Update: DO NOT BUY RAM WITH RAMBOX - Warping and Alignment Issue with 2019 Rams

[djevox]

Hahaha... yep. Just got a 1250 in December. I thought I recognized your BowDown username. Small world, dude!

That 1250 is pretty awesome. Congrats!

 

[StuartV]

2019 RAM REBEL - Mine is in the shop for its 3rd time. Dealer keeps trying to fix it without success. Below is the latest email from their manager. Nice folks trying to do the right thing. Obviously no support from FCA. Sad that a 70K plus vehicle has this issue. This will drive me nuts, so more than likely will be trading it in on a GMC or Chevy. I love the truck, but I hate it when a product is not backed up by the manufacturer. Ford is not even an option. They are much worse! I had too many bad experiences with them and switched to RAM.

Note from Dealer - "WELL, THEY SENT ONE SIDE WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, THE OTHER WITHOUT. THE LIGHTS ARE COMING IN TODAY. SHOULD BE DONE NO LATER THAN TOMORROW. THE OUTSIDE PANEL IS STILL WAVY. IT IS NOT THE OUTSIDE PART AND THE LID IS NEW. WE THINK IT WAS JUST POOR DESIGN AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO THEY WILL NOT FIT RIGHT. I PUT A NEW ONE ON AND IT GOT THE SAME RESULT. EVERYTHING WORKS BETTER AND IT FITS BETTER. HOWEVER, I JUST DON’T THINK THAT WAVE IS GOING TO COME OUT."

If it's the RamBoxes that are driving you nuts, well, I would still rather drive a RAM 1500 with no RamBoxes over a GMC or Chevy...

Personally, I don't feel like this is a case of FCA not supporting their trucks. I mean, they have tried to fix yours 3 times?

It's not that they aren't supporting it. It's that this particular aspect of the RAM is, well, to be polite, "not as well done" as the rest of the truck. It is what it is. To anyone that is going to be bothered by RamBox lids that get a bit wavy, I'd say "that's kinda how it is. It kinda sucks, but just know that that's how it is going in and if it's going to bother you that much, don't get RamBoxes."

It's kinda like the mileage on the Hemi. Just because I think my mileage sucks (14.1 overall average on a truck with a window sticker that says 19 City) doesn't mean FCA doesn't support the truck. It's not a reason to have it in and out of the shop trying to fix. It's just, well, what it is.

The RamBoxes are what they are... which is, great for utility, but not great for cosmetics. And some are better than others. Without RamBoxes, it's still the best truck on the market (in MY opinion, anyway).

 

[carbonfold]

It's a poor design for sure. The dealership jacked around with mine after I reported waviness in the painted appliques the first year I owned it. Once they pulled the appliques off, I've had trouble with waviness, misalignment and QC issues ever since. Not only that, the dealership did a poor poor job trying to fix them... including but not limited to stuffing dum dum in one of the tab holes, breaking tabs on the doors, damaging the texture piece with a screw driver (buckled it between the applique and lid), doing a horrible paint job, screwing up some sections of the side of my bed with the buffer, buffing over my ORP sticker (faded a corner of it) and gave me a free long scratch in my rear driver's side door.... After leaving with many more issues than I started, I abandoned the dealership... Ram Care didn't really do anything but said go to another dealer (2021 truck and at the time 20k miles so under warranty).

I ordered two appliques and lids myself. Wasn't too expense. However, the driver side lids are arriving defective and poorly assembled. I've been waiting for one not buckled in the middle since Feb 2022. I got tired of waiting and threw one of the many defective ones on and it's total crap. The right side fits pretty good but the far rear hold down will not engage the applique tab. The back corner of the applique sticks out a touch.

The left side is somewhat flimsy in the back middle of the lid (these are the defective ones). The microswitch button cover does not hold in place correctly and floats around (the cover is aligned on the lock cylinder so it is not a user error... I'm becoming a Rambox installer expert haha). Although I was able to get all the applique tabs to lock into lid but the button cover is sad. I think I'll probably get water in there but who knows if that will cause the microswitch to malfunction. Even with these problems, it looks a million times better than it left the dealership, although not as good as before the dealership messed with it.

