2017 Ram 1500 Suspension

7. Install and adjust the tension in the weight distributingbars per the manufacturers’ recommendations so that
the height of the front fender is approximately (H2-H1)/
3+H1 (about 1/3 the difference between H2 and H1
above normal ride height [H1]).
8. Use the instrument cluster or touch screen radio settings and switch off tire jack mode. Make sure the truck
returns to normal ride height. Preform a visual inspec-
tion of the trailer and weight distributing hitch to
confirm manufacturers’ recommendations have been
met.
9. The truck can now be driven.
Measurement Example Example 1500 Height
(mm)
H1 925
H2 946
H2-H1 21
(H2-H1)/3 7
(H2-H1)/3 + H1 932
NOTE: For all towing conditions, we recommend towing
with tow haul mode engaged. Towing With 2500/3500 Air Suspension
1. Position the truck to be ready to connect to the trailer
(do not connect the trailer).
NOTE: Normal Ride Height (NRH) or Alternate Trailer
Height (ATH) can be used. The vehicle must remain in the
engine running position while attaching a trailer for proper
leveling of the air suspension system. It may not be
possible to enter Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) while
lightly loaded.
2. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the fender to ground, this is height H1.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle without the weight distribution bars connected.
4. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the fender to ground, this is height H2.
5. Install and adjust the tension in the weight distributing bars per the manufacturers’ recommendations so that
the height of the front fender is approximately (H2-H1)/
2+H1 (about 1/2 the difference between H2 and H1
above normal ride height [H1]).
556 STARTING AND OPERATING

Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission overheat-
ing, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods of time, shift the transmis-
sion into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
Air Suspension System
To aid in attaching/detaching the trailer from the vehicle,
the air suspension system can be used. Refer to “Air
Suspension System” in “Starting And Operating” for fur-
ther information.
NOTE:The vehicle must remain in the engine running
position while attaching a trailer for proper leveling of the
air suspension system.
SNOWPLOW
1500 Models Only
NOTE: Do not use this model vehicle for snowplow
applications.
WARNING!
Snowplows and other aftermarket equipment should
not be added to the front end of your vehicle. The
airbag crash sensors may be affected by the change in
the front end structure. The airbags could deploy
unexpectedly or could fail to deploy during a collision
resulting in serious injury or death.
CAUTION!
Using this vehicle for snowplow applications can
cause damage to the vehicle.
568 STARTING AND OPERATING

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing
Condition Wheels OFF
The Ground Two-Wheel
Drive Models Four-Wheel Drive Models
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED See Instructions
•Automatic transmission in PARK
• Manual transmission in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL)
• Transfer case in NEUTRAL (N)
• Tow in forward direction
Dolly Tow FrontNOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Rear OK NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK OK
NOTE:
• When towing your vehicle, always follow applicable
state and provincial laws. Contact state and provincial
Highway Safety offices for additional details. •
Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be placed in
Transport mode before tying them down (from the
body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to “Air Suspen-
sion – If Equipped” for more information. If the vehicle
cannot be placed in Transport mode (for example, en-
gine will not run), tie-downs must be fastened to the
axles (not to the body). Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may cause fault codes to be set and/or cause loss
of proper tie-down tension.
572 STARTING AND OPERATING

Recreational Towing — Two-Wheel Drive Models
DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Recreational towing (for two-wheel drive models) is al-
lowedONLY if the rear wheels are OFFthe ground. This
may be accomplished using a tow dolly or vehicle trailer. If
using a tow dolly, follow this procedure:
NOTE: If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
1. Properly secure the dolly to the tow vehicle, following the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
3. Firmly apply the parking brake. Place automatic trans- mission in PARK, manual transmission in gear (not in
NEUTRAL).
4. Properly secure the rear wheels to the dolly, following the dolly manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Turn the ignition OFF and remove the key fob.
6. Install a suitable clamping device, designed for towing, to secure the front wheels in the straight position.
CAUTION!
•Towing with the rear wheels on the ground will
cause severe transmission damage. Damage from
improper towing is not covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•
Do not disconnect the driveshaft because fluid may
leak from the transmission, causing damage to internal
parts.
Recreational Towing — Four-Wheel Drive Models
NOTE: Both the manual shift and electronic shift transfer
cases must be shifted into NEUTRAL (N) for recreational
towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into
PARK for recreational towing. Manual transmissions must
be placed in gear (NOT in NEUTRAL) for recreational
towing. Refer to the following for the proper transfer case
NEUTRAL (N) shifting procedure for your vehicle.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 573

