Front wheels to curb dumb question

[Svashtar]

I apologize for such a dumb question, but have certainly asked plenty of them before so what the heck!:

When I park the car against a curb I have always been in the habit of rolling the car forward into the curb with the front tires. At work there is a drainage line at the curb so the car lurches down a bit and harder into the curb. Also, the front end is all OEM, but I still hear the skid plate in front scraping on the curb.

Is this rolling into the curb bad for the front end components or tires? I walked around the huge parking lot here this morning and could not find one other person who parked this way, as they all stop at least a foot from the curb.

I did this with my truck for 12 years and now the MM for the past year. One of those stupid unconscious habits I guess. I need to take a look at the skid plate and see if I've torn it up. If so, it should be pretty inexpensive to replace. I just don't know enough about front ends to know what that is doing to the suspension parts, if anything.

Thanks as always for any info!

Norm

[Rider90]

QUIT DOING IT!!

I don't know what you mean by skid plate, I'm just thinking the bottom of the bumper, but if you park close to a curb and hear scraping its just one of those things you never do again ;)

[Svashtar]

The bumper isn't touching anything. There is a plastic skid plate under the front of the car held on by 3 or 4 screws that has a downward curving front edge. I would be surprised if it cost more than $25 retail. That is what is contacting the curb. My question was not so much about that, as it is clearly designed to be sacrificial, but if there were any suspension concerns about having the front tires rolled forward to the edge of the curb.

Norm

P.S. Talk about a lucky guess!: the dealer has this center "deflector" he calls it for $25.40 retail. There are also left and right side deflectors as well he says, but those do not curve down in front so don't make contact with anything.

N.

[Shaft333]

Isn't that deflector for guiding more air into the radiator?

I don't think they would put any sort of skid plate on a car.

[Rider90]

A skid plate is out for the Crown Victorias, probably for the police work involving someone doing 80 MPH in traffic and the LEO needs to hop a median :D

[Sactown]

Isn't that deflector for guiding more air into the radiator?

I don't think they would put any sort of skid plate on a car.Yea, I also think that part is about airflow to the radiator. Svashtar, please stop grinding it on the curb. I cring on the occasion it happens to me, but to know it's coming and do it anyway...that just makes me :cry: :cry: :cry:

But it is your ride, do with it as you desire.

[Svashtar]

Gotcha! I definitely won't do it again. Last time I had it out was to access the thermostat from below. I baby the car otherwise, but will start taking care of this as well. I guess with such a long car I have been paranoid about leaving it hanging out too far so drive it right up to the curb, but that's not really an issue.

Thanks for the info and feedback.

Norm

[Paul T. Casey]

Norm, IMHO a gentle roll into the curb shouldn't damage anything. Just depends on what you call a gentle roll. I'd say anything over 20 mph wouldn't be a gentle roll. :rolleyes:

[twolow]

I have to pull mine up to the curb because the parking places at work at not that long and dont want my arss hanging out but I baby it to the curb ever so slowely till it just barely bumps. I always take my time :)