Harsh Roads.. - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

JohnyBoy · 07-30-2014, 12:16 AM

Hi all. I am new to camaro5 so forgive me in advance if im reposting or not posting in the appropriate section.

I live in an area that has very badly paved roads, full of potholes, cracks, dips, bumps..you name it. My question is how can i prevent damage to my cars on these rough roads? Which components should I inspect every now and then? My cars are 100% factory aside from the tints.

Thanks everyone,

Kopterman · 07-30-2014, 07:29 AM

Don't hit the bad parts of the road?

Swacer · 07-30-2014, 07:55 AM

Trade the camaro and buy a truck?

goinggone14 · 07-30-2014, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swacer

Trade the camaro and buy a truck?

Blasphemous.

Careful driving, keep an eye on your lower front bumper for scraping, and around the gills for potential rocks kicked back by your front tires.

I've seen some people get the rock guards for behind the wheels, although I don't know if that's something you're considering or even aware exists.

Evergreen6 · 07-30-2014, 08:39 AM

Be careful of hitting potholes too hard...the possible damage there could be to the tire, fracturing or bending a wheel, or bending stuff in the front suspension. You could get some body damage as well (front bumper cover, undercarriage- depending on how deep the hole is). If you blow a tire or bend a wheel, there's a good chance there could be damage to the suspension, otherwise you're probably OK. Keep an eye on the alignment (car should drive straight, not pull to one side, tires should wear evenly)

If you feel a shake in the steering wheel, first thing is to check and correct any tire pressure issues. If that doesn't resolve it, have the tires balanced. Wheel balancing weights tend to fly off or shake loose sometimes. A tire shop will be able to tell you if the wheel is out of round as well.

I actually haven't crawled under the car to look how the suspension is set up. I assume it's got struts up front and some kind of strut or shocks in the rear. These are wear items and will wear out quicker on poor road surfaces. Thakfully, they're a maintenance item and can be replaced relatively easily. Sometimes the shocks leak when they're done or have been damaged, otherwise they just don't work. It equates to a really sloppy feeling suspension where the car will continue bouncing after you've hit a bump. Youtube for more information.

You and everyone else in cold states with vicious freeze/thaw cycles has this issue with poor road surfaces. Avoid bad spots when you can; and sometimes you just can't, when the road surface is uniformly poor. Keep an eye on the stuff mentioned.

NYCamOwner · 07-30-2014, 09:52 AM

If you go fast enough, you would never hit the potholes, right???

Kleeeb · 07-30-2014, 12:47 PM

I live in an area like that too, where everything is junk. The roads are terrible here, and to be completely honest with you, you can't. You will scrape, like I have. You will get those chips, like I have. Im surprised i haven't demolished my front shocks from a huge pothole that wasn't avoidable because it was right in front of the on ramp to i10. You just deal, and learn to appreciate your car in different ways, rather than the ride quality and its perfection, because it won't always stay perfect

goinggone14 · 07-30-2014, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kleeeb

I live in an area like that too, where everything is junk. The roads are terrible here, and to be completely honest with you, you can't. You will scrape, like I have. You will get those chips, like I have. Im surprised i haven't demolished my front shocks from a huge pothole that wasn't avoidable because it was right in front of the on ramp to i10. You just deal, and learn to appreciate your car in different ways, rather than the ride quality and its perfection, because it won't always stay perfect

Took me 2 whole months to scrape the front left underside of the bumper. I maintain it's the fault of that the guy turning out of the driveway on the wrong side of the road, however it was bound to happen eventually.

SabotAndHeat · 07-30-2014, 02:53 PM

I thought this was going to be a thread about the worst places to drive...i.e. worst roads driven by Camaro owners. Ha ha.

HollyVenus · 07-30-2014, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kleeeb

I live in an area like that too, where everything is junk. The roads are terrible here, and to be completely honest with you, you can't. You will scrape, like I have. You will get those chips, like I have. Im surprised i haven't demolished my front shocks from a huge pothole that wasn't avoidable because it was right in front of the on ramp to i10. You just deal, and learn to appreciate your car in different ways, rather than the ride quality and its perfection, because it won't always stay perfect

ha.... Houston and surrounding areas do have some of the worst roads... I want to move to vegas area... those roads were fantastic... I do my best to avoid those hideous roads... but I travel one daily, I've learned to weave and bob and take advantage of no cars coming in the other lane and center the car over the yellow stripe... most of the torn up road is where the passenger side tires would travel... if there are oncoming cars I try to ride that area between the shoulder and bad part of the road (I don't stick around there too long, there no curb and a soft shoulder... too far to the right and I could end up in the ditch)

If it is a road that you travel often... try to remember where they are and do what you can to avoid them.

ChrisBlair · 07-30-2014, 03:11 PM

Spashguards front and back

Clear plastic film on the body from the bottom of the rockers to under the gills

Take a photo of the gills so you can remember what they used to look like before the chips

Xii239 · 07-30-2014, 03:14 PM

The best thing you can do is get a clear bra on, I have XPEL ultimate paint protection film. It helps against most rock chips. So now if a rock hits you, it hits the film not your car and 'self heals'. Within the week I got it installed, rocks were still hitting my car so hard on the highway that I have small rips and dents in the film. So not matter what you do your car is going to get road rash.

My opinion, just get some rock guards for your wheels, and then every year or so get your faschia repainted. My XPEL film cost me $1900 (that was WITH a 30% discount) and I got the whole front up to the doors and the extended rockers that protect my gills and behind my back wheels. For that price I could have gotten my front repainted 6 or 7 times.

My best piece of advice would be do not tailgate. Stay FARRR far far away from other cars and your front will remain in pretty good shape. But I live in CT and my Camaro is my daily driver and even with the XPEL the front is medocre to say the least. But hey, from 5 feet away he looks immaculate haha.

Kleeeb · 07-30-2014, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goinggone14

Took me 2 whole months to scrape the front left underside of the bumper. I maintain it's the fault of that the guy turning out of the driveway on the wrong side of the road, however it was bound to happen eventually.

Exactly. I scraped my bumper badly enough down to the plastic a couple months ago and there was nothing I could do about it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HollyVenus

ha.... Houston and surrounding areas do have some of the worst roads... I want to move to vegas area... those roads were fantastic... I do my best to avoid those hideous roads... but I travel one daily, I've learned to weave and bob and take advantage of no cars coming in the other lane and center the car over the yellow stripe... most of the torn up road is where the passenger side tires would travel... if there are oncoming cars I try to ride that area between the shoulder and bad part of the road (I don't stick around there too long, there no curb and a soft shoulder... too far to the right and I could end up in the ditch)

If it is a road that you travel often... try to remember where they are and do what you can to avoid them.

That works sometimes. But my incidents happened on a road trip to Florida! LOL. Just did this in Louisiana Sunday... No fun :(
There's something about that passenger side lol...

ssrs2lt · 07-30-2014, 08:27 PM

get ready to be a bobble head doll.. these ain't no caddy rides.. great advice above . just a tiny negative of the mighty Camaro .

07-30-2014, 12:16 AM	#1
JohnyBoy Drives: GM car Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: North America Posts: 49	Harsh Roads.. Hi all. I am new to camaro5 so forgive me in advance if im reposting or not posting in the appropriate section. I live in an area that has very badly paved roads, full of potholes, cracks, dips, bumps..you name it. My question is how can i prevent damage to my cars on these rough roads? Which components should I inspect every now and then? My cars are 100% factory aside from the tints. Thanks everyone,

07-30-2014, 07:55 AM	#3
Swacer Drives: 2018 GT350 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: PA Posts: 2,719	Trade the camaro and buy a truck? __________________ Off to the Dark Side

07-30-2014, 09:52 AM	#6
NYCamOwner "Katy" Drives: 2014 2LT A6 'Vert Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Western New York Posts: 1,076 View My Garage	If you go fast enough, you would never hit the potholes, right??? __________________ 2014 Black 2LT Convertible Elite Engineering Catch Can, Vitesse Throttle Controller, CAI Cold Air Intake Possible next mods: Throttle Body Exhaust Upstate C5 Member No, that is not me in the avatar..... I just love hot girls and hot cars.... or hot girls IN hot cars....

