It was snowing and wanted to leave a much room as possible in a narrow street and got too close and the front right wheel side swiped a relatively high curb with my 2013 CTT with 1900 miles. Was going 5-7 MPH. No tire damage, tiny scratch on wheel. Car tracks straight and wheel is still dead centered.

I have a lot of driving to do for Xmas and don't want any problems....... should I throw it on the alignment rack to make sure its true?

 

You're probably fine.

If you can find a good clear flat stretch of pavement (e.g. empty area of a parking lot), brake with your hands off the wheel and see if it pulls. The worse it pulls to one side the worse your alignment is (assuming your tires are evenly inflated, have equal good traction, and the pavement is flat).

I've whacked curbs and pot holes a lot faster than that in other vehicles without enough impact to the alignment for me to care about.

 

^ Will give the braking thing a try. Driving seems to be fine, i.e. no noticeable pulling to either side. Thx for feedback.

 

If there is no pulling to either direction then the alignment is fine.

If there is a shimmy felt through the steering wheel then the rim is bent or it is a wheel balance issue. But I'm sure it is neither.

 

^ thx for feedback. I have put about 70 miles on the car since it happened and car is driving fine. I did also try the braking test as per gnat's suggestion, and car is not noticeably pulling to either side. I'm pretty sure the alignment was not seriously affected, if at all.

Thanks again.

 

Cool. Glad to help and glad you didn't mess up the alignment.

 

There is a lot of mythology about alignment and cars getting "knocked out of alignment." Actually, to "knock" a car out of alignment you have to bend some metal in the suspension system. The myth of getting knocked out of alignment has been propagated for so long and so much that almost everyone just accepts it. Sometimes the myth is propagated by those that benefit from you thinking this. Sometimes its just repeated from what someone else said or wrote. If you really do bend some metal, thus changing the driving geometry you need a repair not just an alignment. Cars can lose their alignment over time from the wear of parts, such as control arm bushing wear. In modern cars this is unlikely in fewer than 70K miles. Bottom line: a pothole or curb bump, or a hundred potholes or curb bumps will not knock your car out of alignment, and if it did - you need a repair not an alignment.

 

Thanks Ken. Not sure I agree 100%. I have never had a car in excess of 50K miles and after a year or two, especially in the Range Rover's I have owned, the car would be pulling and/or the wheel off center. In all cases there was no suspension repair work needed just a simple alignment. The NY/NJ are notoriously bad and my wife certainly is not shy with curbs...... this is my experience and certainly respect yours.

I do agree in this case that my car is fine and that no damage was done.

 

Hi Michael, don't want to argue the point but I will offer this. Isn't not about by experience but my profession. In the company I own we study auto service issues, we are commonly expert witnesses and we work closely with the engineering departments at companies like Hunter Engineering (leading mfg of alignment equipment). Plus Range Rover is a special case, as demonstrated by multiple lawsuits about alignment including a major class action suit filed in 2008. Best thing is your car is fine.

 

Cool. Thank you.

 

To chime in on top of Ken, it was pitch black one day and I made a left and hit the right wheel on the curb pretty hard, wheels are scratched up bad but after 73k miles on my Lexus GS460, I've never had alignment done and believe me, the car is going as straight as one would wish. I too was very amazed by this

to my defense, I did have mechanics look at my alignment from time to time and no issues reported.