Curbs, Snowbanks, Potholes – Oh My!

Hitting a curb, pothole, or snowbank can throw off your vehicle's wheel alignment.

Posted April 1, 2023

April 1 is an appropriate date to have April Fools’ Day because Mother Nature loves to trick us this month! Will the temperature be -20°C or will it be +20°C? Will we get a sudden downpour of rain, or will we get a huge dump of snow? The answer is anyone’s guess!

The Pesky Pothole

The crazy up and down temperatures in April are the road’s biggest nemesis. Water enters cracks in the pavement and collects beneath the asphalt during the winter. The water expands as it freezes, just like the water in your ice cube; this takes up more space and cracks and weakens the pavement. The ice then melts as temperatures rise or salt is added to the mix; this creates an underground hole where the ice used to be. As heavy vehicles pass over the weakened road, they push it downwards, resulting in the dreaded pothole!

You’ll be sure to see them everywhere in the spring so it’s extra important to keep an eye out for them on the road. Hitting a pothole is jarring for your vehicle and can result in a misalignment of your wheels so here are some tips on how to avoid them:

Slow down so you can have more reaction time if a pothole comes into view.
Keep your tires inflated to the correct PSI for your vehicle to avoid getting a flat tire if you hit a pothole.
Pay attention to cars in front of you. If you see them slowing down, expect that there could be a pothole ahead.
If you see a pothole, don’t try to swerve. You could hit it at an awkward angle and pop your tire.
If you see a pothole, slow down and drive over it as sluggishly as you can.
Avoid puddles because there could be a giant pothole lurking below it!

Sometimes you can’t avoid a pothole so if you do hit one, bring your vehicle to your local Integra Tire and we can test your wheel alignment for you!

The Spiteful Snowbank

When the snow piles up and up and up, it can take a long time for it to melt. Snowbanks in May are not an uncommon sight in Canada! Make sure to beware of them when you’re driving through residential areas and parking lots because the last thing you want is to hit one of those.

Snowbanks may still be found on the side of the roads too. You may be trying to avoid a pothole and end up bombing over a snowbank on the side of the road, which could cause your wheel alignment to be thrown off! If this happens, the experts at Integra Tire are here to help!

The Cruel Curb

Curbs can be cruel. You make a turn, thinking that you’ve properly manoeuvred around the curb and up your tire goes, driving right over it. “What kind of city planner put that curb there,” you probably ask yourself. Well, no one will ever know, but for the times you do hit a curb, at least you know that you can trust the experts at Integra Tire to fix your wheel alignment.

You Keep Mentioning Wheel Alignment – What Does That Mean?

Well, alignment is the process of making changes to a car’s suspension, which is the system that connects the car to its wheels. It has nothing to do with putting the tires or wheels in the right place, but it means adjusting the angles of the tires, which changes how they grip the road. When your wheel alignment is out of whack, it will cause your tires to lose traction and wear unevenly. So, having proper wheel alignment will help you get proper traction with the road and give your tires a long and healthy life.

If you have any other questions about wheel alignments, visit us in-store and ask our Integra Tire experts for more information!

Questions? Our Advisors are Happy to Help!

If you have questions about anything you've read in this resource page, contact your nearest dealer for more information. We are passionate in assisting our customers make the best choices to keep their vehicles in tip-top shape and keep their families safe.