AC Compressor Fell Off Bolt Sheared/Stranded

[Mikebway]

I have a 2017 RAM 2500 Cummins.

I bought it new and at about 5000 miles the AC compressor fell off while going down the road and shredded the belt leaving me stranded on the interstate.

The dealership thought it was a freak thing so they replaced it under warranty.

I figured it must have been a fluke so I had it fixed and carried on.

After putting in a call to RAM regarding the issue.

Well, I now have 90,000 miles on it and the same thing just happened.

Going down the road and the bolt holding the a/c compressor in sheared dropping the compressor and shredding the belt.

Once again I was stranded on the interstate.

Anyone have any experience or thoughts on what could be causing this.

My next move is to trade it in for a Ford or get familiar with replacing AC compressors and belts on the side of the interstate.

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[Brown Guy]

I would try changing out the bolts to like a great 8 bolt and just remember to check them every so often.

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[Mikebway]

Thanks for your input.

Think I will do just that.

I guess the bolt is backing out and then sheering.

Would like to figure out the reason for bolt backing out.

Possibly rough gravel roads and it doesn't seem to be a common problem amongst the Cummins community.

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[Brown Guy]

Replace the bolts with grade 8 bolts and put a dab of blue lock tight on each one and should be good.

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[Mikebway]

9E00E161-5CEA-4795-8F07-311F306B14CD.jpg

5F53DA99-9E67-4362-82AB-B0379AF7B703.jpg

This is the bolt that was in there.

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[Brown Guy]

What's a metric bolt I'm wondering if it's not bottoming out before it tightens up and thats the problem.

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[Mikebway]

Your guess is as good as mine.

I believe that is the same factory bolt (or at least it should be) that broke off the first time.

Deleted my truck about 6 months ago so I'm sure RAM will wash their hands from the matter.

Truck was not deleted when it happened the first time.

Just would like to get to the bottom of it.

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[Brown Guy]

Will you probably on the other side of the country compared to me I would take a look at it for you but I'm in northern Alberta.

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[Aboshan]

That is odd.

The shear strength on a bolt that size is incredibly high.

Higher than most people would think.

I would get the highest grade bolt I could find, at least grade 8.

I would check the hole for debris or something that may be causing a bottom out instead of tighten AND run a tap in the internal threads to make sure they go in as far as they should.

I have not seen anything like that on the big Cummins engines and they are not bolted on any differently.

I would also use a thread locker that is heat resistant.

That bolt looks like it has red lock tight and heat is what makes it fail.

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[Mikebway]

Certainly, a ways off.

Thank you for the offer though.

I believe i may be wrong about the a/c compressor.

I believe it is the radiator fan pulley.

The first time it was the ac compressor.

That seems to still be intact.

Now the bolt has backed out and sheered off the radiator fan pulley i believe?

I would take a pic under the hood but it has been towed to the dealer. Here are the recovered parts so far.

My worry now is that all of the pulleys on the front of the motor were not properly torqued off the assembly line.

Who knows what will come flying off next.

FF7BAD6E-4B83-4775-88D1-33D423AACCC8.jpg

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