Front end alignment

[EBramwell]

New 2003 4x4 Front end alignment

Hey everyone, I just wanted to tell you all I picked up my new truck Tuesday night. Wow..... I love it! I ordered a 3500 4x4 HO 6spd, Long bed, four door, 4. 10's Dually Laramie.

Well you may be wondering why my subject is front end alignment? Well here is where it goes bad. I'm driving my new truck home from the dealer, about a 60 mile drive. I notice that the truck is pulling to the right. So ok, I'll call tomorrow and get the front end aligned.

I take it in for what they say will take an hour, ends up being two and a half hours. They say that there isn't a lot of adjusting they can do on the 4x4's to align them, and that they can’t align mine. They go on to tell me that my frame was tweaked a little when they dogged it downed on the delivery truck. They say this happens every once in a while, that they've seen it before?

By now I'm not real happy as you can imagine! So I've got an appointment to go to the frame shop so they can straighten it!

Anyone ever heard of this? Are these new frames that weak?

 

[David Muench]

So... If their line is true, why haven't they ordered you a new truck yet?

 

[EBramwell]

They say it's not out much and that they can straighten it very easily?!?!? They wont even consider replacing it until they've had a chance to fix the problem.

It makes me sick!!!

 

[David Muench]

If it were my truck, I'd be talking to my lawyer. . A bad frame just isn't acceptable IMHO.

 

[Duck]

No experience with truck frames, but motorcycle frames come out of the straightening shop straighter than they did out of the factory.



I would find out how far they have to straighten it. If it sounds too far, then tell them you haul cars for a living and that straightening the hydroformed frame would make you lose faith in the vehicle. If they give you lip service, tell them you want to open a case with D/C on the issue (which is probably the only way the delaer can give a new one without taking it in the shorts anyhow) because their solution isn't acceptable to you, and see where it goes from there.



Hell, I'd probably do that anyway just to get the problem on record.

 

[rbattelle]

I don't think it's wise to attempt a straightening operation on a boxed frame. I think once it's bent, it's strength is shot. Since this happened on day 1, they need to refund your money or give you a new truck.

 

[1tuffram]

I agree with the above posts. I guess you need to let them attempt to fix it THEN I'd become very familiar with the Lemon Law procedure in your owners manual. Even if they seem to fix it now, who's to say later down the road problems won't crop-up if you haul or tow some heavy loads. I just don't see how anything good can come of a bent frame. I'd open a case file with DC and start the lemon law or buy back procedure NOW!

 

[sag2]

Before you get all nervous and jerky, it's time to start asking a couple of questions. What alignment angles can't they get in specifications? I have been thinking and looking at mine, and I don't understand how an alleged bent frame could cause the camber or caster to be off.

There are no adjustments for a 4x4 other than toe, and no one makes offset ball joints yet for American axles. So if the alignment is off the housing needs to be replaced. Does not happen often, but is not that big of a deal.

Bottom line, get the print out from the alignment machine (dealer must have to get paid for warranty claim) and go from there. Post them if you can.

 

[Briman]

Caster is adjustable on a 4 X 4. (with a solid front axle)

 

[MMeier]

EBramwell, how bad was your truck pulling to the right? Sort of like you let go of the wheel, goes straight for a second or two, then casually veers off to the right, or something else?? Thanks Mark. .

 

[EBramwell]

MMeier, it pulls to the right, for example if I let go of the wheel it glides off to the right no matter what speed I'm going. Theres no pause before the pull to the right.

 

[rbattelle]

EBramwell, what ever happened with this? Just curious.

Ryan