2017 Ram 3500 spare wheel

9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
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 cannot
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 immediately. 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.
Reinstalling The Retainer
596 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

2. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance to tiltthe 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 mecha-
nism tube.
Pushing The Retainer Through The Center Of The Wheel
And Positioning It
Wheel Wrench And Jack Extension Tube AssembledAnd In Position
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 597

Remove the jack and tools from the bracket assembly. Turn
the jack-turn-screw counterclockwise to release jack from
bracket assembly.There are two ways to assemble the tools:
Assembled For Spare Tire Lowering/Raising
Jack And Tools Bracket AssemblyAssembled For Spare Tire Lowering/Raising
1 — Extension 1
3 — Extension 3
2 — Extension 2 4 — Wheel Wrench
602 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
After using the jack and tools, always reinstall them in
the original carrier and location. While driving you
may experience abrupt stopping, rapid acceleration or
sharp turns. A loose jack, tools, bracket or other objects
in the vehicle may move around with force, resulting
in serious injury.
Removing The Spare Tire
1. Remove the spare tire before attempting to jack up thetruck. 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.
Inserting The Jack Extension Tube Into The Access Hole
604 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

2. Rotate the wheel wrench handle counterclockwise untilthe spare tire is on the ground with enough cable slack
to allow you to pull it out from under the vehicle. 3. Pull the spare tire out from under the vehicle to gain
access to the spare tire retainer.
Rotating The Wheel Wrench Handle
Pulling The Spare Tire Out
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 605

4. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance to tiltthe retainer at the end of the cable. 5. Pull the retainer through the center of the wheel.
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.
Gaining Access To The Retainer
Pulling The Retainer Through The Center Of The Wheel
606 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

1. Remove the spare wheel, jack, and tools from storage.
2. Using the lug wrench, loosen, but do not remove, thewheel nuts by turning them counterclockwise one turn
while the wheel is still on the ground. Changing a
dually tire requires the lug wrench adapter.
NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with hub caps/wheel
covers they must be removed before raising the vehicle off
the ground. Refer to ”Hub Caps/Wheel Covers — If
Equipped” in this section.
Lug Wrench Adapter
Lug Wrench Adapter And Wrench
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 609

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.
NOTE: 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.
4. By rotating the wheel wrench clockwise, raise the ve- hicle until the wheel just clears the surface.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make the
vehicle unstable. It could slip off the jack and hurt
someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough to
remove the tire.
5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. On single rear-wheel (SRW) trucks, install the spare wheel and
wheel nuts with the cone shaped end of the wheel nuts
toward the wheel. On 3500 dual rear-wheel models
(DRW) trucks, if the outer tire is being replaced then leave the inner wheel on the vehicle. If the inner wheel
is being replaced remove the outer wheel and replace
the inner wheel. The wheel nuts are a two-piece assem-
bly with a flat face. Lightly tighten the wheel nuts. To
avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not
fully tighten the wheel nuts until the vehicle has been
lowered.
Rear Inner Wheel Proper Placement
(Dual Rear Wheel Equipped)
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 611