2018 Ram 3500 tires

Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators are in the original
equipment tires to help you in determining
when your tires should be replaced.
These indicators are molded into the bottom
of the tread grooves. They will appear as
bands when the tread depth becomes a
1/16 of an inch (1.6 mm). When the tread is
worn to the tread wear indicators, the tire
should be replaced. Refer to “Replacement
Tires” in this section for further information.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including, but not limited to:
• Driving style.
• Tire pressure - Improper cold tire inflationpressures can cause uneven wear patterns
to develop across the tire tread. These ab-
normal wear patterns will reduce tread life,
resulting in the need for earlier tire replace-
ment.
• Distance driven.
• Performance tires, tires with a speed rating of V or higher, and Summer tires typically
have a reduced tread life. Rotation of these
tires per the vehicle scheduled mainte-
nance is highly recommended.
WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced
after six years, regardless of the remaining
tread. Failure to follow this warning can
result in sudden tire failure. You could lose
control and have a collision resulting in
serious injury or death. Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place
with as little exposure to light as possible.
Protect tires from contact with oil, grease,
and gasoline.
Replacement Tires
The tires on your new vehicle provide a bal-
ance of many characteristics. They should be
inspected regularly for wear and correct cold
tire inflation pressures. The manufacturer
strongly recommends that you use tires
equivalent to the originals in size, quality and
performance when replacement is needed.
Refer to the paragraph on “Tread Wear Indi-
cators” in this section. Refer to the Tire and
Loading Information placard or the Vehicle
Certification Label 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.
Tire Tread
1 — Worn Tire
2 — New Tire
267

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 autho-
rized tire dealer or original equipment 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, load rating,or speed rating other than that specified
for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may
change suspension dimensions and per-
formance characteristics, resulting in
changes to steering, handling, and brak-
ing of your vehicle. This can cause un-
predictable handling and stress to steer-
ing and suspension components. You
WARNING!
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.
• Never use a tire with a smaller load index
or capacity, other than what was origi-
nally equipped on your vehicle. Using a
tire with a smaller load index could re-
sult in tire overloading and failure. You
could lose control and have a collision.
• Failure to equip your vehicle with tires
having adequate speed capability can
result in sudden tire failure and loss of
vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of a
different size may result in false speedom-
eter and odometer readings.
Tire Types
All Season Tires — If Equipped
All Season tires provide traction for all sea-
sons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter).
Traction levels may vary between different all
season tires. All season tires can be identi-
fied by the M+S, M&S, M/S or MS designa-
tion on the tire sidewall. Use all season tires
only in sets of four; failure to do so may
adversely affect the safety and handling of
your vehicle.
Summer Or Three Season Tires — If
Equipped
Summer tires provide traction in both wet
and dry conditions, and are not intended to
be driven in snow or on ice. If your vehicle is
equipped with Summer tires, be aware these
tires are not designed for Winter or cold
driving conditions. Install Winter tires on your
vehicle when ambient temperatures are less
than 40°F (5°C) or if roads are covered with
ice or snow. For more information, contact an
authorized dealer.SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
268

Summer tires do not contain the all season
designation or mountain/snowflake symbol
on the tire sidewall. Use Summer tires only in
sets of four; failure to do so may adversely
affect the safety and handling of your vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not use Summer tires in snow/ice con-
ditions. You could lose vehicle control,
resulting in severe injury or death. Driving
too fast for conditions also creates the
possibility of loss of vehicle control.
Snow Tires
Some areas of the country require the use of
snow tires during the Winter. Snow tires can
be identified by a “mountain/snowflake”
symbol 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; fail-ure 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 sus-
tained 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 pres-
sures.
While studded tires improve performance on
ice, skid and traction capability on wet or dry
surfaces may be poorer than that of non-
studded tires. Some states prohibit studded
tires; therefore, local laws should be checked
before using these tire types.
Spare Tires — If Equipped
For vehicles equipped with Tire Service Kit
instead of a spare tire, please refer to “Tire
Service Kit” in “In Case Of Emergency” in the
Owner’s Manual for further information.
CAUTION!
Because of the reduced ground clearance,
do not take your vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash with a compact or limited
use temporary spare installed. Damage to
the vehicle may result.
Spare Tire Matching Original Equipped Tire
And Wheel — If Equipped
Your vehicle may be equipped with a spare
tire and wheel equivalent in look and function
to the original equipment tire and wheel
found on the front or rear axle of your vehicle.
This spare tire may be used in the tire rotation
for your vehicle. If your vehicle has this op-
tion, refer to an authorized tire dealer for the
recommended tire rotation pattern.
Compact Spare Tire — If Equipped
The compact spare is for temporary emer-
gency use only. You can identify if your ve-
hicle is equipped with a compact spare by
looking at the spare tire description on the
Tire and Loading Information Placard located
on the driver’s side door opening or on the
269

