes in time, and if you try to file charges with the city, good luck, cause unless you have significant proof that the damage to the car was DIRECTLY related to the pot hole, we won't see a dime.

Sorry, had to vent a little there.

Igor911

iTrader: (10)

I hit one this past weekend and some1 told me to balance that tire. Im going to do that in about an hour or so and let u know if the vibration went away.

kronnman

iTrader: (2)

I blew out both my right side tires this past weekend because of a pothole. It was still raining and this one was disguised (water in it). Hopefully no other damage. But I am replacing all 4 tires now. I was going to do it this summer but I can't wait that long now.

jjs

What you may have done is 'throw a belt' or otherwise bend/damage the structure inside the tire. While this may not actually change the balance of the tire, it can often be enough to cause vibrations.

SoloMaxima

did you scrape anything under the car..??
this past sat. i hit this huge pothole also and i scraped a little under my car....
sux..

Igor911

iTrader: (10)

I just came back from the tire place. It turns out there are 2 bubbles in my sidewalls on both from tires and they said that i need new tires

WTF I just bought these brand new like 6 months ago

kronnman

iTrader: (2)

At least you found them before the actually blew out on you. Blisters on the sidewalls can be dangerous, especially at highway speeds.

jc86

I'd just purchased a set of winter tires on 16" steel rims from Tirerack last week for my wife's 2K3 SE. Even though it's too late for this winter's snow, I felt it might save the OEM wheel from taking a beating through the coming pot hole season.

Not that this might help as it seems the size of the pot hole is bigger than any tire can handle.

Tough break!

itdood

Thanks for the all replies folks!

I was talking to a bud who used to run a NTB store. He said the same things mentioned here. I either killed a belt or two, or I may have thrown a weight off the rim. I have the TE rims, but from what I see, the weight is still on there. I don't see any hint of one missing.

This guy doesn't think I damaged suspension because I don't pull. SoloMaxima, I didn't scrape, although I did knock some fillings out of my teeth

It was a nasty hit.

The tire didn't blister (yet), but I think I may have damaged some belts, I can see a scuff mark on the sidewall. The last time I had one of those the tire did blister, so I'm definitely rotating it to the back tonight until I see what happens to it.

I'm honestly shocked that I didn't get a flat or bend a rim, it felt that bad.

It really is a bummer on such a new car. It doesn't feel new anymore (in my head).

We haven't had a season this bad in 5 or 6 years in the Philly area, I forgot what it was like.

Good luck guys, and watch out for the holes!!!!!

NyMaxedOut

iTrader: (8)

I can definitely second that!