2012 RAM CHASSIS CAB wheel size

Information” placard for the size designation of your tire.
The Load Index and Speed Symbol for your tire will be
found on the original equipment tire sidewall. See the
Tire Sizing Chart example found in the Tire Safety
Information section of this manual for more information
relating to the Load Index and Speed Symbol of a tire.
It is recommended to replace the two front tires or two
rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously
affect your vehicle’s handling. If you ever replace a
wheel, make sure that the wheel’s specifications match
those of the original wheels.
It is recommended you contact your original equipment
or an authorized tire dealer with any questions you may
have on tire specifications or capability. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. 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 sus-
pension dimensions and performance characteris-
tics, resulting in changes to steering, handling, and
braking of your vehicle. This can cause unpredict-
able handling and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose control and have
a collision resulting in serious injury or death. Use
only the tire and wheel sizes with load ratings
approved for your vehicle.
(Continued)
5 STARTING AND OPERATING 329

• On 4X2 vehicles, class “U” snow chains are permitted
on the rear wheels only of vehicles equipped with
LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17, and LT235/80R17 size
tires.
• On 4X4 Single Rear Wheel (SRW) vehicles, class “U”
snow chains are permitted on the rear wheels only on
vehicles equipped with LT265/70R17.
CAUTION!Do not use tire chains on the 4X2 front wheels of
SRW (Single Rear Wheels) equipped with LT245/
70R17, LT265/70R17 tires or 4X4 front tires of vehicles
equipped with LT265/70R17 tires. There may not be
adequate clearance for the chains and you are risking
structural or body damage to your vehicle. SNOW TIRES
Some areas of the country require the use of snow tires
during the winter. All season tires can be identified by the
M+S designation on the tire sidewall.
If you need snow tires, select tires equivalent in size and
type to the original equipment tires. Use snow tires only
in sets of four; failure to do so may adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Snow tires generally have lower speed ratings than what
was originally equipped with your vehicle and should
not be operated at sustained speeds over 75 mph
(120 km/h). For speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h) refer to
original equipment or an authorized tire dealer for
recommended safe operating speeds, loading and cold
tire inflation pressures.332 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)• Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
• Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission
in PARK. For four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure
the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block or  chock  the trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
(Continued) WARNING! (Continued)2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized (This requirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15% range of tongue
weight as a percentage of total trailer weight).
Towing Requirements – Tires
• Do not attempt to tow a trailer with less than the full
size spare tire.
• Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting and Oper-
ating” for proper tire inflation procedures.
• Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pres-
sures before trailer usage.352 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 Nut Torque
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/
kilometers of operation to allow the wheel nuts to
become properly set. All nuts should first be firmly
seated against the wheel. The nuts should then be
tightened to recommended torque. Tighten the nuts to
final torque in increments. Progress around the bolt
circle, tightening the nut opposite to the nut just previ-
ously tightened until final torque is achieved. Recom-
mended torques are shown in the following chart.
Disc Wheels TypeNut StudSize Hex Size TorqueFt Lbs TorqueNewton-
Meters
Cone M14 x 1.5 22 mm 120-150 160-200
Flanged M14 x 1.5 22 mm 130-160 190-220
6 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 387

8. Reach through the access hole of the wheel house
splash shield and lift the slide lock upward far enough to
disengage it from the lock post on the back of the front
lamp unit housing.
9. Remove the headlamp assembly. Grasp the outboard
edge of the lamp and pull it straight forward to disen-
gage the ball stud from the plastic grommet. 10. Disconnect electrical connectors.
11. Replace bulb(s) as necessary.
CAUTION!• Do not contaminate the bulb glass by touching it
with your fingers or by allowing it to contact other
oily surfaces. Shortened bulb life will result.
• Always use the correct bulb size and type for
replacement. An incorrect bulb size or type may
overheat and cause damage to the lamp, the bulb
socket, or the lamp wiring.
NOTE: There are access covers over both headlamp
bulb access holes in the quad front lamp unit housing (if
equipped). These covers MUST be reinstalled after the
bulb has been replaced.444 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Synthetic Engine Oil ...................... 408
System, Remote Starting .................... 26
Tachometer ............................ 189
Temperature Control, Automatic (ATC) ........ 260
Temperature Gauge, Engine Coolant .......... 189
Tether Anchor, Child Restraint ............. 68,73
Text Messaging ......................... 115
Tilt Steering Column ..................... 157
Tip Start .............................. 274
Tire and Loading Information Placard ...... 314,330
Tire Identification Number (TIN) ............. 312
Tire Markings .......................... 309
Tire Safety Information .................... 309
Tires ............................ 81,318,479
Aging (Life of Tires) .................. 328
Air Pressure ........................ 318
Chains ............................ 330
Compact Spare ...................... 325 Dual ........................... 334,384
General Information .................. 318
High Speed ......................... 323
Inflation Pressures .................... 319
Life of Tires ........................ 328
Load Capacity .................... 314,315
Quality Grading ..................... 479
Radial ............................ 324
Replacement ........................ 328
Rotation ........................... 333
Safety .......................... 309,318
Sizes ............................. 310
Snow Tires ......................... 332
Spinning ........................... 327
Steel Carcass Ply ..................... 321
Tread Wear Indicators ................. 327
Wheel Nut Torque .................... 382
Tongue Weight/Trailer Weight .............. 349
Torque Converter Clutch .................. 287496 INDEX