CAUTION!
Do not use scouring pads, steel wool, a
bristle brush, metal polishes or oven
cleaner. These products may damage the
wheel's protective finish. Such damage is
not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. Only car wash soap, Mopar
Wheel Cleaner or equivalent is recom-
mended.
NOTE:
If you intend parking or storing your vehicle
for an extended period after cleaning the
wheels with wheel cleaner, drive your vehicle
and apply the brakes to remove the water
droplets from the brake components. This
activity will remove the red rust on the brake
rotors and prevent vehicle vibration when
braking. Dark Vapor Chrome, Black Satin Chrome, or Low
Gloss Clear Coat WheelsCAUTION!
If your vehicle is equipped with these
specialty wheels, DO NOT USE wheel
cleaners, abrasives, or polishing com-
pounds. They will permanently damage
this finish and such damage is not covered
by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
HAND WASH ONLY USING MILD SOAP
AND WATER WITH A SOFT CLOTH. Used
on a regular basis; this is all that is re-
quired to maintain this finish.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADES
The following tire grading categories
were established by the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration. Thespecific grade rating assigned by the
tire's manufacturer in each category is
shown on the sidewall of the tires on
your vehicle.
All passenger vehicle tires must con-
form to Federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Treadwear
The Treadwear grade is a comparative
rating, based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled con-
ditions on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart signifi-
cantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
272

Traction Grades
The Traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. These
grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement, as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hy-
droplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature Grades
The Temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat,
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance, which all pas-
senger vehicle tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dard No. 109. Grades B and A repre-
sent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel, than the
minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, under-inflation, or ex-
cessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
273

WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS
Proper lug nut/bolt torque is very important to
ensure that the wheel is properly mounted to
the vehicle. Any time a wheel has been re-
moved and reinstalled on the vehicle, the lug
nuts/bolts should be torqued using a properly
calibrated torque wrench using a high quality
six sided (hex) deep wall socket.
Torque Specifications
All wheel nuts should be tightened occasion-
ally to eliminate the possibility of wheel studs
being sheared or the bolt holes in the wheels
becoming elongated. This is especially im-
portant 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 tight-
ened 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 nut justpreviously tightened until final torque is
achieved. Ensure that the socket is fully en-
gaged on the lug nut/bolt (do not insert it
halfway).
Recommended torques are shown in the fol-
lowing chart:
Disc Wheels
Nut
Ty p e
Stud
Size Hex
SizeTorque
Ft LbsTorque
Newton
Meters
Cone M14 x
1.5 22 mm 130 176
Flanged M14 x
1.5 22 mm 140 190
8-Stud — Dual Rear Wheels
• Dual wheels are flat-mounted and center-
piloted. The lug nuts are a two-piece as-
sembly. When the tires are being rotated or
replaced, clean these lug nuts and add two
drops of oil at the interface between the hex
and the washer. • Slots in the wheels will assist in properly
orienting the inner and outer wheels. Align
these slots when assembling the wheels for
best access to the tire valve on the inner
wheel. The tires of both dual wheels must
be completely off the ground when tighten-
ing, to ensure wheel centering and maxi-
mum wheel clamping.
Oil Interface LocationTECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
276

• Dual wheel models require a special heavy-duty lug nut tightening adapter (included
with the vehicle) to correctly tighten the lug
nuts. Also, when it is necessary to remove
and install dual rear wheels, use a proper
vehicle lifting device.
NOTE:
When installing a spare tire as part of a dual
rear wheel end combination, the tire diam-
eter of the two individual tires must be com-
pared. If there is a significant difference, the
larger tire should be installed in a front loca-
tion. The correct direction of rotation for dual
tire installations must also be observed. These dual rear wheels should be tightened as
follows:
1. Tighten the wheel nuts in the numbered
sequence to a snug fit. 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 specifica-
tions 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 Nuts Numbered Sequence
277

Accessories..................287
Mopar ...................287
Adding Fuel ..........181, 182, 186
Additives, Fuel ................182
Adjustable Pedals ...............30
Air Bag Air Bag Operation ............106
Air Bag Warning Light .........104
Enhanced Accident Response .114, 227
Event Data Recorder (EDR) ......227
If A Deployment Occurs ........113
Knee Impact Bolsters .........107
Maintaining Your Air Bag System . .114
Transporting Pets ............133
Air Bag Light ...........76, 104, 135
Air Bag Maintenance ............114
Air Cleaner, Engine (Engine Air Cleaner Filter) ...........249, 252
Air Conditioning Filter ............48
Air Conditioning, Operating Tips ......48
Air Conditioning System ...........47
Air Filter ...................252
Air Pressure, Tires ..............265
Air Suspension ............170, 172
Alarm, Panic ..................15 Alarm (Security Alarm)
.........18, 77
Alarm System (Security Alarm) .......18
Antifreeze (Engine Coolant) ........278
Capacities ................279
Anti-Lock Warning Light ...........81
Audio Jack ..................325
Automatic Headlights ............33
Automatic High Beams ...........33
Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) . . .47
Automatic Transmission ..........156
Fluid Type .........282, 284, 286
Shifting ..............158, 160
Automatic Transmission Limp Home Mode ....................157
Axle Fluid ............282, 284, 286
Back-Up ...................179
Back-Up Camera ..............179
Battery .....................

77
Charging System Light .........77
Belts, Seat ..................134
Body Builders Guide ..............2
B-Pillar Location ..............261
Brake Fluid ..............282, 284 Brake System
Warning Light ...............76
Brake/Transmission Interlock .......156
Bulb Replacement .............202
Bulbs, Light ..............136, 202
Camera ....................179
Camera, Rear ................179
Capacities, Antifreeze (Engine Coolant) ..................279
Capacities, Fluid ...........278, 279
Caps, Filler Oil (Engine) ...............243
Carbon Monoxide Warning .........134
Cargo Light ...................34
Chart, Tire Sizing ..............258
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety . . . .134
Checks, Safety ................134
Child Restraint ................115
Child Restraints Booster Seats ..............118
Child Restraints .............115
Child Seat Installation .....126, 127
How To Stow An Unused ALR Seat
Belt ....................125
INDEX
357