Update on 06 MegaCab

[jdaigle]

Hey guys just wanted to give everyone an update on my 06 MC. I'm sure most of you remember the eye strain, headache induced, long, non-paragraphed, vent I wrote when my 5 day old truck left me stranded during the T-Day Holidays. In addition to the transfer case shift motor going out my windshield washer pump stopped working. I finally brought the truck in to have the windshield washer issue resolved. Warning, sit down... ... . $600 for a computer module to make the windshield washer work!!!!!!!

Thank God it's still under warranty and for those questioning the value in extended warranty coverage... ... this truck has 3000 miles on the odo, been in the shop 3 times and on a wrecker once... ... . I think the extended warranty coverage is a great investment at the rate I'm going

On a seperate note: The truck has had a slight pull to the right since the day I picked it up. Air pressure is consistent in both front and rear tires, tire wear appears normal for 3000 miles, but I just have to constantly apply left pressure to make the truck track straight. I've had DC look at the truck twice and they tell my everything is within spec.

Caster: 4. 2 left 4. 4 right

Camber: -0. 1 left 0. 2 right

Toe: 0. 14 left 0. 10 right

It's been said on this forum before that the only time people posts is when they have problems and never to say how much they love their truck. Well, I'm trying very hard to fall in love with this truck... I keep giving it chances!!!



The bank says I'm a dodge guy for 5 years... ... I have to agree with them. Hopefully it will be for many, many more!!!!!!!



Jason

 

[JCleary]

Hey guys just wanted to give everyone an update on my 06 MC. I'm sure most of you remember the eye strain, headache induced, long, non-paragraphed, vent I wrote when my 5 day old truck left me stranded during the T-Day Holidays. In addition to the transfer case shift motor going out my windshield washer pump stopped working. I finally brought the truck in to have the windshield washer issue resolved. Warning, sit down... ... . $600 for a computer module to make the windshield washer work!!!!!!!

Thank God it's still under warranty and for those questioning the value in extended warranty coverage... ... this truck has 3000 miles on the odo, been in the shop 3 times and on a wrecker once... ... . I think the extended warranty coverage is a great investment at the rate I'm going

On a seperate note: The truck has had a slight pull to the right since the day I picked it up. Air pressure is consistent in both front and rear tires, tire wear appears normal for 3000 miles, but I just have to constantly apply left pressure to make the truck track straight. I've had DC look at the truck twice and they tell my everything is within spec.

Caster: 4. 2 left 4. 4 right

Camber: -0. 1 left 0. 2 right

Toe: 0. 14 left 0. 10 right

It's been said on this forum before that the only time people posts is when they have problems and never to say how much they love their truck. Well, I'm trying very hard to fall in love with this truck... I keep giving it chances!!!



The bank says I'm a dodge guy for 5 years... ... I have to agree with them. Hopefully it will be for many, many more!!!!!!!



Jason

Slight pull to the right...



I took mine into the dealer to get it fixed (under warranty 'til 12k miles) and they told me my tires were too big for the machine. At the time I had BFG 285's



They knew there was an issue and that they could not resolve it.



The problem is that there's not enough caster differential right-to-left. Our ball-joints are not adjustable, so they can't do anything about it.



Swift Dodge in Sacramento, CA, found a way to modify a 2nd gen ball joint (which can be ordered in different offsets) to fit our AAM axles. They've fixed quite a few. You may give them a call and see if they'll share the fix.



I don't know if it's me or my truck, but now my truck only follows the crown of the road. I have done nothing except put on a Kore system and alignment. Nothing special, but it tracks straight.

 

[DaveK98]

I read your first article and now the second and I keep knocking on wood... .



I've had zero problems with mine, except for a bad batch of fuel with water in it. Only have 6k miles on it though...

 

[brods]

The problem is that there's not enough caster differential right-to-left.

Please explain what that means? Caster or camber? Why would you want a caster differential (or even camber for that matter)?

 

[TowPro]

Caster differential compensates for pull caused by the crown in the road.

 

[jjordan1]

I would ask to speak to a factory rep & tell him you are going to make notice w\ the state on the LEMON LAW. As much as you truck has been a problem they should take it back & give you another truck.

 

[RKerner]

On a seperate note: The truck has had a slight pull to the right since the day I picked it up. Air pressure is consistent in both front and rear tires, tire wear appears normal for 3000 miles, but I just have to constantly apply left pressure to make the truck track straight. I've had DC look at the truck twice and they tell my everything is within spec.

