2020 Ram 3500 tire type

254STARTING AND OPERATING
met. Refer to “Shifting Procedure – Manually
Shifted Transfer Case” in this section for further
information.
The 4H and 4L positions are intended for loose,
slippery road surfaces only. Driving in the 4H
and 4L positions on dry, hard surfaced roads
may cause increased tire wear and damage to
the driveline components.
The “Transfer Case Position Indicator Light” in
the instrument cluster will alert the driver that
the vehicle is in four-wheel drive and that the
front and rear driveshafts are locked together.
This light will illuminate when the transfer case
is shifted into either the 4H or 4L position. There
is no light for the 2H or NEUTRAL positions on
some models.
When operating your vehicle in 4L, the engine
speed is approximately three times that of the
2H or 4H positions at a given road speed. Take
care not to overspeed the engine and do not
exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Proper operation of four-wheel drive vehicles
depends on tires of equal size, type and
circumference on each wheel. Any difference
will adversely affect shifting and can cause
damage to the drivetrain. NOTE:
Do not attempt to make a shift while only the
front or rear wheels are spinning, as this can
cause damage to driveline components.
Because four-wheel drive provides improved
traction, there is a tendency to exceed safe
turning and stopping speeds. Do not go faster
than road conditions permit.
NOTE:
Delayed shifts out of four-wheel drive may be
experienced due to uneven tire wear, low or
uneven tire pressures, excessive vehicle
loading, or cold temperatures.Two-Wheel Drive High Range (2H)
Two-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for
normal street and highway driving on dry hard
surfaced roads.
Four-Wheel Drive High Range (4H)
Four-Wheel Drive High Range — This range locks
the front and rear driveshafts together forcing
the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. Additional traction for loose, slippery
road surfaces only.
N (Neutral)
N (Neutral) — This range disengages the front
and rear driveshafts from the powertrain. To be
used for flat towing behind another vehicle.
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in “Starting And
Operating” for further information.
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range (4L)
Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range locks
the front and rear driveshafts together forcing
the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same
speed. Additional traction and maximum pulling
power for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do
not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
WARNING!
You or others could be injured or killed if you
leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer
case in the NEUTRAL position without first
fully engaging the parking brake. The transfer
case NEUTRAL position disengages both the
front and rear drive shafts from the
powertrain and will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if the transmission is in PARK. The
parking brake should always be applied when
the driver is not in the vehicle.

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262STARTING AND OPERATING
The Basics Of Off-Road Driving
You will encounter many types of terrain driving
off-road. You should be familiar with the terrain
and area before proceeding. There are many
types of surface conditions: hard packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow and ice.
Every surface has a different effect on your
vehicle's steering, handling and traction.
Controlling your vehicle is one of the keys to
successful off-road driving, so always keep a
firm grip on the steering wheel and maintain a
good driving posture. Avoid sudden
accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases
there are no road signs, posted speed limits or
signal lights. Therefore you will need to use your
own good judgment on what is safe and what
isn't. When on a trail you should always be
looking ahead for surface obstacles and
changes in terrain. The key is to plan your future
driving route while remembering what you are
currently driving over.
When To Use Low Range
When driving off-road, shift into 4WD LOW for
additional traction or to improve handling and
control on slippery or difficult terrain. Due to the
lower gearing, low range will allow the engine to
operate in a higher power range. This will allow
you to idle over obstacles and down hills, with
improved control and less effort. Also, use 4WD
LOW in rain, ice, snow, mud, and sand to get
heavy loads rolling, improve traction, or
whenever 4WD HIGH traction will not do the job.
DRIVING IN SNOW, MUD AND SAND
There is a drastic reduction in traction when
driving in snow, mud or sand. The vehicle will be
less responsive to steering, acceleration and
braking inputs. Therefore you should accelerate
slowly, leave greater stopping distances and
avoid abrupt vehicle maneuvers. You want to
keep a slow constant steady pace. The key is to
maintain the vehicle's momentum.
Snow – In heavy snow or for additional
control and traction at slower speeds, shift
the transmission to a low gear and shift the
transfer case to 4WD LOW if necessary. Do
not shift to a lower gear than necessary to
maintain headway. Over-revving the engine
can spin the wheels and traction will be lost.
If you start to slow to a stop, try turning your
steering wheel no more than a quarter turn
quickly back and forth, while still applying
throttle. This will allow the tires to get a fresh
"bite" and help maintain your momentum.
Mud – Deep mud creates a great deal of
suction around the tires and is very difficult to
get through. You should use 4WD LOW with a
gear low enough to maintain your momentum
without shifting. If you start to slow to a stop,
try turning your steering wheel no more than
a quarter turn quickly back and forth for addi -
tional traction. Mud holes pose an increased
threat of vehicle damage and getting stuck.
WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down
cargo. Unsecured cargo can become
projectiles in an off-road situation.
CAUTION!
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or
other combustible materials. The heat from
your vehicle exhaust system could cause a
fire.
CAUTION!
On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at
high engine RPMs or vehicle speeds because
engine braking may cause skidding and loss
of control.

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STARTING AND OPERATING263
They are normally full of debris from previous
vehicles getting stuck. As a good practice
before entering any mud hole, get out and
determine how deep it is, if there are any
hidden obstacles and if the vehicle can be
safely recovered if stuck.
Sand – Soft sand is very difficult to travel
through with full tire pressure. When crossing
soft sandy spots in a trail, maintain your
vehicle's momentum and do not stop. The
key to driving in soft sand is using the appro -
priate tire pressure, accelerating slowly,
avoiding abrupt maneuvers and maintaining
the vehicle's momentum. If you are going to
be driving on large soft sandy areas or dunes,
reduce your tire pressure to a minimum of
15 psi (103 kPa) to allow for a greater tire
surface area. Reduced tire pressure will dras -
tically improve your traction and handling,
while driving on the soft sand, but you must
return the tires to normal air pressure before
driving on pavement or other hard surfaces.
Be sure you have a way to air the tires back
up prior to reducing the pressure.
CROSSING OBSTACLES (ROCKS AND
O
THER HIGH POINTS)
While driving off road, you will encounter many
types of terrain. These varying types of terrain
bring different types of obstacles. Before
proceeding review the path ahead to determine
the correct approach and your ability to safely
recover the vehicle if something goes wrong.
Keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel, bring
the vehicle to a complete stop and then inch the
vehicle forward until it makes contact with the
object. Apply the throttle lightly while holding a
light brake pressure and ease the vehicle up
and over the object.
Using A Spotter
There are many times where it is hard to see the
obstacle or determine the correct path.
Determining the correct path can be extremely
difficult when you are confronting many
obstacles. In these cases have someone guide
you over, through, or around the obstacle. Have
the person stand a safe distance in front of you
where they can see the obstacle, watch your
tires and undercarriage, and guide you through.
Crossing Large Rocks
When approaching large rocks, choose a path
which ensures you drive over the largest with
your tires. This will lift your undercarriage over
the obstacle. The tread of the tire is tougher and
thicker than the side wall and is designed to
take the abuse. Always look ahead and make
every effort to cross the large rocks with your
tires.
CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressures may cause tire
unseating and total loss of air pressure. To
reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at a
reduced tire pressure, reduce your speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
WARNING!
Crossing obstacles can cause abrupt steering
system loading which could cause you to
loose control of your vehicle.
CAUTION!
Never attempt to straddle a rock that is
large enough to strike your axles or under -
carriage.
Never attempt to drive over a rock which is
large enough to contact the door sills.
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266STARTING AND OPERATING
If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway – If you
stall or begin to lose headway while climbing
a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a
stop and immediately apply the brake.
Restart the engine and shift into REVERSE.
Back slowly down the hill allowing the
compression braking of the engine and trans -
mission to help regulate your speed. If the
brakes are required to control vehicle speed,
apply them lightly and avoid locking or skid-
ding the tires.DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type
of water. Water crossings should be avoided if
possible and only be attempted when
necessary, in a safe responsible manner. You
should only drive through areas which are
designated and approved. You should tread
lightly and avoid damage to the environment.
You should know your vehicle's abilities and be
able to recover it if something goes wrong. You
should never stop or shut a vehicle off when
crossing deep water unless you ingested water
into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls do
not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has
ingested water first. The key to any crossing is
low and slow. You want to use FIRST gear in
4WD LOW and proceed very slowly with a
constant slow speed (3-5 mph [5–8 km/h]
maximum) and light throttle. Keep the vehicle
moving; do not try to accelerate through the
crossing. After crossing any water higher than
the bottom of the axle differentials, you should
inspect all of the vehicle fluids for signs of water
ingestion.
Before You Cross Any Type Of Water – As you
approach any type of water you need to
determine if you can cross it safely and
responsibly. If necessary, get out and walk
through the water or probe it with a stick. You
need to be sure of its depth, approach angle,
current and bottom condition. Be careful of
murky or muddy waters, check for hidden
obstacles. Make sure you will not be
intruding on any wildlife and you can recover
the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe
crossing is the water depth, current and
bottom conditions. On soft bottoms the
vehicle will sink in, effectively increasing the
water level on the vehicle. Be sure to
consider this when determining the depth
and the ability to safely cross.
WARNING!
If the engine stalls or you lose headway or
cannot make it to the top of a steep hill or
grade, never attempt to turn around. To do so
may result in tipping and rolling the vehicle,
which may result in severe injury. Always back
carefully straight down a hill in REVERSE.
Never back down a hill in NEUTRAL using only
the vehicle brakes. Never drive diagonally
across a hill, always drive straight up or down.
CAUTION!
Water ingestion into the axles, transmission,
transfer case, engine or vehicle interior can
occur if you drive too fast or through too deep
of water. Water can cause permanent
damage to engine, driveline or other vehicle
components and your brakes will be less
effective once wet and/or muddy.

