I am voting my V06 repair the worst, what do you think?

[grabinov]

I just put a Thuren leveling kit on my buddy's 2016 2500 - after having done mine. He saw it and couldn't resist. It was a lot easier doing it the second time and with a set of giant tall jack stands so I could really drop the axle. BUT:

He had just had his truck at the dealer for a few small things and they welded the drag link! They did put on a pretty nice weld - WHICH I HAD TO GRIND OFF TO RESET THE STEERING WHEEL TO STRAIGHT after installing the new springs! I was a little worried about how difficult it would be but it turned out to be pretty easy. I adjusted the link and then painted the collar and the nuts again - while trying to avoid too much overspray.

So that's it. I've officially had to grind the welds from the factory fix in order to adjust the wheel. It had to happen to someone first!

 

[crazy jerry]

Service manager at the dealership I use told me don't do it, but to mark mine with a paint pen and check them often for movement. He said the welder spec, for the recall is a 110volt mig with flux core wire. This is probably the number one contributing factor some of these poor welds. Number two is they are getting Jimmy from the car wash bay to do the welding it looks like.

i cant believe people are taking their truck in for this recall. put a wrench on it and be sure theyre tight, then throw on some witness marks with a paint pen and check it once in a while

even a high school baffoon on his first day of welding class would know flux core wire is the wrong stuff

dealers have no qaulified welders and the photos prove that. what a disgrace

at the end of the day , ram/dodge/fca/what ever you want to call them, should hang their head in shame for even putting dealers and customers in this situation

 

[sag2]

I just put a Thuren leveling kit on my buddy's 2016 2500 - after having done mine. He saw it and couldn't resist. It was a lot easier doing it the second time and with a set of giant tall jack stands so I could really drop the axle. BUT:

He had just had his truck at the dealer for a few small things and they welded the drag link! They did put on a pretty nice weld - WHICH I HAD TO GRIND OFF TO RESET THE STEERING WHEEL TO STRAIGHT after installing the new springs! I was a little worried about how difficult it would be but it turned out to be pretty easy. I adjusted the link and then painted the collar and the nuts again - while trying to avoid too much overspray.

So that's it. I've officially had to grind the welds from the factory fix in order to adjust the wheel. It had to happen to someone first!

That's why I said it really isn't a big deal. More time spent complaining here about how lousy a fix it is than it took to grind a couple inches of weld off.

 

[JPM]

i cant believe people are taking their truck in for this recall. put a wrench on it and be sure theyre tight, then throw on some witness marks with a paint pen and check it once in a while

even a high school baffoon on his first day of welding class would know flux core wire is the wrong stuff

dealers have no qaulified welders and the photos prove that. what a disgrace

at the end of the day , ram/dodge/fca/what ever you want to call them, should hang their head in shame for even putting dealers and customers in this situation

IMHO the recall is not only about just the "tightness" its about the inferior thread engagement, causing the lack of tightness. So you could tighten things up and have those same things strip completely apart later.

 

[crazy jerry]

IMHO the recall is not only about just the "tightness" its about the inferior thread engagement, causing the lack of tightness. So you could tighten things up and have those same things strip completely apart later.

to be honest i havent been following this saga all that close. way back when it first kicked up, i put a couple paint marks on mine and have taken no further action. i rarely drive my truck as i have a small commuter car that i spend most my time in and i suspect it would take a fairly substantial hit for the drag link adjuster assembly to pull apart

is there any word what inferior thread engagement meens ? that could be soft threads from inferior metal or simply the drag link ends are too short which results in a low thread count inside the adjuster sleeve. at any rate, the dealer wash boy wont be welding mine. if it comes down to it, ill just throw it in the scrap bin and get another one. i think theres several aftermarket companies making draglink assemblies

 

[sag2]

Service manager at the dealership I use told me don't do it, but to mark mine with a paint pen and check them often for movement. He said the welder spec, for the recall is a 110volt mig with flux core wire. This is probably the number one contributing factor some of these poor welds. Number two is they are getting Jimmy from the car wash bay to do the welding it looks like.

Time to get a new dealer and/or service manager. This is right out of the Recall. "Using a Lincoln Powerwave 350 Flux Cored Arc Weld (MIG) or equivalent GMAW (MIG) welding machine (140-150 amps)". The MSRP of a Powerwave S350 is $6,300. I'm pretty sure they specified a welder for the recall that is superior to 99% of the machines owned by TDR members. From the dealers I have been in they are not purchasing a machine anywhere near the PW 350. I have seen a few that purchased gas shielded, but the recall specifically calls out flux core with gas shield optional.

 

[crazy jerry]

of course the recall recomends flux core. then theres no extra cost for gas and the wash boy will have a better chance of blobbing on a better pile of birdchit.

 

[sag2]

of course the recall recomends flux core. then theres no extra cost for gas and the wash boy will have a better chance of blobbing on a better pile of birdchit.

