In recent years, road-construction crews have repaved, or rebuilt, a number of the roads in and around McHenry. Those roads are smooth as silk. But, still, you may feel bumps when driving in the area. You may have come across roads that are still in need of attention from road-construction crews.

You can try to avoid the roads in McHenry that are still in need of work. Or, you might consider that there are other possible explanations for the bumps you feel on the road. In other words, is it the road or is it something else when your drive feels bumpy.

Is it wrong to blame the bumps on your car? Roads require maintenance and resurfacing because the elements have a slowly destructive effect on the roads. The same is true for your car, truck or SUV. It’s true that, if all the roads were as smooth as the recently resurfaced Route 31 running through McHenry, the suspension and related parts on your car, truck or SUV would last longer. But, few roads are perfectly smooth, and the older the roads, the less perfection.

So, what could cause the ride of your car, truck or SUV to feel bumpy?

• A rough road: Even if your vehicle’s suspension, steering, and tires are in optimal condition, a bumpy road will give you a bumpy ride. However, the condition of your suspension, steering, and tires will emphasize the bumps you feel in the road.
• Your Steering & Suspension are challenged: These are integral systems. They work together, and they tend to wear together. That means that, for instance, when your shocks or struts lose their stuff, other parts of the steering and suspension are liable to feel the strain. Obviously, in terms of bumpy roads, if the shocks, struts or springs are worn, you’ll really feel the bumps more.
• Where the rubber meets the road: Your tires are rubber and inflated so that they can absorb the impact of the bumps in the road. But, they can also cause you to feel the bumps more. If they’re over-inflated, you’ll feel a stiffer ride. If the tires are under-inflated your ride will feel squishier. Steering and handling are also affected. 
• Your tires have warts: No, this doesn’t mean warts the way people get warts. It does mean that, sometimes, tires have defects that turn into lumps on their surface. A weakness in the rubber gives way to the air pressure and a bump forms on the surface of the tires. This can happen on the sidewall of the tire, or on the tread surface. If the latter, it can create a bumpy feeling while driving. In either case, it creates a risk of a blowout and the tire should be replaced promptly.

The point is that, while there are roads in the McHenry area that are calling out for the attention of road construction crews, don’t be so quick to put all the blame on the roads. Your car might be causing that bumpy feeling, too.