2018 S60 AWD What is the likely damage from a hard pothole hit?

[s2zeller]

Before I start... yes, I plan on taking this in for a diagnostic. The reason I am asking is to gauge where would be the best place to take the care into (and to get a sense of what a worst-case repair scenario might entail).

While on vacation (of course), I hit a very deep pothole while going ~75 mph on some newly paved freeway in Florida. Not sure why something newly paved would have had such a deep hole of small circumference at the edge of the middle lane, but it was unavoidable.

I believe that - somehow - only the front wheel took a hit, but it all happened so fast (and I was expecting my tire pressure light to go off, especially after seeing another car on the side of the road changing a tire). There was no tire or rim damage that I can see.

Anyhow, there seems to be a slight vibration when I accelerate; nothing in the steering wheel. The car holds a straight line.

I just had the front suspension completely redone (thinking now that that repair insurance might have been a good deal), so the vibration does seem new.

So, could it be that my rim is now out-of-round, or is that far less likely than a bent tie rod?

Does the fact that it holds a straight line (afaik) mean anything?

[matthew1]

Alignment being straight is a good sign. I don't think I've ever read about a severe suspension incident where the alignment stayed true. So I'd lean toward bent wheel. Any tire shop can tell you if it's out of round.

[Vova585]

Remove the wheel in question and put it to the rear axle. After severe hit, it is possible that tire sustained a damage to a cord(s)/ply which can represent itself in vibration, bulge..so better put it to the rear axle..
Lets be brutally honest here. Every place that you will come will tell you that you need alignment and will charge you for it(unless you have free life-time alignment service that you bought prior from them(firestone for example). I would also would like to have road force ballance performed on the tires to make sure they are ok after this "bump". So dealer might be a cheaper and more professional alternative for the same price. My local dealer charges the same for alignment and offer road force ballance as all the chain stores. At least more piece of mind and a car wash at the end.

[s2zeller]

Just to follow up... it was a bent interior rim... pretty flat on one side. I had the wheel rotated to the back and I barely notice anything now (i.e., only a small bit of vibration from the rear that falls within the noise of driving on the pavement in my area). My mechanic said their wasn't any other damage that he could tell. I'll be replacing the rim but will hold off on an alignment until it shows up or I get new tires.