Flux core welds are just as strong as gas shielded, it's just the shielded look better. If you can't weld with one, you can't weld with the other.

 

[crazy jerry]

every welding process has its time and place. some methods are better than others. i use self shielding flux core wire at work because its the right process for the job and weld integrity is not of up most importance. its not uncommon to weld with 25mph wind in the rain. gas shielding would never work in that envirnment

now i think about it, a self shielding flux probly would be the way to go, as the individual shop envirnment would be unpredictable and gas welding would require more precautions

either way, weld integrity is of no importance, obviously, otherwise we wouldnt see the wash boy attempting to do the job

 

[LandShark]

Here are pictures of the welds and the welding equipment used on my truck yesterday at West Hills Ram in Bremerton, WA. One weld looks like

a practice weld, the other looks good.

The whole process took about 20 minutes, including welding, testing torques, checking toe in, painting, and doing the tail gate lock recall. Service rep stated that I would get a letter in the fall from FCA, to come in to have the drag link replaced.

 

[Regcabguy]

I gave up on my year and just got a Synergy linkage.

 

[Benito]

I had mine just done too. If you ever need to have your steering wheel straightened again for one reason or another, you got a problem. I doubt that this is a permanent resolution. I'm thinking that this is to comply with the safety requirement and then a new design being implemented. That's my hope for now.....

I am thinking the same thing. I talked to FCA, (better conversations with a wall), and I asked them how a recall solution could be approved if it actually takes away a fee attire the vehicle had before, (adjustment of steering wheel). It took a while to get to someone that actually knows something about the car but I was able to explain and he said this was likely a temp solution based on all the complaints. Everyone that has had the weld repair done and is not happy with that solution should let FCA and the NHTSA know.

 

[SeventyGTX]

Here are pictures of the welds and the welding equipment used on my truck yesterday at West Hills Ram in Bremerton, WA. One weld looks likeView attachment 113242 View attachment 113243 a practice weld, the other looks good.

The whole process took about 20 minutes, including welding, testing torques, checking toe in, painting, and doing the tail gate lock recall. Service rep stated that I would get a letter in the fall from FCA, to come in to have the drag link replaced.

Did yours fail the test? From what everyone is saying, that is the only way you get a new drag link and welding is "the fix".

But at least they are using a welder with shielding gas. It looks like he may have forgot to turn the gas on with the weld on the right and why the small holes. Done it several times myself when I was still working as a body tech. You realize it the instant you hit the trigger.

 

[SeventyGTX]

I am thinking the same thing. I talked to FCA, (better conversations with a wall), and I asked them how a recall solution could be approved if it actually takes away a fee attire the vehicle had before, (adjustment of steering wheel). It took a while to get to someone that actually knows something about the car but I was able to explain and he said this was likely a temp solution based on all the complaints. Everyone that has had the weld repair done and is not happy with that solution should let FCA and the NHTSA know.

I also called them and talked to a very nice lady. But even on the phone I could tell I was getting the deer in the headlights look when I said this an adustable part that will no longer be adjustable. Then proceeded to tell her it was a very cheesy way to fix the problem and they are not going to be welding on my truck. Her response was...."that's your choice". Grrrrr...
I probably should have asked to speak to a higher up, but I was getting pretty steamed at that point.
A few days later I got an email from Ram asking how my conversation went, and I laid it out what a ridiculous way to fix this problem. Never heard back.

 

[gtwitch]

My welds done in the last month look like they were done by an experienced welder that understood MIG gas shielded welding.
gtwitch in wyoming

 

[Learjet]

they did a nice job welding my drag link


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[Benito]

I also called them and talked to a very nice lady. But even on the phone I could tell I was getting the deer in the headlights look when I said this an adustable part that will no longer be adjustable. Then proceeded to tell her it was a very cheesy way to fix the problem and they are not going to be welding on my truck. Her response was...."that's your choice". Grrrrr...
I probably should have asked to speak to a higher up, but I was getting pretty steamed at that point.
A few days later I got an email from Ram asking how my conversation went, and I laid it out what a ridiculous way to fix this problem. Never heard back.

I got that same email and also no response- what a surprise

 

[sag2]

Welding does not make it non adjustable. You grind off the weld and adjust it, then weld it again. It really isn't as big a deal as some are making it. Most of the posts took longer to type than it would take to grind it off.

 

[Benito]

Welding does not make it non adjustable. You grind off the weld and adjust it, then weld it again. It really isn't as big a deal as some are making it. Most of the posts took longer to type than it would take to grind it off.

I would almost agree with you except looking at some of the welds that are being done, they are not done with the intent of cutting and re-welding for alignments. Also, at the very least an alignment will likely cost more, (I also told FCA that). Welding is not the issue really it is the fact that their mistake could cost us more in dollars and/or time.

 

[Learjet]

you can still get an alignment....the drag link is only used to center the steering wheel not adjust the toe. Unless you change the suspension....you should not need to adjust the drag link again....IMHO.