07-30-2014, 12:47 PM	#7
Kleeeb Drives: 2014 Red Hot 1LT/RS Join Date: May 2013 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 1,801	I live in an area like that too, where everything is junk. The roads are terrible here, and to be completely honest with you, you can't. You will scrape, like I have. You will get those chips, like I have. Im surprised i haven't demolished my front shocks from a huge pothole that wasn't avoidable because it was right in front of the on ramp to i10. You just deal, and learn to appreciate your car in different ways, rather than the ride quality and its perfection, because it won't always stay perfect __________________

07-30-2014, 03:11 PM	#11
ChrisBlair Buick 455 Fan Drives: 1970 Buick, 2012 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Boston MA Posts: 5,957	Spashguards front and back Clear plastic film on the body from the bottom of the rockers to under the gills Take a photo of the gills so you can remember what they used to look like before the chips __________________

07-30-2014, 07:29 AM	#2
Kopterman Drives: 2014 Bright Yellow 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: NH Posts: 794 View My Garage	Don't hit the bad parts of the road?

07-30-2014, 08:39 AM	#5
Evergreen6 Drives: 2023 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: United States Posts: 1,436	Be careful of hitting potholes too hard...the possible damage there could be to the tire, fracturing or bending a wheel, or bending stuff in the front suspension. You could get some body damage as well (front bumper cover, undercarriage- depending on how deep the hole is). If you blow a tire or bend a wheel, there's a good chance there could be damage to the suspension, otherwise you're probably OK. Keep an eye on the alignment (car should drive straight, not pull to one side, tires should wear evenly) If you feel a shake in the steering wheel, first thing is to check and correct any tire pressure issues. If that doesn't resolve it, have the tires balanced. Wheel balancing weights tend to fly off or shake loose sometimes. A tire shop will be able to tell you if the wheel is out of round as well. I actually haven't crawled under the car to look how the suspension is set up. I assume it's got struts up front and some kind of strut or shocks in the rear. These are wear items and will wear out quicker on poor road surfaces. Thakfully, they're a maintenance item and can be replaced relatively easily. Sometimes the shocks leak when they're done or have been damaged, otherwise they just don't work. It equates to a really sloppy feeling suspension where the car will continue bouncing after you've hit a bump. Youtube for more information. You and everyone else in cold states with vicious freeze/thaw cycles has this issue with poor road surfaces. Avoid bad spots when you can; and sometimes you just can't, when the road surface is uniformly poor. Keep an eye on the stuff mentioned.

07-30-2014, 02:53 PM	#9
SabotAndHeat Drives: 2010 Camaro Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 412	I thought this was going to be a thread about the worst places to drive...i.e. worst roads driven by Camaro owners. Ha ha.

07-30-2014, 03:14 PM	#12
Xii239 Drives: 2014 2LT/RS Black Camaro Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: CT Posts: 195 View My Garage	The best thing you can do is get a clear bra on, I have XPEL ultimate paint protection film. It helps against most rock chips. So now if a rock hits you, it hits the film not your car and 'self heals'. Within the week I got it installed, rocks were still hitting my car so hard on the highway that I have small rips and dents in the film. So not matter what you do your car is going to get road rash. My opinion, just get some rock guards for your wheels, and then every year or so get your faschia repainted. My XPEL film cost me $1900 (that was WITH a 30% discount) and I got the whole front up to the doors and the extended rockers that protect my gills and behind my back wheels. For that price I could have gotten my front repainted 6 or 7 times. My best piece of advice would be do not tailgate. Stay FARRR far far away from other cars and your front will remain in pretty good shape. But I live in CT and my Camaro is my daily driver and even with the XPEL the front is medocre to say the least. But hey, from 5 feet away he looks immaculate haha. __________________

07-30-2014, 08:27 PM	#14
ssrs2lt Drives: too many Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: oh va pa ma tx Posts: 3,046	get ready to be a bobble head doll.. these ain't no caddy rides.. great advice above . just a tiny negative of the mighty Camaro .