Hopped a curb accidently

[GREENEV]

So embarrassing........................

I was backing out of an angled parking spot during a snowstorm, and I went back a little to far and before I knew it, the rear of my Leaf was high up on a curb. The only smart thing I did was to obviously put the car in drive and SLOWLY come off the curb.

Has anyone else hopped a curb before?

I looked at the undercarriage and there was no damage to be seen. I never heard any scrapping sound either.

I'm just worried about the suspension.

Thoughts?

 

[surfingslovak]

Sorry to hear! I managed to do something similarly silly a few months ago, and nothing ever came out of that. Not even after a detailed inspection. Keeping my fingers crossed for your LEAF.

 

[thankyouOB]

i would worry about the tires. I am not sure the ecopias could run over a cat without failing or getting a bubble in the sidewall.

 

[sproqitman]

i would worry about the tires. I am not sure the ecopias could run over a cat without failing or getting a bubble in the sidewall.

Now you've done it. We're about to find out the "Cat lover"/"Leaf owner" ratio.

 

[planet4ever]

Yeah, I hit a curb, going forward, and probably somewhat faster than you were moving. Split the side wall on the Ecopia, dinged the rim, and badly bent a plate that the steering assembly attaches to. Total damage about $1500.

I pulled up close to a drug store at night to read their hours on the front door, not realizing that my right front wheel was on a handicap ramp. There was a curb at the side of the ramp, and when I took off after reading the closing time ...
Some of the damage may have occurred when the front wheel dropped off the curbed section back to the parking lot level.

Did I ever give myself a tongue lashing for that one.

By the way, my right rear wheel also hit the curb with no damage at all, but by that time I was definitely moving more slowly.

Ray

 

[Herm]

In this heavy car, its a good idea to keep tire pressures at the maximum printed on the sidewalls, or maybe 20% higher, yes you will feel every bump, yes its safe and your tire will probably last longer of you drive aggresively

 

[GREENEV]

I was afraid the Ecopia's were going to BURST!

 

[adric22]

I have hit curbs before as well, and actually driven over them as a result.. but not in my Leaf. Most of the time it is with a back tire when I'm trying to turn sharply in a parking lot or something and the curb goes out of my vision and I think I'm going to clear it but then don't. I think the worst I've done in the Leaf over the last 2 years is brush up against a curb while driving parallel to it. I think i ever so slightly scratched one of my rims.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

the real fact is that the car is too heavy for the tires. i have had issues with them as well including a bubble that developed thru some unknown incident. the incident was apparently minor enough that it did not make an impression but the bubble developed anyway. I drove around with the bubble for two months before getting tire replaced but the point remains.

if you backed over a curb and the tire survived there is virtually no chance of any suspension damage. trust me, the tire would go waaaay before anything else

 

[kubel]

My gas car is rated to hop 8-inch curbs at 40MPH. I sometimes thrash the LEAF around like it's a P71, but then I have to remember it's not built to have that kind of fun. :lol:

And I would agree with Dave, the Ecrapia's are the weakest link. If they survive, you're OK.

 

[GREENEV]

Is it possible to replace my 16" OEM wheels with the new 17" OEM's or did Nissan tweak the suspension on MY 2013 to only accommodate the 17" rims?

-Rick

the real fact is that the car is too heavy for the tires. i have had issues with them as well including a bubble that developed thru some unknown incident. the incident was apparently minor enough that it did not make an impression but the bubble developed anyway. I drove around with the bubble for two months before getting tire replaced but the point remains.

if you backed over a curb and the tire survived there is virtually no chance of any suspension damage. trust me, the tire would go waaaay before anything else

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Is it possible to replace my 16" OEM wheels with the new 17" OEM's or did Nissan tweak the suspension on MY 2013 to only accommodate the 17" rims?

-Rick

the real fact is that the car is too heavy for the tires. i have had issues with them as well including a bubble that developed thru some unknown incident. the incident was apparently minor enough that it did not make an impression but the bubble developed anyway. I drove around with the bubble for two months before getting tire replaced but the point remains.

if you backed over a curb and the tire survived there is virtually no chance of any suspension damage. trust me, the tire would go waaaay before anything else

most cases they lower the profile on the tire so the real change in diameter is small.

 

[Herm]

most cases they lower the profile on the tire so the real change in diameter is small.

So that means going to a 17" rim would actually net you a weaker tire?.. probably the best way to do it is to compare the load carrying ability of each tire, at different pressures.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

most cases they lower the profile on the tire so the real change in diameter is small.

So that means going to a 17" rim would actually net you a weaker tire?.. probably the best way to do it is to compare the load carrying ability of each tire, at different pressures.

lower profile does not always mean weaker. I would think a shorter sidewall would be more durable. the current LEAF tire sidewalls are very inadequate for the weight of the car. VERY minor incidents are causing failures.

 

[RegGuheert]

Is it possible to replace my 16" OEM wheels with the new 17" OEM's or did Nissan tweak the suspension on MY 2013 to only accommodate the 17" rims?

most cases they lower the profile on the tire so the real change in diameter is small.

+1

According to my calculations, the new 17" OEM tire/rim combination has a diameter about 0.6" larger than the 16" OEM combination.

Also note that the 17" combination should result in slightly lower efficiency than the 16" combination. This was also discussed in the thread I linked.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i think this thread jinx'd me. i hit something in the road this morning, after i hit i, i swerved and hit a curb so looking at 2 new tires.

they dont have the Ecopias so giving me some other tire i never heard of and one that is not listed on the LRR list but has "reinforced bead" that helps prevent wheel damage.

more to follow

 

[PatricioEV]

Is it possible to replace my 16" OEM wheels with the new 17" OEM's or did Nissan tweak the suspension on MY 2013 to only accommodate the 17" rims?

-Rick

Lots of folks have replaced the stock wheels for something larger and/or with a bit more style.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=9123&hilit=juke+wheels

 

[sling]

I've driven over a curb (intentionally) with no problems, you just need to come at it from the right angle... What I did do is scrape the bottom turning out of a friends driveway too sharply. The end of the driveway was high and the gutter was low, the black metal trim under the car that runs the length took the worst of it. If you stand far enough away you can see its no longer black and is kinked near the front.