2008 DODGE SPRINTER tire type

397 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Production options weightThe combined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing
over 5 lbs (2.3 kg) in excess of those
standard items which they replace, not
previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy
duty battery, and special trim.PSI (P
ounds per S
quare I
nch)
A standard unit of measure for air pres-
sure. Another metric unit for air pres-
sure is bar or kilopascal (kPa).
Recommended tire inflation pressureRecommended tire inflation pressure for
normal driving conditions listed on the
tire and loading information placard
1 or
on the tire inflation pressure placard lo-
cated on the driver’s door B-pillar.
Provides best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and
tube assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
Side wallThe portion of a tire between the tread
and the bead.TIN (T
ire I
dentification N
umber)
Unique identifier which facilitates efforts
by tire manufacturers to notify purchas-
ers in recall situations or other safety
matters concerning tires and gives pur-
chases the means to easily identify such
tires. The TIN is comprised of the “man-
ufacturer’s identification mark”, “tire
size”, “tire type code” and “date of man-
ufacture”.
1. For vehicles with a gross weight capacity less
than 10 000 lbs (4 536 kg) (USA only).
nf_BA.book Page 397 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

400 OperationTires and wheels
4
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehi-
cles operate at different loads and per-
form 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 de-
signs such as those on On/Off Road
type tires. Rotation will increase tread
life, help to maintain mud, snow, and wet
traction levels, and contribute to a
smooth ride. If applicable to your vehicle’s tire config-
uration, tires can be rotated according
to the tire manufacturer’s recommend-
ed intervals in the tire manufacturer’s
warranty pamphlet located in your vehi-
cle literature portfolio. If none is avail-
able, tires should be rotated every
10 000 miles (16 000 km), or sooner if
necessary, according to the degree of
tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained when mounted, see
"Direction of rotation" (
\2
page 351).
Warning (Continued)
G
could result in changes to steering, han-
dling, and braking of your Sprinter vehicle.
This can cause unpredictable handling
and stress to steering and suspension
components. You could lose control and
have an accident resulting in serious inju-
ry or death.could result in tire overloading and failure,
if the tires' load index are not identical.
You could lose control and have an acci-
dent.
nf_BA.book Page 400 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

403 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
\1
Make sure that on one axle just one
type of tire (same size, type con-
struction, load and speed rating) is
used.
Dual rear wheels:
\1
Rotate front tires by axle and the out-
er rear tire side to side if there is no
approved direction of rotation.
The tires used on dual wheel assem-
blies should be matched for wear to
prevent overloading one tire in a set.
\1
To check if tires are even, lay a
straight edge across all four tires.
For information on wheel change, see
the “Practical hints” section
(
\2
page 548).
!
CAUTION
3500 dual rear tires have only one
approved direction of rotation. This is
to accommodate the asymmetrical
design (tread pattern) of the ON/OFF
road tire and the use of Outline White
Letter (OWL) tires.
When replacing a flat tire, 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 position on the vehicle.
For example, if the spare is used to
replace an outer rear tire it will have
to remounted on the rim so that the
wheel is dished inward.
That way the tread design of asym-
metrical tires and the white writing of
the OWL tires will maintain proper
position.
nf_BA.book Page 403 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

405 Operation
Winter driving
4
For safe handling, make sure all winter
tires mounted are of the same make and
have the same tread design.
Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If
the maximum speed for which your tires
are rated is below the speed rating of
your vehicle, you must place a notice to
this effect where it will be seen by the driver. Such notices are available at your
tire dealer or any authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
\1
Reactivate the tire pressure monitor.
While studded tires improve perfor-
mance on ice, skid and traction capabil-
ity on wet or dry surfaces may be poorer
than that of non-studded tires. Some
states prohibit studded tires; therefore,
local laws should be checked before us-
ing these tire types.
Warning
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under
1/6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are
no longer suitable for winter operation.
Warning
G
If you use your spare tire when winter
tires are fitted on the other wheels, be
aware that the difference in tire charac-
teristics may impair turning stability and
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
nf_BA.book Page 405 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

407 Operation
Winter driving
4
Apply the brakes regularly when making
longer journeys on gritted or salted
roads. This will have the effect of restor-
ing the brakes to their normal level of
performance.
When stopping the vehicle after travel-
ing on roads that have been salted,
check that the brakes are fully functional
before proceeding further.
Use "Class U" chains, or other traction
aids that meet SAE Type "U" specifica-
tions.Snow chai ns m us t be the p rope r si ze f or
the vehicle, as recommended by the
chain manufacturer. They should only be
driven on snow-covered roads at speeds
not to exceed 30 mph (50 km / h). Re-
move chains as soon as possible when
driving on roads without snow.Snow chains
!
CAUTION
Use snow chains on rear wheels only.
Some tire sizes do not leave ade-
quate clearance for snow chains. To
help avoid serious damage to your
vehicle or tires, use of snow chains is
not permissible with the spare wheel.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ASR
(\2
page 73) before setting the vehi-
cle in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
nf_BA.book Page 407 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

521 Practical hints
Where will I find...?
5
The Premium tire sealant is located in
the storage compartment in the right-
hand doorway.1Latching springs
2Electric air pump
3Premium tire sealant
\1To open:
press both latching
springs1
down and remove the
cover.
\1To close:
attach the cover at the bot-
tom and fold it closed.
\1
Press both latching springs
1
up
until they engage.
Panel VanThe wheel chock (optional for model ve-
hicle type 2500) is on the right-hand
side of the load compartment.
Premium tire sealant*
Chock
nf_BA.book Page 521 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

547 Practical hints
Flat tire
5
\3 Flat tireThe vehicle is either equipped with a
spare wheel or the Premium tire seal-
ant*.
The spare wheel is located under the
rear end of the vehicle if the vehicle is
not equipped with Premium tire sealant*
(\2
page 517).When you replace a tire, the manufactur-
er also recommends that you replace
the tire valve.
Warning
G
Defective or worn tires, and tire pressures
that are either too high or too low, can
cause significant changes in the vehicle’s
handling and braking characteristics.
There is an increased risk of an accident.
Replace the tires, including the spare tire,
at least every 6 years, regardless of the
degree of treadwear. Check the tire pres-
sure on the spare wheel at regular inter-
vals.
!
CAUTION
For safety reasons, the following tire
valves from the company Schrader
must be used on the vehicles:
\4
TR 600 for vehicle model type
2500
\4
TR 418 for vehicle model type
3500
nf_BA.book Page 547 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

551 Practical hints
Flat tire
5
Jacking point at the front axleThe vehicle jacking point is located un-
der the longitudinal member in front of
the front axle.
Jacking points at the rear axleThe vehicle jacking point is located un-
der the longitudinal member in front of
the rear axle. Vehicle model type 2500Vehicle model type 3500
N40.10-2260-31
N40.10-2161-31
!
CAUTION
Do not apply the jack to the leaf
spring or the differential housing.
nf_BA.book Page 551 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM