Hit curb at 10mph! car drives fine, now what to check?

[Harrihealey02]

I was driving home from work earlier and just before my road I lost grip on a down hill bend, so I turned left with the brakes on but it was going straight. Last minute I turned the wheels straight, hit the curb and heard a squeak of air leaking from the offside tyre. Didn’t hit anything other than the curb but other than the flat tyre, the car was driving well just before it went completely flat. I checked the wheel components and nothing looks untoward. I’ve bought some new all season tyres which are coming next week. Is there anything I can look out for which may indicate there’s more significant damage?

[Stuart_Rendall]

I've done similar before but much worse. Check the brake caliper and disk haven't taken a hit from the sudden jolt, look at the tie rods, suspension arm, drop links, drive shaft, everything the wheel hub is connected to really. You may need to get the tracking done too to make sure the car drives straight. I've had a friend who kept clipping curbs and after a few times had to check his alloy wasn't bent also. Considering your altercation with the curb was relatively slow I don't think you will have sustained much damage. When I hit a curb at 30+ mph in my old car I bent the front sub frame ever so slightly, snapped the wheel hub, broke a drop link, damaged the alloy and drive shaft, all the trim in the front bumper snapped out and the radiator hoses connectors snapped so I think if there isn't any other obvious signs of damage like squeaks, rattles, knocks, or the car performing differently then i'm sure you'll be okay.

[iichel]

check the edge of the rim for any dents or irregularities as well

[Andy Beats]

This is why I like cars with normal handbrakes.
If the car is ploughing straight on, pull the handbrake on, kick the arse round and you're pointing in the direction you want.
Does help I've been driving like this in the wilds of Scotland since I was 11 like.
I'd maybe get an alignment check done on your car, just in case.

[Stuart_Rendall]

This is why I like cars with normal handbrakes.
If the car is ploughing straight on, pull the handbrake on, kick the arse round and you're pointing in the direction you want.
Does help I've been driving like this in the wilds of Scotland since I was 11 like.
I'd maybe get an alignment check done on your car, just in case.

Pulling the handbrake in any VW i've owned or driven had resulted in nothing but an electronic ping, handbrakes in them are woeful. Besides in any car with a decent handbrake, pulling it will only brake traction more so. Better off trying to correct the steering in the direction you're sliding and carefully re-directing the wheel. I know this from... experience with bushes and roundabouts.

[Andy Beats]

Pulling the handbrake in any VW i've owned or driven had resulted in nothing but an electronic ping, handbrakes in them are woeful. Besides in any car with a decent handbrake, pulling it will only brake traction more so. Better off trying to correct the steering in the direction you're sliding and carefully re-directing the wheel. I know this from... experience with bushes and roundabouts.

If the front is ploughing straight on, no amount of steering will help and who knows if you'll have time to calmly straighten the wheel and try again slowly.
Breaking traction at the rear is exactly what you want to do in this scenario, as it will make the rear of the car go in whatever direction the wheels are pointing and get the car pointing the way you want.
Literally been doing it for decades, and it's what rally drivers do all the time (yes, I've done some amateur rallying in my time in the 80s)
And while VW handbrakes may be poor, they're not that poor that they can't make the back wheels lock in snow.
Try it in a carpark sometime, it's fun and you'll learn something that will possibly save you ploughing straight on into a bush as the ABS chatters away and the steering doesn't work.
Won't be long before it's not possible though, as e-handbrakes take over...

[Stuart_Rendall]

Pulling the handbrake in any VW i've owned or driven had resulted in nothing but an electronic ping, handbrakes in them are woeful. Besides in any car with a decent handbrake, pulling it will only brake traction more so. Better off trying to correct the steering in the direction you're sliding and carefully re-directing the wheel. I know this from... experience with bushes and roundabouts.

If the front is ploughing straight on, no amount of steering will help and who knows if you'll have time to calmly straighten the wheel and try again slowly.
Breaking traction at the rear is exactly what you want to do in this scenario, as it will make the rear of the car go in whatever direction the wheels are pointing and get the car pointing the way you want.
Literally been doing it for decades, and it's what rally drivers do all the time (yes, I've done some amateur rallying in my time in the 80s)
And while VW handbrakes may be poor, they're not that poor that they can't make the back wheels lock in snow.
Try it in a carpark sometime, it's fun and you'll learn something that will possibly save you ploughing straight on into a bush as the ABS chatters away and the steering doesn't work.
Won't be long before it's not possible though, as e-handbrakes take over...

I have tried this therefor I know it does not work. In a rally car they have a hydraulic handbrake which decouples the engine. If you yank in the handbrake when sliding a normal fwd or rwd car it'll be like a shopping trolly hitting a curb. The fronts wont gain any traction what so ever, you'll just look like more of an idiot.