Anyways, I'm not pleased at the whole ordeal at all. Mopar absolutely is aware of this issue but has no desire to correct the lids. Until then, we as owners are going to be left with a poorly designed door.... I said it before in a prior post, I wished the dealership never had touched my doors to begin with....

 

[c3k]

As others have noted, looks like a great opportunity for an aftermarket mod. One that's made of metal (so no temperature bowing/flexing with two materials).

 

[Ellisstrong]

As others have noted, looks like a great opportunity for an aftermarket mod. One that's made of metal (so no temperature bowing/flexing with two materials).

Yeah this sounds like the perfect solution to me as well.

 

[Ablaze66]

Well this is still an issue, I have a 2021 that I got custom ordered brand new and the ramboxes started warping, not only the side panels started waving on the panels and look like mini-dents. The dealership fixed the warping in the boxes for now, looked like the pics you posted. However just received answer regarding my claim for waving on the panels and they told me claim is denied because RAM said “it’s a known side-effect of the manufacturing process from stamping” and if I wanted it fixed to take it to a body shop. I called RAM customer service and explained the situation to them and they said “work with your dealer”. I’m just shocked and I can’t believe this is how it is with RAM, absolutely unacceptable customer service. The ramboxes were a major reason I went for RAM and did the custom order, I wish I had known that there were these problems

 

[securityguy]

Well this is still an issue, I have a 2021 that I got custom ordered brand new and the ramboxes started warping, not only the side panels started waving on the panels and look like mini-dents. The dealership fixed the warping in the boxes for now, looked like the pics you posted. However just received answer regarding my claim for waving on the panels and they told me claim is denied because RAM said “it’s a known side-effect of the manufacturing process from stamping” and if I wanted it fixed to take it to a body shop. I called RAM customer service and explained the situation to them and they said “work with your dealer”. I’m just shocked and I can’t believe this is how it is with RAM, absolutely unacceptable customer service. The ramboxes were a major reason I went for RAM and did the custom order, I wish I had known that there were these problems

Sorry to hear about your issues. I really wanted RAM boxes on both my 19 and 21 Limiteds, but the warping issues stopped me. I will never buy RAM boxes until the issue is resolved and they find a new vendor to manufacture them correctly. I wish you the best, but doubt any body shop can truly help you and the dealer will be worthless.

 

[Ablaze66]

Sorry to hear about your issues. I really wanted RAM boxes on both my 19 and 21 Limiteds, but the warping issues stopped me. I will never buy RAM boxes until the issue is resolved and they find a new vendor to manufacture them correctly. I wish you the best, but doubt any body shop can truly help you and the dealer will be worthless.

Thank you, Yeah I’m just so disappointed and don’t even know what to do. I will try and take it to a different dealership (not the one I bought it from) and see if my results any different but not holding out much hope. I would of never got boxes had I known. From my research a lot of the issues started with the fifth gen, prior they were metal and different design.

 

[mikeru82]

Thank you, Yeah I’m just so disappointed and don’t even know what to do. I will try and take it to a different dealership (not the one I bought it from) and see if my results any different but not holding out much hope. I would of never got boxes had I known. From my research a lot of the issues started with the fifth gen, prior they were metal and different design.

The 4th gen design is different than 5th gens. They're made by a different vendor even. But 4th gens were not metal. They did seem to be made of thicker plastic though, and had their own alignment issues. 4th gen lids were not perfect, but they were better designed than the lids on 5th gens.

 

[PurpleRT]

Is it really that bad ? Do you mind posting pictures?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[carbonfold]

Well this is still an issue, I have a 2021 that I got custom ordered brand new and the ramboxes started warping, not only the side panels started waving on the panels and look like mini-dents. The dealership fixed the warping in the boxes for now, looked like the pics you posted. However just received answer regarding my claim for waving on the panels and they told me claim is denied because RAM said “it’s a known side-effect of the manufacturing process from stamping” and if I wanted it fixed to take it to a body shop. I called RAM customer service and explained the situation to them and they said “work with your dealer”. I’m just shocked and I can’t believe this is how it is with RAM, absolutely unacceptable customer service. The ramboxes were a major reason I went for RAM and did the custom order, I wish I had known that there were these problems

