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Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed (see the paragraph on tread
wear indicators). Refer to the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard for the size designation of your tire. The
service description and load identification will be found
on the original equipment tire. Failure to use equivalent
replacement tires may adversely affect the safety, han-
dling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend that you
contact your original equipment or an authorized tire
dealer with any questions you may have on tire specifi-
cations or capability.WARNING!
•Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than that
specified for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may change suspen-
sion dimensions and performance characteristics,
resulting in changes to steering, handling, and brak-
ing of your vehicle. This can cause unpredictable
handling and stress to steering and suspension com-
ponents. You could lose control and have an accident
resulting in serious injury or death. Use only the tire
and wheel sizes with load ratings approved for your
vehicle.
•Never use a tire with a smaller load index or capacity,
other than what was originally equipped on your
vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load index could
result in tire overloading and failure. You could lose
control and have an accident.
•Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden tire
failure and loss of vehicle control.
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CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a different size
may result in false speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
Alignment And Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in:
•Fast tire wear.
•Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear.
•Vehicle pull to right or left.Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull to the left or right.
Alignment will not correct this condition. See your dealer
for proper diagnosis.
Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration.
Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of-
balance. Proper balancing will reduce vibration and
avoid tire cupping and spotty wear.
SUPPLEMENTAL TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION
A light load vehicle condition is defined as two passen-
gers {150 lbs (68 kg) each} plus 200 lbs (91kg) of cargo.
Cold tire inflation pressures for a lightly loaded vehicle
will be found on a “Supplemental Tire Pressure Inflation”
label located on the face of the driver’s door or in the Tire
Information Pressures pamphlet in the glove box.
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TIRE CHAINS
Use “Class S” chains on 1500 Ram Trucks, or other
traction aids that meet SAE Type “S” specifications.
Use “Class U” chains on 2500/3500 Ram Trucks, or other
traction aids that meet SAE Type “U” specifications.
NOTE:Chains must be the proper size for the vehicle,
as recommended by the chain manufacturer.CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle, tires or chains, observe the
following precautions:
•Because of limited chain clearance between tires and other
suspension components, it is important that only chains in
good condition are used. Broken chains can cause serious
vehicle damage. Stop the vehicle immediately if noise
occurs that could suggest chain breakage. Remove the
damaged parts of the chain before further use.
•Install chains as tightly as possible and then retighten after
driving about 1/2 mile (0.8 km).
•Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h).
•Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large bumps,
especially with a loaded vehicle.
•Do not install tire chains on front wheels of 4x2 vehicles.
•Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry pavement.
•Observe the tire chain manufacturer’s instructions on
method of installation, operating speed, and conditions for
usage. Always use the lower suggested operating speed of
the chain manufacturer if different than the speed recom-
mended by the manufacturer.
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These cautions apply to all chain traction devices, includ-
ing link and cable (radial) chains.
Tire chain use is permitted only on the rear tires of Ram
4X2 trucks.
NOTE:The use of class “S” chains is permitted on 1500
Ram Trucks with P245/70R17 tires only.
NOTE:The use of class “U” chains is permitted on the
front and rear of 4X4, 2500 Ram Trucks with LT245/
70R17E tires.
NOTE:The use of class “U” chains is permitted on the
front and rear of 4X4, 3500 Ram Trucks with Dual Rear
Wheels and LT235/80R17E tires.
NOTE:On 4X2 2500/3500 Ram Trucks, class “U” snow
chains are permitted on the rear wheels only of vehicles
equipped with LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17, and LT235/
80R17 size tires.NOTE:On 4x4 2500/3500 SRW (Single Rear Wheel)
Ram Trucks, class “U” snow chains are permitted on the
rear wheels only of vehicles equipped with LT265/
70R17E.
CAUTION!
Do not use tire chains on 4x4 Ram trucks equipped
with P265/70R17, LT275/70R17, P275/60R20, or P275/
55R20 tires. There may not be adequate clearance for
the chains and you are risking structural or body
damage to your vehicle. Do not use tire chains on the
4X2 front wheels of 2500/3500 SRW (Single Rear
Wheels) equipped with LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17
LT235/80R17 tires or 4X4 front wheels of Ram Trucks
equipped with LT265/70R17E. There may not be
adequate clearance for the chains and you are risking
structural or body damage to your vehicle.
