There is an ever-present evil in the world around us. It’s an overt scoundrel, lurking and waiting to change the course of an unsuspecting target’s day. This evil is there at night and during the day, sitting in the middle of our highways, tollways, and country roads. The powers that be fight them on our behalf, but to no avail; when one is eliminated, two more appear. We can all agree that potholes are the worst and should be avoided at all costs. The trouble is that when you’re traveling at 80 mph, they can be tough to avoid. Be aware of them and learn how potholes can damage your car. Be vigilant!

Bent Rims

As mentioned, when traveling at a high rate of speed, potholes come up on you fast. If you are in heavy traffic or following the car in front of you too closely, the holes are tough to see until its too late. They appear fast, and you hit them even faster. When you hit a pothole, there is the risk of bending the wheel. Granted, you have to hit it fast and hard, but it’s possible to do, especially on a motorcycle.

Thrown-off Alignment

Hitting potholes continually will damage your vehicle’s shocks, struts, ball joints, and axels and throw your alignment out of whack. All those parts work in unison to keep the ride smooth and the car traveling in the right direction. When the alignment is off, you’ll feel vibrations in the steering wheel, and the car won’t travel in a straight path if you let go of the wheel. You’ll have to hold the wheel and correct the steering to keep going straight.

Blown Tires

The tires will be the first thing to hit the pothole. So it’s going to take the brunt of the impact and damage. If your car hits a hole hard enough to bend the rim, odds are that the tire will blow out too. That can be because of a puncture in the tire, or the seal could be shot, detaching the tire from the wheel itself. Either way, you’ll be left with a flat tire on the side of the road, so avoid those potholes.

Lost Control

Hitting a pothole causes your vehicle to leave the road for a fraction of a second. But in that second, you can lose control of the car and crash. Different road conditions can lead to crashes in an instant. A pothole contact on a wet street can lead to hydroplaning and total loss of control. The driver becomes the passenger in a hydroplaning situation and the probability of a crash increases. Come visit us at RNR Tire Express, the best tire store in Chattanooga, TN. We can inspect and repair your car or truck tires and alignment on the spot.