Monday June 17, 2024 | SOOKE, BC
Posted by Island Social Trends
As road and housing construction continues around town, drivers are right to be concerned about the impact of gravel and uneven road surfaces on their vehicles.
Here are some notes about vehicle maintenance related to road surfaces.
For local questions and support, the team at Dumont Tirecraft in Sooke is ready to assist. Regarding tires, the Dumont team suggests being mindful of abnormal tire wear or damage. Watch for signs of punctures, embedded objects, cracks, and bulges.
“By taking proper care of your tires, you can remain safe during all types of travel, experience the benefits of better fuel economy, and extend tire life, which will positively impact the environment,” says Jason Dumont, owner, Dumont Tirecraft.
1. Tires
As the single component that comes into contact with the road surface, your tires are essential. Unfortunately, tires are also the first component of your vehicle to be worn or damaged by the roads you drive on.
Because unpaved roads tend to erode more easily, deep edges and stones can appear quickly and create significant issues for your tires if they’re struck. Tire repairs and replacement may be required.
2. Alignment
The alignment of your vehicle steering is a series of adjustments to your suspension that affect the angle of your tire tread as it connects to the surface of the road.
When your vehicle routinely travels on unpaved roads, you’re increasingly exposed to significant impacts to your suspension. Those impacts compound and start to force your vehicle out of alignment, causing improper/premature wear on the tires.
3. Shock & Struts
As part of your vehicle’s suspension system, shocks and struts are wearable parts that lessen the impact of road surface obstacles and help you maintain control of your vehicle, especially at higher speeds.
The key term here is ‘wearable’. As you travel over washboard sections (a series of ruts that are common with unpaved roads), the shocks and struts are forced up and down at rapid speeds.
Prolonged driving in those conditions leads to premature wear and replacement of those components.
4. Underbody & Paint
Unpaved roadways often mean dealing with dirt surfaces. Dirt gets into car parts and in wet weather of course becomes mud.
With mud comes deposits that get into and adhere to many parts of your vehicle.
With regular exposure, the moisture and dirt leads to rust.
In addition, with dirt and small aggregates flying around on unpaved surfaces, painted areas of your vehicle will get unwanted scratches and dings that decrease their value and require repair.
5. Engine & Air Filtration
If you’ve ever popped open the hood on a vehicle that spends a good deal of time driving on unpaved roads, you’ll notice something obvious: They’re caked with dirt and debris. That means potential damage to vital engine components as well as clogged, dirty air systems that allow your engine to run appropriately.
That same system is also responsible for feeding the air that you breathe into the cabin of your vehicle!
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Crushing rock in Sooke to stay on construction schedule (June 13, 2024)