Pot Holes Prevention

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

The roads are bad. Of course in winter every time it freezes new bumps and holes develop as well.

But seriously, sidewall. You put 60+ inches of sidewall and that should be enough cushioning to reduce impact a quite a bit. And good wheels. I have 14" forged wheels. In the 4 years I have owned them they have taken a pounding that would have destroyed more than a few stock wheels, and they are still perfect. I did destroy two stock wheels in the 2 years I drove the car before that as well.

As for other damage? You can't do anything but slow down and try and avoid them. I've hit my frame on the road because of a pothole before, can't really do anything except know the car should be able to take it.

There is no magic road flattener.

Wow. I've encountered some bad roads in MA, but I'm glad I've managed to avoid the ones that triggered your description.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jayeh

You haven't been to Ontario. I hit a pot hole so deep my car bottomed out. The worst part was I was already absolutely crawling.

It gets even worse at night and when they are filled with water and you can't judge the depth of them.

I'm pretty sure I've swerved so hard I've only had 3 wheels on the ground more than a couple of times to avoid some massive potholes.

Are the public roads (overall) in Ontario worse than the roads in Saskatchewan? In Ontario I've driven from the Manitoba border on 17, through Thunder Bay, Marathon, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, to the 417, and through Ottawa to the Quebec border. I've also driven the 401 from the Quebec border to Windsor, and the QEW from Toronto to Niagara Falls. I've driven some surface streets in the Toronto Metro, the Windsor Metro, in Niagara Falls, in Ottawa, Thunder Bay, and in Sault Ste. Marie (this was mostly in 2006 and a bit in 2007, but also on another trip more than a decade earlier). Obviously, I didn't even 'stratch the surface' when it comes to roads driven on, but I found the roads in Quebec and especially in Saskatchewan to be worse than in Ontario. I was driving on the 16 from Edmonton to Saskatoon, and as soon as I hit the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, I was amazed by the negative change in the condition of the road. The road from Regina to the Manitoba border was a little better, but the surface streets in Regina were in terrible condition. The worst roads I encountered in Canada were in Newfoundland, but they weren't public roads -- they were private roads that belonged to various campgrounds.

[tooter]

Originally Posted by YodaBird

I said what can I do to the car that can reduce pot hole damage, not how I can avoid pot holes

I live in a rural area with some pretty rough dirt roads so I run 15x7 wheels with relatively tall 195/60 series tires, a rear sway bar with strut/shock tower braces front and rear, and the stock suspension height for good ground clearance.

[jcboy]

i guess in regard to the OP's question, the answer is: get the smallest wheels you can, with tires having the thickest side walls possible, and put lifters if you will.

..but d@mn that's fugly.

[atxsteve1]

You should get some super swampers and cut your fender wells out with a sawzall

[narly charley]

Originally Posted by atxsteve1

You should get some super swampers and cut your fender wells out with a sawzall

If you do this, you'll feel like you're driving on pillows... I love it! Haha!

Fill the swampers with 22 lbs of air and you're good to go.

[YodaBird]

Originally Posted by jcboy

i guess in regard to the OP's question, the answer is: get the smallest wheels you can, with tires having the thickest side walls possible, and put lifters if you will.

..but d@mn that's fugly.

What tires do you recommend with thick side walls ?

[why?]

anything with 60+ sidewall ratio.