Alignment after front end recall

[TIM ANDERS]

Has anyone had the alignment on their 2015 2500 cummins truck done since the dealer "fixed" the front end by welding the nut on the link arm?

 

[Hatcher1105]

I had an alignment done on my 2017. The company asked me “who welded your steering adjustment, you can’t adjust your steering wheel now”

Truck still aligned ok, they just said that eventually I would have a crooked steering wheel

 

[mtnrider]

This is why I will not let them weld mine. A crooked steering wheel (even just a slight bit) drives me crazy.
I'd go back to the dealer and ask them how you are supposed to get an alignment now and who is paying to grind off those welds and re-weld? I'm betting most alignment shops won't touch those welds and even if they did grind them off (at a cost I am sure) I highly doubt they have a way to re-weld it.

.

 

[tjfdesmo]

Worst case it can be done like the old days, center the wheel and secure it(they used to have a nifty jig that would hold the wheel)then set your toe.

 

[TIM ANDERS]

I asked the service manager, so did yall check the alignment to make sure it was good before yall welded it? service manager: " no. we didnt. we dont even have an alignment machine. " Im like really?? what kind of a fix it that for a $50 G plus vehicle?? last five trucks I have owned have been Dodge. Im thinking this will probably be my last. I mean really.... tack weld... thats your fix ??? not a happy camper with Ram right now.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

They just did mine last week, checked alignment first, made sure wheel was straight then tack welded it. I was reluctant to let them, but figured they must be doing this as a temp fix while they get the parts to fix it properly. Makes no sense otherwise. I am sure some red locktite would suffice and I already did that, but whatever- they were pretty insistent on doing it. Liability I assume.

That said, if they don't I will just get some aftermarket parts and replace it all.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[Gr8bawana]

I just bought a 2017 2500 Cumins 4x4. It is on the recall list so I went out and checked the draglink locknuts and the witness marks are perfectly lined up. Since I plan on keeping this truck for at least the next 20-25 years I will simply use some Loctite if they ever do back off.

Edit-Perhaps if they eventually have the parts to actually replace the draglink and do it the right way I will have it done.

 

[dhay13]

If you followed my other posts you would see that I bought a slightly used 2018 2500 that turned out to be from Canada so I have been dealing with getting the warranty transferred (which I did today). So anyway, talked to the service manager today at my dealer for this and at the end she said you know you have an open recall for the drag link. I said yep, and I don't want it fixed until they have the actual parts to fix it right. I asked her if there was a timeline to have a proper fix and she said not yet. So as far as she knows it might still be awhile.

 

[McBroom]

It’s not just the Cummins trucks they’re doing this to. I’ve got a gasser and they welded mine without consent or my permission due to it being a recall. When I found out what they’d done I asked what about the next alignment??
Answer:
Bring it back here and we will take care of the link and the alignment for the same price ya paid today. $88 and it’s in writing from the dealership owner.
Ram owner for LIFE!!


- The Blue Mule

 

[Iron Outlaw]

Holy crap. I had my truck leveled and aligned last week. I noticed the steering wheel was a little off center and then it seemed to be getting worse. Drag link was barely hand tight. My buddy did my level and said he cranked it down in the shop . I'm gonna lock tite it before I drive again. If your steering gets off center that's a warning sign.

 

[mtnrider]

When I put my level kit on about 8 months ago (prior to the recall) I noticed the drag link nuts were not particularly tight. I tightened them real good after the alignment and check them periodically and they are holding fine.

I can see the weld as a temp safety fix. Don't want it causing an accident. My beef is, so far I've heard nothing about this being "temporary"? People are being told this "is" the fix which is pure BS and why I haven't let them touch my truck. If they told me it was temporary and they will be replacing the drag link when parts are available that would be a different story,

.

 

[17CrewCab1500]

Remember last year when GM recalled 1 million pickups due to faulty steering.

Their answer for a while was pull the 20amp fuse and throw in a 40amp..

haha

 

[Ratket]

Get some like tight, a big set of crescent”s and giver er hell.

 

[stevenP]

Just had mine done today. Had new tires put on first. My junk nexens had a broken belt in the fronts. So the alignment was done with the new treads, before the weld job. I asked them so what if I need an adjustment later? They said for now, they are only tack welding the nuts. They can grind thru the temporary tack welds and adjust as needed, of need be later.

After my front tire had a broken belt it started shaking the front end quite badly. It literally shook the nuts on the drag link adjustment loose.

 

[madtrucker2016]

Worst case it can be done like the old days, center the wheel and secure it(they used to have a nifty jig that would hold the wheel)then set your toe.

most place dont even give a **** if the wheel is not center. poor attitude I call it ****** me off

 

[Rader]

I wouldn't let a person that is not a certified welder strike an arc on any critical front end part. Here is a better solution....When I have trouble keeping a nut tight on an adjustable track bar or an adjustable control arm on my Jeep I simply double nut them, (add a second lock nut) then they never come lose.

 

[madtrucker2016]

I wouldn't let a person that is not a certified welder strike an arc on any critical front end part. Here is a better solution....When I have trouble keeping a nut tight on an adjustable track bar or an adjustable control arm on my Jeep I simply double nut them, (add a second lock nut) then they never come lose.

That is a good idea but what do you do if their is no room for a second nut

 

[Rader]

That is a good idea but what do you do if their is no room for a second nut

I'm not sure of the thread size someone mentioned M27-1.5 OK JAM nuts are typically narrower than regular nuts.
https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/11505615

If there was not enough threads for the Mopar nut and a jam nut personally I would prefer two jam nuts over a tack weld.

 

[FlaglerMegacab4x4]

I asked my dealer the same thing and he told me they won’t need to adjust it for an alignment ‍ After that I explained to him how to do an alignment and that the “fix” would be removed to adjust the steering wheel which he had a revaluation and agreed. I told him I would bring it back to be repaired along with a bill for any additional labor costs to preform the alignment.

 

[BlueMule]

Brought my truck in for an alignment at the dealer after I had Thuren 3" lift springs installed. They aligned and then did the weld without telling me that they couldn't get the front to align to factory spec. I went to a well-known speed and truck shop to have radius arm drop brackets installed and they said breaking the weld would be no big deal and no extra charge. Got the drop brackets installed and the front end aligned to spec, gave me the truck back and said drive it for awhile, see if you like the front end alignment and when yer ready, bring it back and they would weld the drag link back up for free.

So essentially, because I was already spending money on the front end it wasn't a big deal.