CAUTION!
It is necessary to follow these steps to be certain that
the transfer case is fully in NEUTRAL (N) before
recreational towing to prevent damage to internal
parts.
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, with the engine running. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL.
NOTE: If vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure
the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
5. With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer case lever into NEUTRAL (N).
• With electronic shift transfer case, push and hold the
transfer case NEUTRAL (N) button. Some models
have a small, recessed “N” button (at the center of the
transfer case switches) that must be pushed using a
ballpoint pen or similar object. Other models have a
rectangular NEUTRAL switch, below the rotary trans-
fer case control knob. The NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will blink while the shift is in progress. The light
will stop blinking (stay on solid) when the shift to
NEUTRAL (N) is complete. After the shift is completed
and the NEUTRAL (N) light stays on, release the
NEUTRAL (N) button.
6. Release the parking brake.
7. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
8. Release the brake pedal (and clutch pedal on manual transmissions) for five seconds and ensure that there is
no vehicle movement.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with automatic transmission in DRIVE or manual transmission in first gear.
10. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Firmly apply the parking brake. Turn OFF the engine. For vehicles with
Keyless Enter-N-Go, push and hold the ENGINE
START/STOP button until the engine shuts off.
11. Shift the transmission into PARK or place manual transmission in gear (NOT in Neutral). On 8-speed
transmissions the shifter will automatically select
PARK when the engine is turned off.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 575

12. Turn the ignition to the OFF mode, then cycle theignition to the RUN mode and back to the OFF mode.
Remove the key fob from the ignition.
13. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable tow bar.
14. Release the parking brake.
NOTE: With electronic shift transfer case:
• Steps 2 through 4 are requirements that must be met
before pushing the NEUTRAL (N) button, and must
continue to be met until the shift has been completed. If
any of these requirements are not met before pushing
the NEUTRAL (N) button or are no longer met during
the shift, the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light will flash
continuously until all requirements are met or until the
NEUTRAL (N) button is released.
• The ignition must be in the ON/RUN mode for a shift to
take place and for the position indicator lights to be
operable. If the ignition is not in the ON/RUN mode, the
shift will not take place and no position indicator lights
will be on or flashing.
• A flashing NEUTRAL (N) position indicator light indi-
cates that shift requirements have not been met. •
If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, the engine
should be started and left running for a minimum of 60
seconds (with all the doors closed) at least once every 24
hours. This process allows the air suspension to adjust
the vehicle’s ride height to compensate for temperature
effects.
Shifting Out Of NEUTRAL (N)
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for
normal usage:
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, leaving it con- nected to the tow vehicle.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal.
4. Start the engine. Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL. Depress the clutch pedal on a manual transmission.
• With manual shift transfer case, shift the transfer case
lever to the desired position.
• With electronic shift transfer case with rotary selector
switch, push and hold the transfer case NEUTRAL (N)
button until the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light turns
off. After the NEUTRAL (N) indicator light turns off,
release the NEUTRAL (N) button. After the NEUTRAL
576 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!(Continued)
•Never start or run the engine while the vehicle is on
a jack.
• The jack is designed to be used as a tool for changing
tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the
vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should be
jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with an air suspension
system, there is a feature which allows the automatic
leveling to be disabled to assist with changing a tire.
If your vehicle is equipped with a touchscreen, this feature
can be activated through the Uconnect system. Refer to
“Uconnect Settings” in “Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a touchscreen, this
feature can be activated through the instrument cluster
display. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in “Under-
standing Your Instrument Panel” for further information.
Jack Location
The jack and jack tools are stored under the front passenger
seat.
Removal Of Jack And Tools (1500 Series)
To access the jack and jack tools, you must remove the
plastic access cover located on the side of the front passen-
ger ’s seat. To remove the cover, pull the front part of the
cover (closest to the front of the seat) toward you to release
a locking tab. Once the front of the cover is loose, slide the
cover toward the front of the seat until it is free from the
seat frame.
Jack Access Cover
584 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

4. While holding the locking tab in the disengaged posi-tion, pull the tether strap to rotate the lever rearward,
until it locks in place pointing towards the driver’s seat.
Release the locking tab and verify that the Manual Park
Release lever is locked in the released position.
5. The vehicle is now out of PARK and can be towed. Release the parking brake only when the vehicle is
securely connected to a tow vehicle.
To Reset The Manual Park Release:
1. Push the locking tab to the right, to unlock the lever.
2. Rotate the Manual Park Release lever forward to its original position, until the locking tab snaps into place
to secure the lever.
3. Pull gently on the tether strap to confirm that the lever is locked in its stowed position.
4. Re-install the access cover.TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial towing service. If the transmis-
sion and drivetrain are operable, disabled vehicles may
also be towed as described under “Recreational Towing” in
the “Starting And Operating” section.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with air suspension must be
placed in Transport mode, before tying them down (from
the body) on a trailer or flatbed truck. Refer to Air
Suspension inStarting And Operating for more informa-
tion. If the vehicle cannot be placed in Transport mode (for
example, engine will not run), tie-downs must be fastened
to the axles (not to the body). Failure to follow these
instructions may cause fault codes to be set and/or cause
loss of proper tie-down tension.
626 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES