Spring is hard on springs – Notice problems early

It is well known that the roads in Saint John (and the rest of New Brunswick) are horrible and this is especially the case in Spring. Frost heaves and pot holes are around every corner, waiting to catch you off guard. The danger of these hazards is that they can really beat up your suspension, ball joints, tires, wheels, and more. Last week while doing a Motor vehicle inspection for a customer we noticed a cracked spring – which could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t caught before another big bump.

 

What can you do?

One of the best things that you can do, is report unsafe road hazards such as pot holes to the city. If they don’t know about it, it can’t get fixed. You can report these on Saint John’s Potholes 101 page.

Be alert and vigilant when driving. New pot holes can form fairly quickly, just because there wasn’t one there this morning, doesn’t mean that there won’t be tonight. Slow down, and beware of puddles, as many can be deeper than they look.

I hit a bad one, now what?

We all have the same cringe every time we accidentally hit something faster than we should have. After you’ve hit a pothole pay attention to your car, and listen for new knocking or other noises as you continue to drive. Also feel how the car is on the road.

• Is your car not driving as straight? You might have knocked your alignment out a bit.
• Bumps in the road feeling a bit rougher? Something may be broken in your suspension like a strut or a spring
• Feeling a pulsating in the steering wheel or in your seat? Your rim may be bent, or tire could be compromised.

If anything feels or sounds different, bring it in to be looked at as soon as you can. Catching these issues early can save a lot of grief and money. Call or email us with any questions you have, and we’ll get you back on the road as soon as we can. Same and next day appointments usually available.

Enjoy the nicer weather – and be safe on the roads!