Background - I've been lowered on Dspecs & Road Magnets since November '07. When I went lowered, we had two 4" speed bumps at work that looked like parking blocks & I cleared them just fine. Enough complaining by workers, the speed bumps came out.
Now, back in the fall, the company had enough of workers speeding by the docks, they went OVERBOARD and put in 4 speed bumps just to reach the building. To get to ANY parking, I must go over 1 bump. It looks a lot lower than 4", but I didn't actually measure. It's also maybe 1.5-2' deep to go over, made of poured blacktop.
At first I could ease over, crazy, crazy slow and nothing would happen. However, in the past 2 weeks, I'm scraping daily after the front wheels cross the bump. I took a look under the car today & this is what I found:
I'm pretty sure in the 2nd one I can see yellow paint from the bump amongst my rust. I think that's what's hitting, it looks to be the lowest part of the car.
1. What exactly is that part I'm scraping?
2. Should I worry?
3. Why would I only start scraping in the past 2 weeks? I've been crossing these bumps for months
The other day on the hike out to my car I struck up convo with a woman who drives a bright green Charger that started parking out where I do. She said that her mechanic told her she has busted tie rods, which he told her usually are something people in trailer parks get since they're always going over speed bumps. It's ridiculous really, stupid bumps.
I have hit that same part before and im not worried. I'd rather hit that than my oil pan.
I do believe that its a brace for the engine cradle, subframe, whatever....
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Used to drag mine it's in 3-4x worse shape then yours. No worries from what I can see looks just like a subframe brace to protect the oil pan and lower engine components.
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Yeah, I've seen J's without that brace. I wouldn't stress.
Just stay away from
these car washes,
lol! Hell with automatics.
its just a cheap @!#$ty flimsy "brace", no need to worry
you are likely hitting your cat when the front wheels drop over the speed bump,
I would imagine that you have scrapes on it as it is.
this is the case for me especially on really long speed bumps.
so far no big issues with it, but I am only on the prokits and agx's(all though I think the struts actually give me about 3/4 of an inch farther drop in the front than just the springs should)
Thanks guys, sounds like no reason to raise it back up just yet. I don't like the sound of anything scraping & it really makes me angry that it does it every single day I'm at work. Guess I can feel a little more relaxed about it. Bah.
Steve, I tried to get a look at the cat and it didn't appear to have scratches. Although, I can't really get too far under to look since it is sitting so low. I'll have my husband check it out the next time he does an oil change. We're actually going through replacing his right now (not from scraping) & I'm pretty sure I don't want mine to be damaged too! If we would happen to see the paint, I may raise it back up. It seems to scrape immediately when the wheels go down, not convinced just yet it's the cat because it's farther back than what it seems to be scraping. Maybe if we get some warmer weather (ha!) I may go stick my arm under with the digi cam to snap a spy shot to help me see what's doin'! My hands nearly froze off taking pics yesterday haha
Mines worse then that
HAHAH Ya no problems with it messed up. Just a support that goes from radiator to subframe brace
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yea thats no big deal. i cant tell you how many times ive scraped mine.
how do you go over the speed bumps? do you go straight at them or over them on an angle? cut the wheel and go over on an angle. makes going over them soo much easier and little to no scraping.
AWD GS wrote:yea thats no big deal. i cant tell you how many times ive scraped mine.
how do you go over the speed bumps? do you go straight at them or over them on an angle? cut the wheel and go over on an angle. makes going over them soo much easier and little to no scraping.
Straight over - like I said, I never had a problem until about 2 weeks ago. I'm still wondering wtf happened, pretty sure I had settled the suspension already. Going over these slowly already makes me look like a jackass, it's bumper to bumper of people rushing into work, if I try to go crooked I'll get even more reaction from people behind me
hey you do what you gotta do. it makes going over them so easy though if you hit them on an angle
stargrrrl wrote:AWD GS wrote:yea thats no big deal. i cant tell you how many times ive scraped mine.
how do you go over the speed bumps? do you go straight at them or over them on an angle? cut the wheel and go over on an angle. makes going over them soo much easier and little to no scraping.
Straight over - like I said, I never had a problem until about 2 weeks ago. I'm still wondering wtf happened, pretty sure I had settled the suspension already. Going over these slowly already makes me look like a jackass, it's bumper to bumper of people rushing into work, if I try to go crooked I'll get even more reaction from people behind me
The cold weather is most likely to blame for the difference in clearance....the speed bump is probably 'higher" from expansioin/contraction of the pavement.
Dont forget to check your tire pressure too Sue.
And your best bet is to go one wheel at a time on an angle, screw everyone else they can wait the extra 3 seconds it takes lol.
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