Hitting potholes with a lowered car

[jamezgt]

Hey guys, I have a lowered car, and today I hit a huge pothole, which made a big clunk sound in my car. It sounded like I hit something. Did I hit my fenders? Can someone tell me what it is? and what are some problems that can happen to my car if I hit potholes?

[skidz88]

Have it looked at if you're worried. I think if it drives fine and you didn't notice anything different about it then it should be ok. I know how it feels though, I paid $518 a couple weeks ago due to a pothole damaging my car.

[danns]

I had a hole in my exhaust which upto this day I still blame for a lowered car. Good luck on the speed bumps, some people like to drive through those diagonally, including me.

[MP3_SKY]

I hit potholes all the time with my lowered car in Montreal. I wouldn't too worry about it unless you find your car miss-aligned or something weird.

[TT333]

I worry about my exhaust..

With my car (lowered) , I can't hit speedbumps whatsoever, or enter some driveways. Not that it does a lot of damage but it could- and it makes a terrible and embarrassing sound.

Speedbumps, however, seem to be okay. Probably just because your car is so stiff it makes the sound-- just like how if it had a nice big soft suspension it would absorb the pothole...

as mentioned, if you don't notice anything wrong, its probably fine.

[hagbard]

[BartBandy]

I don't understand how anyone could drive a lowered car as their daily driver and not do some damage now and then. Wheel rubbing, ramps, steep driveways, potholes...everything is a potential repair. Even snow on side streets must be an issue.

Anything to reduce the dreaded "wheel gap". Known in other circles as "minimum clearance".

[Tomy]

I don't understand how anyone could drive a lowered car as their daily driver and not do some damage now and then. Wheel rubbing, ramps, steep driveways, potholes...everything is a potential repair. Even snow on side streets must be an issue.

Anything to reduce the dreaded "wheel gap". Known in other circles as "minimum clearance".

i have no problems with my car..

as for the snow issue, unless your car is really aggressive, i see no problem to it.


for a lot of things, you pay to play...

[kleptodathief]

a lowered car just looks more aggressive/sexier, u gotta luv peeps with big rims and NO drop and they have that 4x4 look

[gilboman]

a lowered car just looks more aggressive/sexier, u gotta luv peeps with big rims and NO drop and they have that 4x4 look

but they can also make a left turn into a gas station without having to slow to 5km/h and go up into the station diagonolly while hoping traffic will slow down and not him. or god forbid in winter, there's a nice chunk of snow/ice there.

[hagbard]

Just more evidence that Idiocracy wasn't fiction.

[VorteC]

If it's a loud thump you heard, it's probably your shocks bottoming out... compressing to the point where it hits the bump-stops.

[baboo2004]

+1

but they can also make a left turn into a gas station without having to slow to 5km/h and go up into the station diagonolly while hoping traffic will slow down and not him. or god forbid in winter, there's a nice chunk of snow/ice there.

[ES_Revenge]

I don't understand how anyone could drive a lowered car as their daily driver and not do some damage now and then. Wheel rubbing, ramps, steep driveways, potholes...everything is a potential repair. Even snow on side streets must be an issue.

It all depends on how much the car is lowered and how low the parts of the car become once lowered (e.g. bumpers, trans/oil pans, mufflers, etc.). Just because any given car is lowered at all doesn't mean it's going to get damaged because of it.

Anything to reduce the dreaded "wheel gap". Known in other circles as "minimum clearance".

Lowering isn't done only for this reason, though it is commonly a main reason for lowering. Lowering also lowers the CofG of the vehicle however, thus increasing handling performance.

[TheRide]

If it's a loud thump you heard, it's probably your shocks bottoming out... compressing to the point where it hits the bump-stops.

+1 Your suspension bottomed out. Try not to let that happen too often.