6.7L Cummins Forum

Folks,

If you have a dodge ram (any model), check your valve stems asap !! I have been tons of problems with my new ram 3500 dually and today was the last straw, tires flat again. They would go flat at the wrong time, like towing a heavy trailer and more .....

Took the tires off the truck and check them all for nail and holes and nothing. Took the soapy water test and wham, all the valve stems leaked. At 80 psi, I could rotate the stems on the rims. Bump them in any direction and loose 5 psi at a snap.

Went to Big O, they looked at it and agreed that was a MAJOR defect and said lucky to be alive. They popped the beads the stems fell out. These where made in china version and they where way too small. Valve stems should not rotate on the rim once installed, if they do, you are screwed.

Hate to see people get hurt. This problem should have been caught at some many possible check points for Q/A that its not funny. That dealer inspection fee that we pay for at time of purchase should have caught it also !!!!

Blast it, had my wife and kids in the truck the whole time having these problems. They could have been hurt, that makes me so mad !!

Cheers,
Roberto

Wow! Did you take them to the dealership and let them look at them because they should know? (Just checked mine and they seem okay). Is this an 07 or 08?

__________________

2007.5 Dodge Ram 3500 HD,QC, 6.7L Cummins, 6speed Auto, 4X4, Bighorn Edition.
Click for installs: Carr Steps PML Diff Cover Edge Juice with Attitude Volant Intake Hankook ATM RF10

Well it was kinda hard with flats .... Got them stabilized long enough to make it to a local Big O via side streets. I did contact the dealer and they never heard of such a problem .... Google search says otherwise.

The truck is a 2008 made in 6/2008, actually looking at your sig, same as yours except white

Google:

recalled tire valve stems - Google Search

Seems to be a very large problem .... 6 million worth and growing !! The Dodge Ram 3500 with Micheline tires seem to have these made in china stems ..... I will post pics of the bad valve shortly.

More to come....

-Roberto

Here is a hi-res pic of the problem stem ....

You will notice that the space from the top rib to the lower seat is much greater than the thickness of the steel rims. Also the diameter is too small for the hole in the rim. Like I said before, 80 PSI and I could turn the stem in the rim ......

I did leave the spare as is so the dealer can review it before I have it changed. I will be bring the removed stems to the dealer on Friday.

-Roberto

Attached Thumbnails

 

Keep us informed. I have the General tires and was wondering if the wheels that the Michelin are mounted to are different?

__________________

2007.5 Dodge Ram 3500 HD,QC, 6.7L Cummins, 6speed Auto, 4X4, Bighorn Edition.
Click for installs: Carr Steps PML Diff Cover Edge Juice with Attitude Volant Intake Hankook ATM RF10

The rims are all the same. It all depends on the sub contractor doing the work. This specific sub used materials that have/are under recall .... Guess they wanted to up their profit margin.

It was amazing to see how well the truck behaved today on a 500 mile run at 70 to 90 MPH !! No fighting it, very smooth.

I will say this, look at your stems closely, if there is not a good old fashion lump of rubber on the top of the stem sealing it to the rim (unlike the one I posted), replace it no matter what. All these Chinese stems (good or bad) are just not worth it especially with your life. Our new stems are in very tight and solid with a good size rubber sealing bead on the outside. I know I will not have problems with these !!

Cheers,
Roberto

Status update ....

Our dealer has gone silent, what a surprise. I guess I will have to show up at their doorstep and deal with the matter face to face.

With our Toyota trucks, I got a full reimbursement after my 5 year warranty expired and the head gaskets blew. Now only they did pay for the cost of repairs, but my lost wage for doing the service (I did not know there was a recall on it) ! Blew my away when I got the check, all I did was ask the service manager one day when I saw a pile of trucks in for service all with the heads off .... Now if Toyota would just go into production with Tundra diesel dually, I there !

I would not be surprised if these kind folks void my 7 year warranty on the spot because I changed the air cleaner for one that actually works on the first oil change ...

Not what one would expect on a vehicle with 4K miles .... Pissed, and they are supposed to be a 5 star Dealer and Services ....

-R

the piece on the very bottom looks plastic??? First valve stems i have ever saw like that

__________________

07.5 QC 4x4
6sp/3250dd sbc
Edge juice/w att
Egr mia
AFE mega cannon
H@S 4in tbe/Magnaflow Muff
18in 766 Diesels
Hell Bent 2in leveling kit
Spray in bed liner and the rocker panels

kind of like after i bought my truck, a year old and oly 15,000 miles. Bought it a dealer over 4 hours away from the house. Couple weeks of hauling the flatbed and horse trailer i kept blowing tires. Got to really looking at the tires and found that they weren't rated for a 1 ton truck. How wonderfull to have to replace four tires after just buying the vehicle. I called the dealer and they played dumb about it. Gues next time i'll pay alot more attention to the size not just the tread life