Can't Get Alignment Due to Drag Link Nuts

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mtofell

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So, I'm coming up on getting tires and have some uneven wear on my front passenger side so I went to get an alignment and was told they are unable to do it due to "welded drag link nuts." I assume this is due to the recall that was done? Has anyone else encountered this? Please tell me FCA didn't weld by alignment in place!
 

White six four

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Try a different place. I had no problem having an alignment done with the welded drag link. They just grind the weld, align, and reweld. I now have a synergy drag link. A lot of folks on here have contacted ramcares and with their help have gotten the new updated drag link that doesn't require the tack welds on the nuts.

Also have the shop align per "thuren alignment" specs. O toe. Just print it off from thurens website and bring it to the shop.
 
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gofishn

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FYI,
Firestone is still offering their Lifetime Alignments.
Every 6 months, if you wish.
Think it was $175, for the Wife's Explorer.

Living in the Rust Belt, with our Monster Pot Holes.
I like to align, every spring and fall.
 
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mtofell

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this has to be some kind of bad joke. you been around 10yr and ask if anyone heard of welded draglink. unfrikinbelievable
Your reply has to be some kind of a bad joke. Why do I give a flying F what FCA welds to my truck as part of a recall. I own a newer truck with a lifetime warranty and just want an alignment before getting tires..... suddenly, I'm some idiot?
 

jejb

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You are not suppose to weld it more than once, according to RamCares. Contact them here and ask them to replace the drag link with the updated one. Works for lots of us.
 

Daw14

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Your reply has to be some kind of a bad joke. Why do I give a flying F what FCA welds to my truck as part of a recall. I own a newer truck with a lifetime warranty and just want an alignment before getting tires..... suddenly, I'm some idiot?
Contact ram cares they will get you set up with what you need . I imagine crazy jerry has read this question on this site a hundred or more times ,and can not unders why it was not searched for with our search function. This is a topic that has been beaten to death and it should be buried for us who have answered it over and over and over. Search search. I only have a 1500 but this issue is ingrained in my tiny brain.
 

62Blazer

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As mentioned above there has to be a 1,000 posts on here talking about it. But in any case any decent shop should be able to figure out what to do, or at least offer suggestions. The original intent was basically a tack weld on the jam nuts that can be cut free with about 1 minute of work. Or the shop should at least say "hey, you will need a need drag link...". In any case, you can certainly do an alignment on the truck....it just takes slightly more effort. Just keep in mind that the only adjustment you get out of this is centering the steering wheel, which really doesn't affect the important aspects of an alignment like toe, caster, or camber.
 

Pwrwagon

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I made dealer replace Drag link so this would not happen. Most people don’t know they can adjust drag like once they weld there nuts. What a ****** up fox anyway weld nuts on drag link. Cheap cheap cheap
 

JW2 Innovations

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Send a private message on this site to @RamCares and they will ask for info they need to approve and then process a replacement drag link of the new style and get rid of the older welded drag link. Mine was done at zero cost to me.
 

truck2014

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Just got mine replaced last Thursday, contacted Ram cares , and it went from there . Never did let them weld mine , just kept an eye on it until I could get the new , and improved . I may add , the big thing is the toe , Ram specs out too much , which cause that inside wear , insist on 0 - .05 on the toe . Mine before I had it aligned was .060 , way too much .
 
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mtofell

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I ended up getting an appointment at the dealer next week to have an alignment done (same cost as the shop I tried at) and they said if they can't do it they'll get me the updated recall parts. Thanks everyone..... and sorry to clog the interweb needlessly.
 

jejb

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I ended up getting an appointment at the dealer next week to have an alignment done (same cost as the shop I tried at) and they said if they can't do it they'll get me the updated recall parts. Thanks everyone..... and sorry to clog the interweb needlessly.
Don't let them reweld it. It could end up making the part brittle, and could lead to bad things.

Here's a current thread in the HD forum about this:
 
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dhay13

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I kept telling my dealer that I did not want mine welded. Messaged @RamCares and they got me set up to get a replacement but when I took it to my dealer they welded the original one so I complained to them and RamCares and they ended up replacing my drag link.

The issue with a private shop doing the alignment is that they are undoing a 'safety recall'. I would understand a shop not wanting to get involved in that. There is already a known issue with that part and if they grind that weld off and your drag link comes apart (again, it is already known to be a defective part) then they may be held liable for it. At least the fear and potential to be held liable would lead me to decline the alignment job if I owned an alignment shop.
 

Daw14

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You can lead a horse to water but then ?
 

RamCares

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I ended up getting an appointment at the dealer next week to have an alignment done (same cost as the shop I tried at) and they said if they can't do it they'll get me the updated recall parts. Thanks everyone..... and sorry to clog the interweb needlessly.
Hello,

Thank you for grabbing our attention. Should you need further assistance on the new drag link that is not welded, please send us a PM, our team would be happy to assist you.

William
Ram Cares
 

RamCares

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I kept telling my dealer that I did not want mine welded. Messaged @RamCares and they got me set up to get a replacement but when I took it to my dealer they welded the original one so I complained to them and RamCares and they ended up replacing my drag link.

The issue with a private shop doing the alignment is that they are undoing a 'safety recall'. I would understand a shop not wanting to get involved in that. There is already a known issue with that part and if they grind that weld off and your drag link comes apart (again, it is already known to be a defective part) then they may be held liable for it. At least the fear and potential to be held liable would lead me to decline the alignment job if I owned an alignment shop.

We are glad that we were able to assist you on this. Please reach out to us directly if you ever run into any issues with your vehicle. Thank you.

William
Ram Cares
 

RamCares

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Send a private message on this site to @RamCares and they will ask for info they need to approve and then process a replacement drag link of the new style and get rid of the older welded drag link. Mine was done at zero cost to me.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Should you run into any issues with your vehicle, please let us know.

William
Ram Cares
 

Jeepwalker

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In the OP's defense ...I haven't seen a 'welded nut' thread title for quite a long while...

(course I could have missed it buried within a few 'alignment' threads I passed over)

.
 
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