What's worse, pothole or bump?

[GenesisGuy70]

So I was driving along today in my new '17 Elantra through gorgeous Toledo, Ohio and I hit a nasty pothole that was full of water so it looked like a low spot with a puddle...of course.

Got me thinking about the suspension. Is it harder on the suspension to hit a pot hole or to hit a bump?

With a hole the suspension drops and then is slammed back up, with a bump it's slammed up and then comes back down. I'd think a bump might be worse because you're already at normal ride height and then it shoves everything even further up.

With the roads in the state they are it's a wonder we don't see more suspension problems. With the roads in my area I know I'll be changing the shocks/struts out earlier than normal. Last car I had I changed the factory ones at about 125,000 and it was like a new car! Probably change the Elantra's around 75,000 if I still have it.

 

[spasm3]

I think either bumps or potholes are bad hard if the suspension bottoms out. Potholes are way harder on your tire and wheel especially with low profile tires.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Potholes are way harder on your tire and wheel especially with low profile tires.


Definitely ... I've seen tires blown and wheels bent from hitting a large pot hole.

 

[DrRoughneck]

Bumps have a smooth slope transition. Potholes have an abrupt transition. In mechanics terms the acceleration (d2x/dt2) of potholes is much higher and sudden (a shock), mass times this acceleration is the force exherted on the wheel assembly and bearings.

Potholes are far worse.
The faster you go, the closer both are though.

 

[OneEyeJack]

That's why you just say NO to ultra low profile tires for a daily driver. Curbs and potholes kill them and take the wheel and other suspension goodies with them. Leave that ultra low profile stuff to a car that is tuned for such stuff and be ready to eat the bill when you hit something like a pothole or a curb but keep your DD going with ordinary street tires.

 

[cjcride]

Coasting into the hazard, no throttle and no braking helps a bit.

 

[zzyzzx]

My guess would be that potholes are worse, but I would think that someone who designs and tests automotive suspensions and/or a mechanic might know better.

 

[Kuato]

Pothole is worse.

 

[MolaKule]

Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
Bumps have a smooth slope transition. Potholes have an abrupt transition. In mechanics terms the acceleration (d2x/dt2) of potholes is much higher and sudden (a shock), mass times this acceleration is the force exherted on the wheel assembly and bearings.

Potholes are far worse.
The faster you go, the closer both are though.

I would just add that potholes produce an Impulse load while speed bumps (assuming a low-speed approach) produce a longer Gaussian-shaped load.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
Bumps have a smooth slope transition.[/b/] . . .


Not around here, they don't. They're like fault blocks of rock sticking up into the air. (Unless you or the OP meant speed bumps. Those are smooth, but still annoying.)

Neither bumps nor potholes belong in a 21st-century American road, street, or highway. They're both nasty.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Should have bought the new Fusion instead, with the pothole detection gizmo.

 

[grampi]

The ones that get me are those stupid expansion joints. They stick up like a speed bump...why don't they use those pavement shavers and smooth those things out?

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
Pothole is worse.



Wow! Awful wreck. But that looks more like an uncovered manhole, than a pothole.

 

[mjoekingz28]

If you cannot go over them at a walking pace, it may be best to be on the gas a little.


Motorcycling 101, slow down the accelerate over the object to lighten the front end and allow it to maneuver over the obstacle instead of plowing into it.

 

[BrianF]

Come to Saskatchewan, you can have bumps and potholes at the same time.

 

[L_Sludger]

Potholes, easily. I've broken a wheel AND tire on a pothole in New York at the absolute worst place at the absolute worst possible time on a pothole on their turnpike.

 

[Garak]

Yes, also a wonderful place where you purposely take a gravel road to avoid the highways.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
Bumps have a smooth slope transition. Potholes have an abrupt transition. In mechanics terms the acceleration (d2x/dt2) of potholes is much higher and sudden (a shock), mass times this acceleration is the force exherted on the wheel assembly and bearings.

Potholes are far worse.
The faster you go, the closer both are though.

I would just add that potholes produce an Impulse load while speed bumps (assuming a low-speed approach) produce a longer Gaussian-shaped load.


Also, as the wheel enters the hole, the body starts to build velocity downwards, which needs to be stopped AND reversed.

 

[4WD]

Pot hole - downward movement and hard shoulder in profile ...

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Pothole is worse.

...


Wow! Awful wreck. But that looks more like an uncovered manhole, than a pothole.


I agree and think it IS a manhole...and deeper than most potholes.