2013 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual

drive tube to the extension tube. Place the jack under the
axle between the wheel and the shock bracket with the
drive tubes extending to the rear.
Connect the jack tube extension and wheel wrench.CAUTION!
Before raising the wheel off the ground, make sure
that the jack will not damage surrounding truck parts
and adjust the jack position as required.
4. By rotating the lug 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 a collision. It could
slip off the jack and hurt someone near it. Raise the
vehicle only enough to remove the tire.
Rear Jacking Location
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 583

5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Installthe spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped
end of the wheel nuts toward the wheel. To avoid the
risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not fully
tighten the wheel nuts until the vehicle has been
lowered.
6. Using the lug wrench, finish tightening the wheel nuts using a crisscross pattern. The correct wheel nut
tightness for a cone type wheel nut is 120–140 ft lbs
(160–190 N·m) torque, for a flanged type wheel nut is
130–160 ft lbs (175–215 N·m) torque. If in doubt about
the correct tightness, have them checked with a torque
wrench by your authorized dealer or at a service
station.WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could injure someone in the vehicle. Al-
ways stow the jack parts and the extra tire and wheel
in the places provided.
7. Install the wheel center cap and remove the wheel blocks. Do not install chrome or aluminum wheel
center caps on the spare wheel. This may result in cap
damage.
8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. If the bottle jack will not lower by turning the dial (thumbwheel)
by hand, it may be necessary to use the jack drive tube
in order to lower the jack. Stow the replaced tire, jack,
and tools as previously described.
9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
584 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE:Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do
not substitute with chrome plated wheel nuts.
To Stow The Flat Or Spare
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels can-
not be stored under the vehicle because the wheel
retainer will not fit through the wheel pilot hole. Secure
the flat tire in the bed of the truck. Have the flat tire
repaired or replaced immediately.
WARNING!
A loose tire thrown forward in a collision or hard
stop could injure the occupants in the vehicle. Have
the deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced immedi-
ately. 1. Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is facing the
ground and toward the rear of the vehicle for conve-
nience in checking the spare tire inflation. Slide the
wheel retainer through the center of the wheel.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 585

2. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance totilt the retainer at the end of the cable and position it
properly across the wheel opening. 3. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension tube
with the curved angle facing away from the vehicle.
Insert the tube through the access hole between the
lower tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the
winch mechanism tube.
586 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

4. Rotate the lug wrench handle clockwise until thewheel is drawn into place against the underside of the
vehicle. Continue to rotate until you feel the winch
mechanism slip, or click three or four times. It cannot
be overtightened. Push against the tire several times to
ensure it is firmly in place. 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.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 587

Reinstalling The Jack And Tools (1500 Series)
1. Tighten the jack all the way down by turning the jackturn-screw counterclockwise until the jack is snug.
2. Position the jack and tool bag. Make sure the lug wrench is under the jack near the jack turn-screw. 3. Secure the tool bag straps to the jack.
4. Place the jack and tools in the storage position holding
the jack by the jack turn-screw, slip the jack and tools
under the seat so that the bottom slot engages into the
fastener on the floor.
Jack And Tool Bag
Jack And Tools Tied
588 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

NOTE:Ensure that the jack slides into the front hold
down location.
5. Turn the wing bolt clockwise to secure to the floor pan. Reinstall the plastic cover.WARNING!
After using the jack and tools, always reinstall them
in the original carrier and location. While driving
(Continued)
Jack Hold Down FastenerJack And Tools (1500 Series)6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 589

WARNING!(Continued)
you may experience abrupt stopping, rapid accelera-
tion or sharp turns. A loose jack, tools, bracket or
other objects in the vehicle may move around with
force, resulting in serious injury.
Hub Caps/Wheel Covers — If Equipped
The hub caps must be removed before raising the vehicle
off the ground.
CAUTION!
Use a back-and-forth motion to remove the hub cap.
Do not use a twisting motion when removing the hub
cap, damage to the hub cap finish may occur.
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 lug
nut 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.
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/
kilometers of operation to allow the wheel nuts to
become properly set. All wheel nuts should first be firmly
seated against the wheel. The wheel nuts should then be
tightened to recommended torque. Tighten the wheel
nuts to final torque in increments. Progress around the
bolt circle, tightening the wheel nut opposite to the wheel
590 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES