Goldenbear

I was under the truck yesterday installing my Westins and mine came from the factory with tape. THen, the undercoater sprayed over the tape. I had a heck of a time getting the tape off the get that bolt in there.

WHat's the big deal with plugs anyway? If you look, there are a lot of drain holes at the bottom of the paneling

mymaur

I'd sure find another Dealer. As much as I dislike the dealers in general. This is pretty low. The old, "we didn't make any money so we won't help you" excuse.

Thats out-n-out balogna. They always make money. Several thousand at minimum on each and every Ram. How dumb do they think the consumer is. Apparently pretty dumb

When a dealer is willing to loose a customer over a dollars worth of plugs and 5 minutes work, I'd say they are the dumb ones.

The dealer I always use will bend over backwards to employ customer satisfation. He will literally do anything to make his customers happy. Thats how it should be.

Yikes, I'm venting again. Go take a pill and simmer down. Deep breaths!!!!`

nickleinonen

it's the principal of the situation. it is suppose to be there, but they didn't put it there... it may be a small thing but, they need to be learned a lesson...

jarmar

I keep wondering if it is more than just the principal of the thing. The truck was designed with the voids covered with a rubber grommet. Previous years had this grommet. The holes are still covered in the manufacturing process, but with tape.

Even though there may be drain holes, I am thinking that covering the holes with something more permanent than tape will be beneficial and keep a great deal of road flotsam out of the rocker panels.

I have asked that the tape be replaced with the proper grommet on the truck I will be picking up on Monday. I think that Dodge should do this without charge, but if they don't I still want the grommets because if it made sense to design the truck this way it probably still makes sense to have the proper grommet in place.

jr

papaduck

You know that the tape will eventually come off. A rock could get inside the side panel and you would have a rattle that would be almost unable to locate or get the rock out!

Bowman

I've been pretty busy lately with the kids spring break & son in baseball. But Iplan to follow up on this issue. Does anyone have the page number where the micro fiche is or where the service manual shows the part?

I do think I need to be more clearer to NICOLE as to what the situation is. mybe ask her to ask a service tech or parts person...

I got my survey in the mail today. at this point... I don't think they're gonna pass. Mostly.. it's the pricipal of the thing. But it also is a practical point as well, the tape WILL come off eventually & potentially let mud/grime/debris in the hole to block the drain holes. This will facilitate rust prematurely.

Thanx,

David

jarmar

I have a printout from the microfiche but it has no page number. The part number is 4860953AA.

jr

spots

I just had to crawl under my truck to see what the fuss was about. I have an early build '03 and seem to have about half the plugs there and half gone, no tape. No rock noises, no rotting sides yet. I will be the test mule for you all and not, I repeat, NOT have my holes plugged...

nickleinonen

i got a print out of the graphic and the text for the body plugs and scanned them and put them on my webshots site...

body plug graphic
body plug text

on both those pages, if you click the "View Full Size" link below the image, it will open up a new window with the full size scan of the pages [in 1700x2340 rez]

Bowman

Nick & Jamar, thanx for the info...

You ain't gonna believe this... But I was sent those pictures & description of the parts/truck. I didn't know then they were the fiche. I SHOWED those to my salesman. After that is when he said he'd found some plugs in Delaware(i'm in Texas). That's when he said it would cost ME 20 bucks. I will hopefully be able to send the documents to the customer service folks from Dodge.

With my dealer being so uncooperative on this small issue... I'm afraid to take it in for the 5 first oil changes free...Hopefully, I can watch what they do.

thanx folks. It's great to have a sounding board and a wealth of knowledge from folks to share about our Dodges.

David

Teddroe

I picked up my new 600 Friday. Checked underneath for the tape and sure enough. Told the dealer about it and he said lets go to parts and get them suckers ordered. Parts guy said they are on nation wide backorder but said it should be about a week before they are in.
Love this new truck so far......

Ram04

just looked a few days ago and yep, I have the tape as well. Gonna leave it as is.

Teddroe

Your lucky you can get away with not having them in Arizona, but up here in
Michigan with all the salt and crap on the roads it would be no time and they would be rustin through from the inside.

bkrukow

I just brought my new truck home last nite and when I was buying it I mentioned that it did not have the plugs, and they orderd them imedeatly without even being asked to. It may have helped that I was dealing with the dealership owner and senior salesman both at the same time. I told them I had heard that some trucks where being shipped with low oil in the rear axle and they had that and ALL other oil and fluid levels checked for me without being asked to. Between that and the fact that they gave me $5000 more for my truck than any other dealer would realy make me like them. So far all

Tfeore

I'm with Ram04, I'm leavin the tape. Rust in Phoenix, I got a better chance of snow on Christmas. Besides, adhesives have come a long way. Rubber just shrinks and rots in this heat!

Randy, join your DTR#20
Tom