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STARTING AND OPERATING267
Crossing Puddles, Pools, Flooded Areas Or
Other Standing Water – Puddles, pools,
flooded or other standing water areas
normally contain murky or muddy waters.
These water types normally contain hidden
obstacles and make it difficult to determine
an accurate water depth, approach angle,
and bottom condition. Murky or muddy water
holes are where you want to hook up tow
straps prior to entering. This makes for a
faster, cleaner and easier vehicle recovery. If
you are able to determine you can safely
cross, than proceed using the low and slow
method.
Crossing Ditches, Streams, Shallow Rivers Or
Other Flowing Water – Flowing water can be
extremely dangerous. Never attempt to cross
a fast running stream or river even in shallow
water. Fast moving water can easily push
your vehicle downstream sweeping it out of
control. Even in very shallow water, a high
current can still wash the dirt out from around your tires putting you and your vehicle
in jeopardy. There is still a high risk of
personal injury and vehicle damage with
slower water currents in depths greater than
the vehicle's running ground clearance. You
should never attempt to cross flowing water
which is deeper than the vehicle's running
ground clearance. Even the slowest current
can push the heaviest vehicle downstream
out of control if the water is deep enough to
push on the large surface area of the
vehicle's body. Before you proceed deter
-
mine the speed of the current, the water's
depth, approach angle, bottom condition and
if there are any obstacles, then cross at an
angle heading slightly upstream using the
low and slow technique.
AIRING DOWN FOR OFF-ROAD DRIVING

Running lower tire pressure off-road can improve
your ride comfort and vehicle traction. Reducing
the tire air pressure allows the tire to bulge
slightly, improving its surface area for better
flotation and ability to mold or form to the ground
contour. Different terrain, tires, and vehicles
require different tire pressure. Hard surfaces like
rock and heavier vehicles require higher
pressures than softer surfaces such as sand and
lighter vehicles. You will need to experiment to
determine what is right for your situation. It is
easier and faster to let air out than it is to replace
it. Start high and lower it as required. Remember
you must return the tires to normal air pressure
before driving on road or at highway conditions.
Be sure you have a way to return the tires to their
normal on road air pressure.

CAUTION!
Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system
effectiveness by depositing debris onto the
radiator.
WARNING!
Never drive through fast moving deep water. It
can push your vehicle downstream, sweeping
it out of control. This could put you and your
passengers at risk of injury or drowning.CAUTION!
Reduced tire pressure increases the risk of
tire damage and may cause tire unseating
with total loss of air pressure. To reduce the
risk of tire unseating, while at a reduced tire
pressure, drive at slower speeds and avoid
sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
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STARTING AND OPERATING325
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a
commercial scale to ensure that the GVWR has
not been exceeded. The weight on the front and
rear of the vehicle should then be determined
separately to be sure that the load is properly
distributed over the front and rear axles.
Weighing the vehicle may show that the GAWR
of either the front or rear axle has been
exceeded but the total load is within the
specified GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted
from front to rear or rear to front as appropriate
until the specified weight limitations are met.
Store the heavier items down low and be sure
that the weight is distributed equally. Stow all
loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an
adverse effect on the way your vehicle steers
and handles and the way the brakes operate.TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips and
information on limits to the type of towing you
can reasonably do with your vehicle. Before
towing a trailer, carefully review this information
to tow your load as efficiently and safely as
possible.
To maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty
coverage, follow the requirements and
recommendations in this manual concerning
vehicles used for trailer towing.
COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing-related definitions
will assist you in understanding the following
information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle. This includes driver, passengers, cargo
and tongue weight. The total load must be
limited so that you do not exceed the GVWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle Certification
Label” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the
weight of all cargo, consumables and
equipment (permanent or temporary) loaded in
or on the trailer in its "loaded and ready for
operation" condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to
put your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must be
supported by the scale.
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)
The GCWR is the total allowable weight of your
vehicle and trailer when weighed in
combination.
CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR or the maximum front and rear GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, or
it can change the way your vehicle handles.
This could cause you to lose control. Also
overloading can shorten the life of your
vehicle.
WARNING!

