Pothole and steering advice

MarinJeff · 03-22-2009, 12:07 PM

Hello Addicts,

A couple weeks back I was conned into driving into SF with 3 adults on a rainy night. At one light I hit the gas relatively enthusiastically just when a work ditch that ran perpenpendicular to the road came up. I hit the manmade pothole square on with both wheels. It made a loud bang when it hit but I heard no bad scraping sounds. After, the car showed no visible damage and more importantly there were no signs of the car shuddering at high speed or pulling to one side.

But, after then I have convinced my OCD self that the steering is lighter than before and keep feeling for a dead spot on center. I also have wondered alternatively if the steering of the car has just always been on the lighter side and it just took the pothole for me to fully realize it

So, tell me 1addicts, do all 1-series have light steering or did my car get affected by the pothole or am I just going mad??

Thanks,

Jeff

rcracer_tx · 03-22-2009, 01:17 PM

If the car rides fine now, it's more than likely ok.

I kno what you mean about being paranoid though. My stomach sinks every time I hit a pot-hole in the road.

MarinJeff · 03-22-2009, 10:11 PM

Thanks for the reassurance.

1speedbike · 03-23-2009, 12:09 AM

I don't think the steering would have gotten effed up, I would be more worried about checking the tire pressure. I was driving a calm, slow 60 on a 55 highway and hit what I thought was a normal highway (route 17 NJ near Paramus) and hit a horrible pothole which ended up needing to replace my RFT.. that was a serious "wtf i hate RFTs go to hell BMW" moment. Uneven roads tend to drain the pressure on the stock tires, if I had more money I would just replace them but after buying winters and some other goodies I'm not in a position to change my stock tires... though I definitely will ASAP, I feel like the stocks are just begging to be flattened/broken by the slightest bumps in the road. Then again my sister drives a Lexus IS250 with all-seasons and has had 3 pothole flats in 6 months and the tires are much thicker. Then again she's a "woman driver" lol ;]

my point: don't worry about the steering, it's very unlikely that any pothole would mess that up. just check the tire pressure just to be sure! :]

shodanusmc · 03-23-2009, 08:24 AM

Rather than worry, just take it in to the service dept and have your front end checked out. If you were driving straight, doubt there is a problem especially since you did not bottom out.

03-22-2009, 12:07 PM	#1
MarinJeff The Stig 4 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 iTrader: (0)	Pothole and steering advice Hello Addicts, A couple weeks back I was conned into driving into SF with 3 adults on a rainy night. At one light I hit the gas relatively enthusiastically just when a work ditch that ran perpenpendicular to the road came up. I hit the manmade pothole square on with both wheels. It made a loud bang when it hit but I heard no bad scraping sounds. After, the car showed no visible damage and more importantly there were no signs of the car shuddering at high speed or pulling to one side. But, after then I have convinced my OCD self that the steering is lighter than before and keep feeling for a dead spot on center. I also have wondered alternatively if the steering of the car has just always been on the lighter side and it just took the pothole for me to fully realize it So, tell me 1addicts, do all 1-series have light steering or did my car get affected by the pothole or am I just going mad?? Thanks, Jeff __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Sport Pkg, Coral, Glacier, Ipod/USB, BMW Assist, BMW Performance Pedals Last edited by MarinJeff; 03-22-2009 at 10:09 PM..
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03-22-2009, 01:17 PM	#2
rcracer_tx Banned 55 Rep 2,013 Posts Drives: BSM 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	If the car rides fine now, it's more than likely ok. I kno what you mean about being paranoid though. My stomach sinks every time I hit a pot-hole in the road.
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03-22-2009, 10:11 PM	#3
MarinJeff The Stig 4 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the reassurance. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Sport Pkg, Coral, Glacier, Ipod/USB, BMW Assist, BMW Performance Pedals
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03-23-2009, 12:09 AM	#4
1speedbike Brigadier General 734 Rep 3,274 Posts Drives: 2022 X4 M40i, 2008 135i Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: MKE iTrader: (15)	I don't think the steering would have gotten effed up, I would be more worried about checking the tire pressure. I was driving a calm, slow 60 on a 55 highway and hit what I thought was a normal highway (route 17 NJ near Paramus) and hit a horrible pothole which ended up needing to replace my RFT.. that was a serious "wtf i hate RFTs go to hell BMW" moment. Uneven roads tend to drain the pressure on the stock tires, if I had more money I would just replace them but after buying winters and some other goodies I'm not in a position to change my stock tires... though I definitely will ASAP, I feel like the stocks are just begging to be flattened/broken by the slightest bumps in the road. Then again my sister drives a Lexus IS250 with all-seasons and has had 3 pothole flats in 6 months and the tires are much thicker. Then again she's a "woman driver" lol ;] my point: don't worry about the steering, it's very unlikely that any pothole would mess that up. just check the tire pressure just to be sure! :] __________________ 2022 X4 M40i - 2008 135i - 2015 F700GS On Order - 2024 i4 M50 Scruffy's gonna die the way he lived... Mmhm.
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03-23-2009, 08:24 AM	#5
shodanusmc Captain 21 Rep 774 Posts Drives: 09 135 Vert Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago burb iTrader: (0)	Rather than worry, just take it in to the service dept and have your front end checked out. If you were driving straight, doubt there is a problem especially since you did not bottom out.
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