Caster: 4. 2 left 4. 4 right

Camber: -0. 1 left 0. 2 right

Toe: 0. 14 left 0. 10 right



Jason

Camber creates a pull to the least negative. Caster will pull the the lowest positive side. Looking at your numbers, a technician would he hard pressed to say you have a problem. The often overlooked issue is basic tire pull. If you haven't switched front tires side to side, try it. If the pull changes, then you know what to do. If it doesn't change, see if the pull changes to the left when you drive in the left lane. If it's just a two lane road make sure that no-one is coming the other way. If it pulls just as hard to the left now, yer roads are crowned too much. If it drives straight, then like the other guy says, find a good front end shop and twist the caster around a bit.

YMMV

 

[Brock]

My Jeep Cherokee did the same thing back in 94 when she was new. Same exact thing with pulling to right and them putting on alignment rack and saying everything was okay. Come to find out a service bulletin was released later stating on some trucks that the geometry of front end was off a hair and it would cause the pulling slightly but most noticeable under braking.

They added a shim to the right front tire (kit had like 10 different thicknesses... and they would pick one and drive it and then do another until it was right)... . ended up with aobut a 1/8inch spacer on that tire... and for the next 12 years it drove great.



Worth a thought at least... both Chrysler owned companies... LOL

 

[jdaigle]

Thanks everyone for the input. I just returned from a 500 mile round trip and would like to provide some additonal input/details in hopes of generating some ideas/fixes for the truck pullling to the right.



First off, the truck pulls to the right regardless of what road type I travel on... . Interstate (left or right lane), rural county roads, asphalt, concrete etc. What I really noticed on this last trip was how tired my left arm gets constantly keeping left pressure on the steering wheel. I'll try and explain how the steering feels. When driving I have to constantly apply left pressure on the steering wheel, it feels very, very heavy. When I release the steering wheel there appears to be a quick release in pressure (the steering wheel quickly rotates to the right then stablizes as the truck slowly veers right), if I grasp the steering wheel at this point the steering feels less heavy but the truck is veering right. I then must apply left pressure, feels heavy, to return the truck to center and continue to apply pressure to get the truck center.



Heading West last night on I-10 there was a very hard Northerly wind (pushing on the truck from right to left) and the truck still would track right if I released the steering wheel.



I crawled under the truck this past weekend and noticed the eccentric caster bolts are set in the upright-vertical position... . pointing straight up.



Thanks for any input!!!



Jason

 

[surfbeetle]

Find an shop that does nothing but alignments. When the dealer says it's within specs, but it still won't track straight, then they obviously don't know how to think when they are doing an alignment. The tech should know how to understand the measurements that the alignment rack is giving them and know how to compensate for any issues in handling on the truck, not just follow specs.

 

[rjohnson916]

I've got just over one year of ownership, 30K miles. Absolutely zero-problems to date. My alignment isn't perfect, I had it aligned at the dealer about four months ago. It's probably the ball-joints, although when I checked them four months ago, I got no-movement in the assy. I'm just going to ride out the alignment issue, only cause it's very subtle, and all four of my 285 BFG Allterrains are wearing perfectly.



-Ryan

 

[AKAMAC]

Thanks everyone for the input.



I crawled under the truck this past weekend and noticed the eccentric caster bolts are set in the upright-vertical position... . pointing straight up.



Thanks for any input!!!



Jason

You can try adding caster to the right side. With the + camber on the right and - on left you can have a minor pull. The only fix for that is adjustable ball joints. Adjusting the eccentrics by forcing the axle into a "torqued" or "loaded" condition is not the right way but will work.

I would turn the right side eccentric about 15° and test drive. You will be lengthining the lower arm. By the way, those nuts are tight and should be returned to that condition. Mike

 

[Regcabguy]

Right Pull

Find an shop that does nothing but alignments. When the dealer says it's within specs, but it still won't track straight, then they obviously don't know how to think when they are doing an alignment. The tech should know how to understand the measurements that the alignment rack is giving them and know how to compensate for any issues in handling on the truck, not just follow specs.

Yeah Surf, I had a constant pull to the right which was remedied by East County Alignment in Santee. Ca by the installation of an eccentic atop the upper right ball joint. Great people: total bill w/alignment:$103. 00

 

[daytripper63]

The Dealer always told me my 03 was in spec. when I brought it in too. But after my 12000 mile alignment/frontend warranty was up they changed there answer to "you need accentric bushings for you ball joints to fix your alignment" #@$%!

 

[MLimpert]

I took my truck to the best alignment only shop in town, and they offered an adjustable ball joint for around $350 to fix my slight right pull. When (not if )they wear out I'll be going that route.

 

[MLee]

jdaigle;

Sent you a PM hope this will work.

Marv.

 

[surfbeetle]

Bajabob, I have had my suburban in East County Alignment, they are great.



Daytripper, if I were you, I would contact the chrysler warranty zone rep and show them the paper trail indicating that you brought it in under warranty with a problem and you were told it was in spec, but now that it's out of warranty (still with the same issue), they want to charge you for it. Good luck.