Ram trucks have long been known for their quality, dependability, and capability. Ram builds trucks with high-strength steel frames, strong engines, robust 4×4 systems, and impressive off-road suspensions. In addition, you’ll find various tires designed to get the best performance depending on the model of your Ram truck. Here we’ll take a closer look at what tires work best on the Ram truck lineup. We’ll also tell you how to care for your tires properly and what you need to consider when replacing them.
Tire Sizes Explained
The size of tires you use depends in part on the size of your truck’s wheels. Wheel sizes vary by model and trim. For example, the Ram 1500 has eight trim levels, and the wheels come in 18-inch, 20-inch, or 22-inch sizes. These sizes reflect the diameter of the wheel. Tire part numbers have this information within them if you know how to read them.
For instance, the Ram 1500 Tradesman uses a P275/65R18 BSW AS tire. The “P” stands for the type of tire, in this case, a passenger vehicle. You might find a tire number that begins with “LT,” which stands for light truck. Unless you have an old or specialty truck, you’ll only ever see these two designations.
The following three digits, “275,” refer to the tire’s tread width in millimeters. After the slash, you have the number “65,” which denotes the aspect ratio. In simpler terms, this measures the height of your sidewall from the wheel rim to the top of the tread. Manufacturers express this as a percentage of your tire’s width. So, in this case, the tire’s height measures 65% of the tire’s tread width. The higher the aspect ratio, the taller the tire.
The following letter “R” stands for the construction type of tire. In this case, it’s a radial tire. Again, your tires will be radial unless you have a specialty truck or antique. After this, you have the tire’s inside diameter. In this example, you have an 18-inch diameter that measures the tire’s hole, which matches the wheel size. Continuing, the “BSW” refers to the black sidewall, and the “AS” stands for the type of tire or its purpose: in this case, all season.
Types of Tires
All tires aren’t created equal, but have a specific purpose. All-season tires were designed for combination use throughout the year. They offer traction on hot, dry roads in the summer and snow-covered roads in the winter. You might want to purchase a winter-specific tire if you live in a frigid climate with a lot of snow. However, snowfall rarely happens in Texas, so you’re more likely to use an all-season tire.
Touring tires deliver smoother rides and commonly come with sedans. All-terrain tires were designed with an aggressive tread pattern for enhanced traction on softer surfaces, like mud and sand. Texas truck owners often use all-terrain tires, especially if they like off-road adventuring. You might also consider a mud-terrain tire for such adventures.
Ram Truck Tires
The Ram 1500 trucks using 18-inch tires include the Tradesman, Bighorn, Laramie, Rebel, and TRX trims. The Tradesman, Bighorn, and Laramie trims have P275/65R18 all-season tires. On the Ram 1500 Tradesman HFE truck, you’ll find P275/55/R20 tires with a smaller aspect ratio and larger diameter to match the 20-inch wheels.
Ram uses an LT275/65R18 all-terrain tire on the Rebel trim, and you’ll notice the light truck designation used here. The TRX also uses an all-terrain tire with a larger tread on the LT325/65/R18 model. These two trims were engineered for off-road travel. Thus, they have tires to match. On the Limited and Limited Longhorn trims, you have P275/65R20 all-season tires.
You can put any tire on your Ram 1500 truck, so long as it matches the wheel size. More importantly, you should aim to match your type of tire to the road conditions you expect. For example, if you drive mainly on the highway, an aggressive all-terrain tread creates more vibrations and noise than an all-season tire. Conversely, an all-season tire won’t provide the traction you want or need if you go off-road often.
Caring for Your Tires
Tires are one of the most essential safety parts on your truck. We recommend keeping them inflated properly. Too little air in your tires will result in excessive wear and poor fuel economy, while too much air will cause uneven wear. Excessive and uneven wear will shorten the tire’s lifespan, and you’ll have to replace it sooner.
Rotating your tires helps extend their life. Tires on the front axle operate under different loads and conditions than those on the rear axle. For instance, front tires must steer your truck and provide traction, while the tires on the rear provide traction and acceleration. If you carry heavy loads in your bed, the rear tires have to bear that weight, which can cause them to wear faster. By rotating your tires, you spread the wear out over all four tires. We suggest rotating your tires every other oil change.
Keeping your steering aligned will also help extend the life of your tires. Your truck was designed to fit tires in a specific location for optimal traction and control. Improper alignment will cause your vehicle to pull to one side, resulting in uneven wear. You probably need an alignment if your car drifts to one side while driving straight.
At Huffines CDJR Lewisville, we understand the vital role of your Ram truck’s tires. That’s why we train our service center technicians to remain updated on all Ram truck parts and repairs, including tires. In addition, our state-of-the-art service center uses the finest tools and equipment to diagnose and repair your truck.
You can schedule a service visit online if you have a problem with your tires or need a tire rotation or alignment. One of our technicians will quickly diagnose the problem and recommend a solution. If you need to replace your tires, our tire department has an extensive inventory of tires designed specifically for your Ram truck. In most cases, we can perform your tire service in under 30 minutes, quickly getting you back to your busy life.