If the gross trailer weight is 5,000 lbs (2,267 kg)
or more, it is recommended to use a
weight-distributing hitch to ensure stable
handling of your vehicle. If you use a standard
weight-carrying hitch, you could lose control of
your vehicle and cause a collision.

5

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330STARTING AND OPERATING
(Continued)
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM
T
RAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
NOTE:
For trailer towing information (maximum trailer
weight ratings) refer to the following website
addresses:
ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/
ramtruck.ca (Canada)
rambodybuilder.com
TRAILER AND TONGUE WEIGHT

Weight Distribution
Consider the following items when computing
the weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:
The tongue weight of the trailer.
The weight of any other type of cargo or
equipment put in or on your vehicle.
The weight of the driver and all passengers.
NOTE:
Remember that everything put into or on the
trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed options or
dealer-installed options must be considered as
part of the total load on your vehicle. Refer to
the “Tire And Loading Information” placard for
the maximum combined weight of occupants
and cargo for your vehicle.
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your new vehicle
drivetrain components, the following guidelines
are recommended.
Perform the maintenance listed in the
“Scheduled Servicing”. Refer to “Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for the
proper maintenance intervals. When towing a
trailer, never exceed the GAWR or GCWR ratings.

CAUTION!

Do not tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (805 km) the new vehicle is driven.
The engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km) that
a trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other parts
of the vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.

WARNING!

Make certain that the load is secured in the
trailer and will not shift during travel. When
trailering cargo that is not fully secured,
dynamic load shifts can occur that may be diffi
-
cult for the driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have a collision.

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STARTING AND OPERATING333
If a fault is detected in the trailer wiring or the
Integrated Trailer Brake Module (ITBM), the
“Trailer Brake Status Indicator Light” will flash.
GAIN Adjustment Buttons (+/-)
Pushing these buttons will adjust the brake
control power output to the trailer brakes in
0.5 increments. The GAIN setting can be
increased to a maximum of 10 or decreased to
a minimum of 0 (no trailer braking).
GAIN
The GAIN setting is used to set the trailer brake
control for the specific towing condition and
should be changed as towing conditions
change. Changes to towing conditions include
trailer load, vehicle load, road conditions and
weather.
Adjusting GAIN
NOTE:
This should only be performed in a traffic free
environment at speeds of approximately
20–25 mph (30–40 km/h).
1. Make sure the trailer brakes are in good
working condition, functioning normally
and properly adjusted. See your trailer
dealer if necessary.

2. Hook up the trailer and make the electrical connections according to the trailer
manufacturer's instructions.
3. When a trailer with electric/EOH brakes is plugged in, the trailer connected message
should appear in the instrument cluster
display (if the connection is not recognized
by the ITBM, braking functions will not be
available), the GAIN setting will illuminate
and the correct type of trailer must be
selected from the instrument cluster display
options.
4. Push the UP or DOWN button on the steering wheel until “TRAILER TOW”
appears on the screen.
5. Push the RIGHT arrow on the steering wheel to enter “TRAILER TOW”. 6. Push the UP or DOWN buttons until the
Trailer Brake Type appears on the screen.
7. Push the RIGHT arrow and then push the UP or DOWN buttons until the proper Trailer
Brake Type appears on the screen.
8. In a traffic-free environment, tow the trailer on a dry, level surface at a speed of
20–25 mph (30–40 km/h) and squeeze
the manual brake control lever completely.
9. If the trailer wheels lockup (indicated by squealing tires), reduce the GAIN setting; if
the trailer wheels turn freely, increase the
GAIN setting.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 until the GAIN setting is at
a point just below trailer wheel lockup. If towing
a heavier trailer, trailer wheel lockup may not be
attainable even with the maximum GAIN setting
of 10.
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