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SNOW TIRES
Snow tires should be of the same size and type construc-
tion as the front tires. Consult the manufacturer of the
snow tire to determine any maximum vehicle speed
requirement associated with the tire. These tires should
always be operated at the vehicle maximum capacity
inflation pressures under any load condition.
While studded tires improve performance on ice, skid
and traction capability on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded tires. Some states pro-
hibit studded tires; therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates, and develop irregular wear patterns.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires.
The benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with
aggressive tread designs such as those on On/Off Road
type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to main-
tain mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and contribute to
a smooth, quiet ride.
Follow the recommended tire rotation frequency for your
type of driving found in the “Maintenance Schedules”
Section of this manual. More frequent rotation is permis-
sible if desired. The reasons for any rapid or unusual
wear should be corrected prior to rotation being per-
formed.
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NOTE:On Canadian vehicles only, if your Ram truck is
equipped with All-Season type tires on the front and
ON/OFF Road type tires mounted on the rear, do not use
a front to back rotation pattern. Instead, rotate your tires
side to side at the recommended intervals.
Dual Rear Wheels
The tires used on dual wheel assemblies should be
matched for wear to prevent overloading one tire in a set.
To check if tires are even, lay a straight edge across all
four tires. The straight edge should touch all the tires.
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CAUTION!
3500 Dual Rear Tires have only one approved direc-
tion of rotation. This is to accommodate the asym-
metrical design (tread pattern) of the ON/OFF road
tire and the use of Outline White Letter (OWL) tires.
•When replacing a flat, the spare tire may have to
be remounted on the rim or installed at a different
location to maintain the correct placement of the
tire on the wheel relative to the tire/wheel posi-
tion on the truck. For example, if the spare is used
to replace an outer rear tire it will have to be
remounted on the rim so that the wheel is dished
inward. That way the tread design of asymmetri-
cal tires and the white writing of the OWL tires
will maintain proper position.
FUEL REQUIREMENTS
All engines (except 5.7L engines) are de-
signed to meet all emissions regulations
and provide excellent fuel economy and
performance when using high quality un-
leaded “regular” gasoline having an oc-
tane rating of 87. The routine use of pre-
mium gasoline is not recommended.
Under normal conditions the use of premium fuel will
not provide a benefit over high quality regular gasolines
and in some circumstances may result in poorer perfor-
mance.
The 5.7L engine is designed to meet all
emissions regulations and provide satisfac-
tory fuel economy and performance when
using high quality unleaded gasoline hav-
ing an octane range of 87 to 89. The manu-
facturer recommends the use of 89 octane
for optimum performance.The routine use
3.7L/4.7L
Engines
5.7L Engines
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VEHICLE LOADING
Certification Label
As required by National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-
istration Regulations, your vehicle has a certification
label affixed to the driver’s side door or pillar.
This label contains the month and year of manufacture,
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) front and rear, and Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN). A Month-Day-Hour (MDH) number is
included on this label and indicates the Month, Day and
Hour of manufacture. The bar code that appears on the
bottom of the label is your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total permissible weight of your vehicle
including driver, passengers, vehicle, options and cargo.
The label also specifies maximum capacities of front andrear axle systems (GAWR). Total load must be limited so
GVWR and front and rear GAWR are not exceeded.
Payload
The payload of a vehicle is defined as the allowable load
weight a truck can carry, including the weight of the
driver, all passengers, options and cargo.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible load on the front
and rear axles. The load must be distributed in the cargo
area so that the GAWR of each axle is not exceeded.
Each axle GAWR is determined by the components in the
system with the lowest load carrying capacity (axle,
springs, tires or wheels). Heavier axles or suspension
components sometimes specified by purchasers for in-
creased durability does not necessarily increase the vehi-
cle’s GVWR.
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