[Andy Beats]

I have tried this therefor I know it does not work. In a rally car they have a hydraulic handbrake which decouples the engine. If you yank in the handbrake when sliding a normal fwd or rwd car it'll be like a shopping trolly hitting a curb. The fronts wont gain any traction what so ever, you'll just look like more of an idiot.

Don't tell me something I do every time I drive in snow doesn't work.
Hell, leaving the car park at work last night I was dabbing the handbrake and getting the backside all over the place.
I do it for fun, but it also has the practical benefit mentioned above.
Driving in snow, a normal handbrake can be a very valuable aid.

[Stuart_Rendall]

Don't tell me something I do every time I drive in snow doesn't work.
Hell, leaving the car park at work last night I was dabbing the handbrake and getting the backside all over the place.
I do it for fun, but it also has the practical benefit mentioned above.
Driving in snow, a normal handbrake can be a very valuable aid.

It may work indeed if the front 2 wheels aren't already sliding at speed but not if you're sliding un-intentionally. Like I said before I have also tried this and it simply doesn't work. Telling people to yank on the handbrake when they're heading at a curb with no traction is simply terrible advice and won't help the situation one bit as all you're doing is causing the cars traction systems and ESP to do more work and calculations when it has already failed. Tried and tested and still a bad idea when in a dangerous situation in dangerous weather conditions. Also working for an automotive tech company we have done test with autonomous cars in similar environments to do similar to what you are explaining and quite simply it ends bad every time.

Yes if you are in a car park and the front wheels (in a FWD car) have traction you probably could dab the handbrake and rotate the car on its axis a little but in the case of losing control it won't help.

[Andy Beats]

It may work indeed if the front 2 wheels aren't already sliding at speed but not if you're sliding un-intentionally. Like I said before I have also tried this and it simply doesn't work. Telling people to yank on the handbrake when they're heading at a curb with no traction is simply terrible advice and won't help the situation one bit

Okee dokee
No skin off my nose.
Someone in Derby telling someone in NE Scotland that driving techniques in snow don't work.....you couldn't make it up.....

[Stuart_Rendall]

Okee dokee
No skin off my nose.
Someone in Derby telling someone in NE Scotland that driving techniques in snow don't work.....you couldn't make it up.....

We do get snow here in the Midlands also, there is no definitive boarder that snow decides it will go no further and I have also done vehicle testing on various Millbrook test environments in scenarios that replicate that of snow.

I suppose it is what it is and I suggest we leave it here as it has gone well off topic. You believe what you believe and i'll believe what I want to believe from our own experiences. I respect your view and do not wish to argue.

[Harrihealey02]

Thanks everyone who got back to me. Checked the steering and wishbone, everything looks good. Had the new tires placed on today. They moved the rear Falkens to the front and put the new Michelin cross climate + at rear. Drives better! Much quieter and smoother ride. I found the Bridgestone T005s at the front were rough and bouncy. Quite amazing how much of a difference the tires can make the car feel.

[stevereeves]

As a former 'kerb-kisser' I found it depends on how hard one hits the kerb, at what speed and at what angle, it's easily done. Nearby is a lovely left hand bend with a tad more banking / camber than usual and if one places ones left front wheel 'just right' i.e. between the double yellow line and the actual kerb, it is possible to carry much speed through the bend. We are talking about a non neck-snapping 40mph but satisfying if done correctly. Well I long retired from such slow boy-racer F1 driver wanna-be antics after j-u-s-t clipping said kerb a few times, resulting in a slightly bent steering arm so a tracking check at £40ish, then especially following a more serious clout of denting a wheel and destroying a tyre + bent lower wishbone. I find these days being (usually) more sensible and paranoid about alloy wheel damage keeps my wheels straight, true & dent free. Have to say though, the favoured line through that bend still beckons from time to time....

[Boxerboy]

Thanks everyone who got back to me. Checked the steering and wishbone, everything looks good. Had the new tires placed on today. They moved the rear Falkens to the front and put the new Michelin cross climate + at rear. Drives better! Much quieter and smoother ride. I found the Bridgestone T005s at the front were rough and bouncy. Quite amazing how much of a difference the tires can make the car feel.

I’m glad your car is straight and true.

But I wouldn’t mix the tyres on the front and rear axles like that. If you’ve chosen new cross climates as your saving grace, why not let them do all the hard work up front?

Well I wouldn’t mix my tyres at all actually.

[Harrihealey02]

I found out that it’s Costcos policy to put the rear tyres to the front and new ones at the back... who knows why and not sure why they said it’s their policy. I did in the past damage a steering rack on a Fiesta going into the curb in snow. Has steering all the way to the right full lock. I can also relate to that gut wrenching feeling after hitting one