SoonDockin
Oklahoma
Senior Member
Joined: 03/25/2014
View Profile
 Offline
|
My new 2022 Ram 5500 has never felt like its aligned properly. The steering wheel is canted to the right a bit. I have called three ram dealers, two of which sell commercial trucks. None have a rack big enough to align a 5500. This is in Oklahoma. Anyone know of a decent repair center around here that can align a new 4x4 Ram 5500?
2022 Ram Laramie 5500 60" CA New pic soon
2018 Arctic Fox 1140 Dry Bath
Sold 2019 Ford F450 King Ranch (was a very nice truck)
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
 Online
|
Unless you’re trying to get warranty idk why you’d take it to a dealer. Go to a commercial tire shop.
But does it pull left or just the steering wheel off? And are the tires wearing like it has an issue?
There’s a difference.
If the wheel is just off center and it’s otherwise aligned (which you allude to) then I wouldn’t get it aligned anyway. But you could adjust the steering arm a smidge the other way to center the wheel.
* This post was
edited 05/02/23 10:35pm by Grit dog *
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
|
JRscooby
Indepmo
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2019
View Profile
Offline
|
Don't know where in Ok you are, but it is not rocket surgery. Document the dealers can't/won't do the work. Look for any real truck dealer. (KW, FL, IHC, Pete, Volvo) Sure, you will have to go into your pocket, but get a 4 wheel alignment. Maybe if you can show you had problems from jump you might get repaid.
|
eHoefler
ozark mountains
Senior Member
Joined: 10/22/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
If their rack will accommodate a 3500, they can do the 5500
2021 Ram Limited, 3500, Crew Cab, 1075FTPD of Torque!, Max Tow, Long bed, 4 x 4, Dually,
2006 40' Landmark Mt. Rushmore
|
Cummins12V98
on the road
Senior Member
Joined: 06/03/2012
View Profile
Offline
|
You don't even need a rack to center the steering wheel. Any simple minded mechanic can adjust it. This has nothing to do with an alignment rack.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"
"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600
2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable
2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD
|
|
|
JRscooby
Indepmo
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2019
View Profile
Offline
|
Cummins12V98 wrote:You don't even need a rack to center the steering wheel. Any simple minded mechanic can adjust it. This has nothing to do with an alignment rack.
While this statement is true, I think that unless a simple minded mechanic has already worked on it, there might be other issues. After all a simple minded factory worker put it together, and a simple minded dealership mechanic did a pre-delivery check on it.
This is why I say take it to a shop for complete inspection, like they do before they put it on the rack for 4 wheel alignment.
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Online
|
JRscooby wrote:Don't know where in Ok you are, but it is not rocket surgery. Document the dealers can't/won't do the work. Look for any real truck dealer. (KW, FL, IHC, Pete, Volvo) Sure, you will have to go into your pocket, but get a 4 wheel alignment. Maybe if you can show you had problems from jump you might get repaid.
4 wheel alignment? Lol ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/doh.gif "doh")
|
SoonDockin
Oklahoma
Senior Member
Joined: 03/25/2014
View Profile
Offline
|
I have been to two dealers that will do a 3500 but not a 5500. Say their rack is not big enough. Might be because mine is a chassis cab with slightly longer wheelbase. My biggest complaint is it wanders a bit. The wheel has a bit of slop and it takes a lot of concentration to keep it between the lines. Not dangerous just annoying. I have less than 3000 miles on it and no sign of uneven wear yet.
I could live with the wheel off center if it drove with authority. But that's not the case.
|
JRscooby
Indepmo
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2019
View Profile
Offline
|
SoonDockin wrote:I have been to two dealers that will do a 3500 but not a 5500. Say their rack is not big enough. Might be because mine is a chassis cab with slightly longer wheelbase. My biggest complaint is it wanders a bit. The wheel has a bit of slop and it takes a lot of concentration to keep it between the lines. Not dangerous just annoying. I have less than 3000 miles on it and no sign of uneven wear yet.
I could live with the wheel off center if it drove with authority. But that's not the case.
Things would need to be long ways out for you to see tire wear in 3000 miles.
You might want to be put in touch with a factory rep. While documenting the dealer can't/won't service it, ask them for the number. That request alone might be enough for your dealer to take it to a shop that can fix it.
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Online
|
Wandering feeling, absent of any worn components, which is a reasonable assumption given your truck is new, is often not enough positive caster. These trucks have adjustable caster cams in the suspension arm mounts.
Worth mentioning as it wouldn’t be the first truck to come off the assembly line this way.
Another cause of wandering is any negative toe.
Edit: Or if you have the camper set back on your new chassis where it’s removing a significant amount of FA weight, that could contribute to the wandering feel. Haven’t seen how your new truck is setup.
* This post was
edited 05/04/23 08:40am by Grit dog *
|
|
|