A body shop cannot fix this issue (I work in the collision and dealer automotive industry). It cannot be solved via body work nor the dealership. There are multiple issues with the Ramboxes and RAM is flat out putting their head in the sand and not addressing the problem. The actual Rambox door structure needs a full overhaul by RAM period... The structure is made of two main sections and the big problem is that when these two are adhered, in manufacturing, they are not properly joined. This causes all sorts of misalignment problems:

a. The outer painted panel not to fasten properly (will not clip in).
b. The outer painted panel is stressed and causes outer panel to warp/wave (stretched too tightly and forced over "ribs" in the structure).
c. Shutting issues with striker and catch misalignments.
d. Painted panel alignment to lock cylinder and microswitch. (lining up the holes for the lock and microswitch).
e. Weak structure causing the whole top portion of Rambox to flex. AKA potato chip...

I have first hand experience with this and articulated this to RAM as I had my new panels painted and installed (myself) new Rambox lids. I was tired of the dealer screwing up my panels (while under warranty) and gave it a go myself. This is something a dealership nor body shop CANNOT fix. The parts are flat out defective from the start and RAM just doesn't care or "Dodging" the problem haha. They have completely dropped my concerns on this when it was in service AND as a client buying the parts. Very disappointing when I'm out of pocket repairing a brand new vehicle under warranty because the dealership cannot repair it correctly. RAM has yet to call me back (though they always say they will). Very annoying but at least my work looks the way it did before the dealership started messing with it (though the painted appliques will not properly snap in place, are still wavy and the lids will not sit flush with the body). It's close but still off...

 

[Michael_D]

Bummer. I logged on and searched to find out how to adjust these. My 2022 Limited, which I ordered and picked up last Friday has some misalignment on both sides. I tried to correct with the hinge fasteners, but that is only one direction of movement.

 

[SpeedyV]

Bummer. I logged on and searched to find out how to adjust these. My 2022 Limited, which I ordered and picked up last Friday has some misalignment on both sides. I tried to correct with the hinge fasteners, but that is only one direction of movement.

Look up complete disassembly instructions provided on this forum by @Edwards a couple of years ago. Might be your best bet.

 

[carbonfold]

Bummer. I logged on and searched to find out how to adjust these. My 2022 Limited, which I ordered and picked up last Friday has some misalignment on both sides. I tried to correct with the hinge fasteners, but that is only one direction of movement.

Misaligned how and you probably would have to post a photo? There is a tool (which I own that took me 5 months to get from Mopar) that will change the pitch of the striker latch and it can assist in pulling the lid in slightly different directions. Depending on how yours are misaligned will determine if you have defective lids or not.

 

[Alejandro_Andretti]

Idk if anyone has had the dealership just replace their box. Just noticed my passenger side box warped pretty bad I’ll be making a call on Monday

 

[Ramroo]

I’ve had ramboxes on 2 trucks.
Mine we’re adjusted by bending the metal connector on this inside middle of the box, not the hinges. Seems like I remember some adjustments on some of them on hinges on other trucks. If anyone is interested, I will see if I can dig up some instructions.

 

[jdawgjm]

So looking at it. It’s entirely plastic. The only metal part (if it’s even that) is a painted body color matching cover! So in knowing this, why not just drill from the inside and find a way with some low profile bolts and spacers (along with some o-rings)?

Or just get some JB and glue at the peel while clamping down over night.

Thoughts?

 

[Dschmid37]

Open the attachment in this link.

Did Ram solve the problem of warped Rambox lids on newly built vehicles?

My son has a friend with a 2020 Ram 2500 with Ram Boxes and the alignment looks like it's still true from manufacturing. But I think the box contour of the 2500 is different than a DT and not of the same mold, maybe not even the same supplier. Regards, Dusty 2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie...

5thgenrams.com

 

[securityguy]

Idk if anyone has had the dealership just replace their box. Just noticed my passenger side box warped pretty bad I’ll be making a call on Monday

Why replace it with the same exact thing that will only warp again??? This is why I have stayed clear of a truck with Ram Boxes. RAM should have fixed this issue years ago

 

[arod412]

Love my rambox...and I use it pretty much every weekend. As long as it opens and closes, I'm ok with a little warping on each side.

The pros outweigh the cons in my book. I definitely did my research on the warping issue...and it's only a matter of time that it will happen to me.

2022 Ram Big Horn Back Country
2016 Dodge Charger scat pack
2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara