RX8 fever

I was driving my car down a street that it's being repaired. From two lanes road it goes to one. At the beggining of the new construction they are placing new asphalt. There is a sudden drop from the old road to the new one. So the road is uneven at the beggining and at the end of the new construction. I usually slow down when I'm about to go over bumps. I was distracted and on the second bump, going from lower(new road) to a higher level(Old Road) the front wheels got a big smack!!!. I wonder if anything happened to the car. I mean the car still runs with no deviation to any of the sides and there is no vibration at any speed. I guess the loud noise was due to a very stiff suspension,but still I wonder If I did anything to the car.
Thanks

Racer X-8

If it's any consolation, the very same thing happened to me about a month ago. Definitely was not nice. No wierd sounds though, just what I would have expected to hear. It all depends how thick that transition was and how fast you hit it and if you were braking, how hard were you braking. (I wasn't braking & that was good for me. I was doing about 25-30 mph & the transition was maybe 2" with no ramping, just a sudden change in road height.) Like you, I don't think there was any damage done, cus there's no sign of damage either visibly or in behavior.

RX8 fever

I was going about the same speed ( 20-25 MPH). I believe is about 2 to 3 inches difference. It was a loud noise and scared the hell out of me. Remind me of other cars (Front wheel drive) and the wheel alligment will go really bad and vibration even at 40MPH, well a nightmare. When I heard the sound , I panicked. I said Oh, No, the car is going to get screwed. So far there is no strange noises and the performance is the same. I'll be more than careful next time.
Thanks.

rx8cited

Hi Racer X-8,

Ouch! Do you think the impact was hard enough to put the front end alignment out? I'd suggest both of you keep a close eye on your tires for uneven wear possibly caused by the alignment being out of whack.

regards,
rx8cited

Racer X-8

Uh, I really don't think so. Another thing was that, for me anyway, and I think RX8 fever too, I hit it with the wheels straight. I really was worried more about the wheels. It was a very unexpected thing, and the reason I mention that is because a person doesn't think much about hitting a bump if you know that it's gonna happen. It might have been more than you thought it was gonna be, or you just had to hit it, so you let out a cus word or two, then it fades out of your memory. I think a lot of people have hit bad bumps, railroad crossings or potholes & the experience was not pleasant, you know? But then it fades out of memory. But this one was bad & unexpected, so it kinda stays with you.

But, yeah, it was pretty nasty & I will keep an eye on the tires for uneven wear...thanks!

RX8 fever

Thats a good point. Because we were driving straight , I would believe that the impact was even throughout the front wheels. It is no the same( I Think) when you have one wheel into a pothole and the other in a different angle. I will watch the tires.
Thanks guys.

Nubo

One thing I worry about with this car is damage to the rims. I've never driven a car with these kind of low-profile tires. I have to think that they will offer significantly less protection to the rims from sharp impacts (ledges, potholes, railroad tracks). There is simply less distance for the rubber to travel before it bottoms out on the rim. If I had a serious impact I would check the rims carefully and look for any bulges at the edge where it meets the tire. Both inside and outside edges.

Racer X-8

Yep, me too & you're right, no doubt. That was the first thing I did when I parked it. The span of the rim between spokes is pretty much too, on the oem's. It could go out-of-round (be bent slightly) if the impact hit "mid-span" between 2 of the 5 spokes. That would set-up a virbration at highway speed though, no doubt.

Also, tire damage is possible.

I think we were a bit lucky that the bump wasn't any worse. We were close to the breaking point.

KKMmaniac

Yeah, the car lets you know when you hit bumps like that! I've hit a few nasty ones myself, and can look forward to a winter filled with unexpected wheel slams.

Like last night: the roads here in general really suck (I guess we don't pay enough taxes?) and when your car (including windows) is covered with road salt and slime, and the streets are dark and greasy at night, it's hard to see steps and chuckholes until it's too late.

With both summer and winter wheels and tires on the car at their appropriate times, I haven't noticed any tire, rim or suspension damage though.

Golfer

Keep an eye out for bubbles on your RE040's they are notorious for getting them easily. Audi S4 owners brought a class action against Audi and they agreed to pay for any costs involved for tire replacements.

SiCkRx-8

Yeah bad story: Coming home from school last weds. from the city (John Jay U) and I came through the Lincoln Tunnel ok. im coming around the bend to go onto 495 west in the right lane, not the exit only right lane but the one next to it. As im rippin it around the turns i must have hit the whole in the ground that goes straight through to f*ckin china. I mean I hit this thing so hard and my friend was like "HOLY S*it, wtf was that." In my head I'm like hurting, I basically felt the rim break, but I forgot about it til yesterday while I was washing the car in 35 degree weather, When I go to that Rim I noticed a bubble. Under the bubble there is my lip of my aftermarket rim, BENT. Now i have to go and either fix it or replace it. UGH f*cking potholes.