2005 DODGE RAM 1500 GAS flat tire

CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
Removing The Spare Tire
Remove the spare tire before attempting to jack the truck.
Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension tube. Insert
the tube through the access hole between the lower
tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the winch
mechanism tube. Rotate the wheel wrench handle coun-
terclockwise until the spare tire is on the ground with
enough cable slack to allow you to pull it out from under
the vehicle. When the spare is clear, tilt the retainer at the
end of the cable and pull it through the center of the
wheel.
It is recommended that you stow the flat or spare to
avoid tangling the loose cable.
NOTE:The winch mechanism is designed for use with
the jack extension tube only. Use of an air wrench or other
power tools is not recommended and can damage the
winch.
326 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE:If the 2500/3500 bottle jack will not lower by
turning the dial (thumb wheel) by hand, it may be
necessary to use the jack drive tube in order to lower the
jack.
4. By rotating the wheel wrench clockwise, raise the
vehicle until the wheel just clears the surface.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make
the vehicle unstable and cause an accident. It could
slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Install
the spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end
of the nuts toward the wheel on 2500/3500 single rear
wheel (SRW) models. On 3500 dual rear wheel models
(DRW) the lug nuts are a two piece assembly with a flat
face. Lightly tighten the nuts. To avoid risk of forcing the
vehicle off the jack, do not fully tighten the nuts until the
vehicle has been lowered.
6. Using the wheel wrench, finish tightening the nuts
using a crisscross pattern. Correct nut tightness is 135 ft.
lbs. (183 N·m) torque for 2500/3500 single rear wheel
(SRW) models and 145 ft. lbs. (197 N·m) for 3500 dual rear
wheel models. If in doubt about the correct tightness,
have them checked with a torque wrench by your dealer
or at a service station.
332 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

You must use the flat end of the lug wrench to pry off the
wheel skins. Insert the flat tip completely and using a
back and forth motion, loosen the wheel skin. Repeat this
procedure around the tire until the skin pops off.
Replace the wheel skins first using a rubber mallet. When
replacing the hub caps, tilt the cap retainer over the
lugnut bolt circle and strike the high side down with a
rubber mallet. Be sure that the hub caps and wheel skins
are firmly seated around the wheel.
8-Stud — Dual Rear Wheels
Dual wheels are flat mounted, center piloted. The lug
nuts are a two piece assembly. When the tires are being
rotated or replaced, clean these lug nuts and add 2 drops
of oil at the interface between the hex and the washer.Slots in the wheels will assist in properly orienting the
inner and outer wheels. Align these slots when assem-
bling the wheels for best access to the tire valve on the
inner wheel. The tires of both dual wheels must be
completely off the ground when tightening to insure
wheel centering and maximum wheel clamping.
334 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

1. Tighten the wheel nuts in the numbered sequence to a
snug fit.
2. Retighten the wheel nuts in the same sequence to the
torques listed in the table. Go through the sequence a
second time to verify that specific torque has been
achieved. Retighten to specifications at 100 miles (160
km) and after 500 miles (800 km).
It is recommended that wheel stud nuts be kept torqued
to specifications at all times. Torque wheel stud nuts to
specifications at each lubrication interval.
Wheel Nuts
All wheel nuts should be tightened occasionally to elimi-
nate the possibility of wheel studs being sheared or the
bolt holes in the wheels becoming elongated. This is
especially important during the first few hundred miles
of operation to allow the wheel nuts to become properly
set. All nuts should first be firmly seated against thewheel. The nuts should then be tightened to recom-
mended torque. Tighten the nuts to final torque in
increments. Progress around the bolt circle, tightening
the nut opposite to the nut just previously tightened until
final torque is achieved. Recommended torques are
shown in the following chart.
Disc
WheelsType Nut Stud Size Torque
Ft. Lbs.Torque
Newton
Meters
Cone 1/2-20 90-110 100-150
Cone 9/16-18 120-150 160-200
Flanged 9/16-18 130-160 190-220
To Stow The Flat Or Spare
Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is down. Slide the
wheel retainer through the center of the wheel and
position it properly across the wheel opening.
For convenience in checking the spare tire inflation, stow
with the valve stem toward the rear of the vehicle.
336 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Ethylene Glycol Antifreeze................. 370
Exhaust Gas Caution..............70,158,288,368
Exhaust System....................70,367,368
Exterior Lighting........................ 117
Filters
Air Cleaner........................358,382
Engine Fuel.......................... 358
Engine Oil........................357,405
Engine Oil Disposal.................... 357
Flashers
Turn Signal.......................... 119
Flat Tire Stowage.....................326,336
Flexible Fuel Vehicles
Cruising Range........................ 291
Engine Oil........................... 290
Fuel Requirements..................289,290
Maintenance.......................... 291
Replacement Parts..................... 291Starting............................. 290
Flooded Engine Starting................... 230
Fluid, Brake........................... 406
Fluid Capacities......................... 403
Fluid Level Checks
Automatic Transmission................. 377
Power Steering........................ 363
Fog Lights.......................... 118,402
Fold Flat Load Floor..................... 152
Four Wheel Drive....................... 241
Four-Way Hazard Flasher.................. 320
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle................... 341
Front Axle............................. 374
Front Wheel Bearings..................... 380
Fuel................................. 282
Adding............................. 285
Filter............................... 358
Gauge.............................. 172
Octane Rating......................282,405
440 INDEX

Hood Release.......................... 113
Hoses................................ 372
Hub Caps............................. 333
Ignition.............................13,228
Key ............................... 11,13
Lock................................ 13
Infant Restraint.......................... 56
Inflation Pressure Tires.................... 277
Inside Rearview Mirror.................... 78
Instrument Cluster....................164,165
Instrument Panel and Controls.............. 163
Instrument Panel Lens Cleaning............. 389
Interior Appearance Care.................. 387
Intermittent Wipers...................... 121
Introduction............................. 4
Jack Location........................... 322
Jack Operation.......................... 327Jump Starting.......................... 337
Key, Replacement........................ 12
Key, Sentry............................. 11
Key-In Reminder......................... 11
Keyless Entry System...................... 22
Keys................................ 11,15
Lane Change and Turn Signals.............. 119
Lap Belts.............................. 42
Lap/Shoulder Belts....................... 34
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren) . 60
Lights..............................71,115
Airbag............................55,166
Anti-Lock Warning..................170,258
Battery Saver......................... 116
Brake Warning........................ 170
Bulb Replacement...................390,391
Cap Top Clearance..................... 398
442 INDEX

Alignment........................... 277
Chains.............................. 278
Changing............................ 326
Compact Spare........................ 272
Dual............................281,334
General Information.................... 268
High Speed.......................... 271
Inflation Pressures..................... 269
Jacking............................. 327
Load Capacity.....................264,265
Radial.............................. 272
Replacement......................... 276
Rotation............................. 280
Safety...........................259,268
Sizes............................... 261
Snow Tires........................... 280
Spare Tire........................... 326
Spinning............................ 274
Tread Wear Indicators................... 275Wheel Mounting....................... 327
Wheel Nut Torque..................... 332
Tongue Weight/Trailer Weight.............. 301
Torque Converter Clutch.................. 237
Tow Hooks, Emergency................... 341
Towing
Disabled Vehicle....................... 342
Guide.............................. 302
Recreational.......................... 309
Trailering............................ 297
Weight.............................. 302
Traction.............................. 318
Trailer Towing.......................... 296
Hitches............................. 299
Mirrors...........................81,303
Tips ................................ 303
Trailer and Tongue Weight................ 301
Trailer Towing Guide..................... 302
Trailer Weight.......................... 302
INDEX 449
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