2018 Ram 1500 Angle

WARNING!
Never use tow straps with end hooks or link two straps
with a clevis pin. These heavy metal objects could
become projectiles if a strap breaks, which could cause
severe injury. Never leave more than 2 to 3 feet (.6 to
1 meter) of slack in the strap. More slack than this
greatly increases the risk of injury and vehicle damage.
Always keep everyone at least 30 feet (9 meters) away
from a strapping or winching situation.
• Winching (Refer To “Winch Operation” For Additional
Information) –
Winching is most commonly used in the
following situations: there is no support vehicle available, a
high controlled force is required to recover the vehicle,
there is a high risk of environmental or vehicle damage, or
where nothing else seems to work. A winch can deliver a
high pulling force with a great deal of control. It allows you
to walk the vehicle out of the situation in a slow controlled
manner. This control works well for avoiding further ve-
hicle damage. Once you decide it is time to use the winch
look for a good anchor point. It needs to be strong enough
to hold more than the vehicle’s weight and provide a
direction of pull as straight as possible. Use block and tackle
if necessary to improve the angle of pull or increase the
winch’s pulling force. If the anchor point is a tree use a strap around its base and hook the cable to the strap. If it is
another vehicle, then place that vehicle in PARK and block
the front tires. If you cannot find an anchor point within
reach try using your spare tire by burying it. Once you have
determined an anchor point hook up the cable, ensuring
there are a least five wraps of cable left on the drum, and
place a floor mat or something else over the strung out
cable. Placing something over the strung out cable helps
keep the cable on the ground if it breaks. Next, place the
vehicle in first gear and apply a very light throttle as you
power the winch in. Be careful not to allow slack in the
cable as you recover the vehicle. Do not try to guide the
cable into the drum. If it starts to bunch up on one end, let
it. You can re-spool the cable afterwards. Never use a winch
cable as a tow strap and always stand back while winching.
WARNING!
Winch cables are under high tension when in use and
can become a projectile if they fail. Never stand over or
straddle the winch cable. Never jerk or overload the
winch cable. Never stand in front of the vehicle while
winching. Failure to follow these instructions can
result in serious or fatal injury.
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Winch Accessories
The following accessories are necessary to attach the winch
to anchors, change direction of pull, and for safe winching.Gloves:Wire rope, through use, will
develop barbswhich can slice skin. It
is extremely important to wear protec-
tive gloves while operating the winch or
handling the wire rope. Avoid loose
fitting clothes or anything that could
become entangled in the wire rope and
other moving parts.
Snatch/Block Pulley: Used properly, the
multi-purpose snatch block allows you
to (1) increase the winch’s pulling
power; and (2) change your pulling di-
rection without damaging the wire rope.
Proper use of the snatch block is covered
in Before You Pull. Clevis/D-Shackles:
The D-Shackle is a
safe means of connecting the looped
ends of cables, straps and snatch blocks.
The shackle’s pin is threaded to allow
easy removal.
Tree Trunk Protector: Typically made of
tough, high-quality nylon, it provides
the operator an attachment point for the
winch rope to a wide variety of anchor
points and objects, as well as protect
living trees.
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7. Attach the Clevis/D-shackle and Tree Trunk Protector.Attach the shackle to the two ends of the strap or chain
and through the hook loop, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).
8. Lock the clutch. Lock the winch drum by rotating the clutch lever on the winch to engage.
NOTE: Always ensure the clutch is fully engaged or
disengaged.
9. Connect the remote control to the winch control box, located behind the front bumper. Be careful not to let the
remote control cord dangle in front of the winch. If you choose to control the winch from inside your vehicle,
always pass the remote through a window to avoid
pinching the cord in the door. Always disconnect the
remote control when not in use.
10. Put wire rope under tension. Using the remote control switch, slowly wind the wire rope until no slack
remains. Once the wire rope is under tension, stand
well clear of it and never step over it.
Clevis/D-ShacklesWinch Box Remote Control Connector
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16. Disconnect the wire rope, and disconnect from theanchor.
17. Rewind the wire rope. The person handling the wire rope should walk the rope in and not let it slide
through the hand, control the winch at all times.
WARNING!
To prevent serious injury, NEVER put your fingers
inside the hook area as you are powering-in. NOTE: How to spool under no load:
Arrange the remote
control lead so it cannot be caught in the winch. Arrange
the wire rope so it will not kink or tangle when spooled. Be
sure any wire rope already on the spooling drum is wound
tightly and evenly layered. Tighten and straighten the layer
if necessary. Keep the wire rope under light tension and
spool the wire rope back and onto the winch drum in even
layers. Stop frequently to tighten and straighten the layers
as necessary. Repeat this process until the winch hook is the
same distance as the full length of the remote control from
the winch. Pinch the hook between your thumb and
forefinger and attach the hook strap. Hold the hook strap
between the thumb and forefinger to keep tension on the
wire rope. Walk the wire rope towards the fairlead, care-
fully spooling in the remaining wire rope. By pulsing the
remote control switch.
18. Store the hook on the most outboard loop of the tow hook.
Rewinding The Wire Rope
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Over The Road Operation With Snowplow Attached
The blade restricts air flow to the radiator and causes the
engine to operate at higher than normal temperatures.
Therefore, when transporting the plow, angle the blade
completely and position it as low as road or surface
conditions permit. Do not exceed 40 mph (64 km/h). The
operator should always maintain a safe stopping distance
and allow adequate passing clearance.
Operating Tips
Under ideal snow plowing conditions, 20 mph (32 km/h)
should be maximum operating speed. The operator should
be familiar with the area and surface to be cleaned. Reduce
speed and use extreme caution when plowing unfamiliar
areas or under poor visibility.
General Maintenance
Snowplows should be maintained in accordance with the
plow manufacturer’s instructions.
Keep all snowplow electrical connections and battery ter-
minals clean and free of corrosion.When plowing snow, to avoid transmission and drivetrain
damage, the following precautions should be observed.
•
Operate with transfer case in 4LO when plowing small
or congested areas where speeds are not likely to exceed
15 mph (24 km/h). At higher speeds operate in 4HI.
• Vehicles with automatic transmissions should use 4LO
range when plowing deep or heavy snow for extended
periods of time to avoid transmission overheating.
• Do not shift the transmission unless the engine has
returned to idle and wheels have stopped. Make a
practice of stepping on the brake pedal while shifting the
transmission.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 435

WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in inju-
ries that are serious or fatal to you, your passengers,
and others around you.
CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water before
driving through it. Never drive through standing
water that is deeper than the bottom of the tire rims
mounted on the vehicle.
• Determine the condition of the road or the path that
is under water and if there are any obstacles in the
way before driving through the standing water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. This will minimize wave effects.
• Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always in-
spect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, transmis-
sion, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e., fluid
that is milky or foamy in appearance) after driving
through standing water. Do not continue to operate
the vehicle if any fluid appears contaminated, as this
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
may result in further damage. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can cause
it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious internal
damage to the engine. Such damage is not covered by
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Off-Road Driving Tips
Care should be taken when attempting to climb steep hills
or driving diagonally across a hill or slope. If natural
obstacles force you to travel diagonally up or down a hill,
choose a mild angle and keep as little side tilt as possible.
Keep the vehicle moving and make turns slowly and
cautiously.
If you must back down a hill, back straight down using
REVERSE gear. Never back down in NEUTRAL or diago-
nally across the hill.
When driving over sand, mud, and other soft terrain, shift
to low gear and drive steadily. Apply the accelerator slowly
to avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not reduce the tire pressures for this type of driving.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 443

Assembled For Jack Operation
WARNING!
After using the jack and tools, always reinstall them in the
original carrier and location. While driving you may expe-
rience 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 lug wrench to the extension tubes with
the curved angle facing away from the vehicle. Insert the
extension tube through the access hole between the
lower tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the
winch mechanism tube.
Assembled For Jack Operation
1 — Lug Wrench 4 — Extension 4
2 — Extension 2 5 — Extension With Jack Hook
3 — Extension 3
Inserting The Extension Tubes Into The Access Hole
472 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

3. Attach the lug wrench to the extension tubes with thecurved angle facing away from the vehicle. Insert the
extension tubes through the access hole between the
lower tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the
winch mechanism tube. 4. Rotate the lug wrench handle clockwise until the wheel
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 overtight-
ened. Push against the tire several times to ensure it is
firmly in place.
NOTE: The winch mechanism is designed for use with the
extension tube only. Use of an air wrench or other power
tools is not recommended and can damage the winch.
Lug Wrench And Extension Tubes Assembled And In
Position
Rotating The Lug Wrench Handle
482 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY