DODGE RAM 3500 DIESEL 2008 3.G Owners Manual

original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited-use spare
tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the same tire,
replace (or repair) the original tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
The limited-use spare tires are for emergency use
only. Installation of this limited-use spare tire affects
vehicle handling. With this tire, do not drive more
than 50 mph (80 km/h). Keep inflated to the cold tire
inflation pressure listed on either your tire placard or
limited-use spare tire and wheel assembly. Replace
(or repair) the original tire at the first opportunity
and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure to do so could
result in loss of vehicle control.
Tire Spinning
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice conditions, do not
spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h)
or for longer than 30 seconds continuously without
stopping when you are stuck.
For additional information, refer to ªFreeing A Stuck
Vehicleº in Section 6.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause tire dam-
age or failure. A tire could explode and injure some-
one. Do not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30
mph (48 km/h) or for more than 30 seconds continu-
ously when you are stuck, and don't let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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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 depthbecomes 1/16 in (2 mm). When the tread is worn to the
tread wear indicators, the tire should be replaced.
Many states have laws requiring tire replacement at this
point.
Life of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including, but not limited to:
²Driving style
²Tire pressure
²Distance driven
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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 an accident 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 balance of many
characteristics. They should be inspected regularly for
wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure. The manu-
facturer strongly recommends that you use tires equiva-
lent to the originals in size, quality and performance
when replacement is needed. (Refer to the paragraph on
ªTread Wear Indicatorsº). Refer to the ªTire and Loading
Informationº placard for the size designation of your tire.
The service description and load identification will be
found on the original equipment tire. Failure to use
equivalent replacement tires may adversely affect the
safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle. We recommend
that you contact your original equipment or an autho-
rized tire dealer with any questions you may have on tire
specifications or capability.
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WARNING!
²Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other than that
specified for your vehicle. Some combinations of
unapproved tires and wheels may change suspension
dimensions and performance characteristics, result-
ing in changes to steering, handling, and braking of
your vehicle. This can cause unpredictable handling
and stress to steering and suspension components.
You could lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death. Use only the tire and
wheel sizes with load ratings approved for your
vehicle.
²Never use a tire with a smaller load index or capacity,
other than what was originally equipped on your
vehicle. Using a tire with a smaller load index could
result in tire overloading and failure. You could lose
control and have an accident.
²Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having ad-
equate 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 speedometer and odometer
readings.
Alignment and Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in:
²Fast tire wear.
²Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear.
²Vehicle pull to right or left.
Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull to the left or right.
Alignment will not correct this condition. See your
authorized dealer for proper diagnosis.
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Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration.
Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of-
balance. Proper balancing will reduce vibration and
avoid tire cupping and spotty wear.
SUPPLEMENTAL TIRE PRESSURE
INFORMATION Ð IF EQUIPPED
A light load vehicle condition is defined as two passen-
gers [150 lbs (68 kg) each] plus 200 lbs (91 kg) of cargo.
Cold tire inflation pressures for a lightly loaded vehicle
will be found on the face of the driver's door.
TIRE CHAINS
Use ªClass Uº chains on 2500/3500 Ram Trucks, or other
traction aids that meet SAE Type ªUº specifications.
NOTE:Chains must be the proper size for the vehicle,
as recommended by the chain manufacturer.
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to your vehicle, tires or chains, observe the
following precautions:
²Because of limited chain clearance between tires and other
suspension components, it is important that only chains in good
condition are used. Broken chains can cause serious vehicle
damage. Stop the vehicle immediately if noise occurs that could
suggest chain breakage. Remove the damaged parts of the chain
before further use.
²Install chains as tightly as possible and then retighten after
driving about 1/2 mile (0.8 km).
²Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h).
²Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large bumps,
especially with a loaded vehicle.
²Do not install tire chains on front wheels of 4x2 vehicles.
²Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry pavement.
²Observe the tire chain manufacturer's instructions on method of
installation, operating speed, and conditions for usage. Always
use the lower suggested operating speed of the chain manufac-
turer if different than the speed recommended by the
manufacturer.
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These cautions apply to all chain traction devices, includ-
ing link and cable (radial) chains.
Tire chain use is permitted only on the rear tires of Ram
4X2 trucks.
NOTE:The use of class ªUº chains is permitted on the
front and rear of 4X4, 2500 Ram Trucks with LT245/
70R17E tires.
NOTE:The use of class ªUº chains is permitted on the
front and rear of 4X4, 3500 Ram Trucks with Dual Rear
Wheels and LT235/80R17E tires.
NOTE:On 4X2 2500/3500 Ram Trucks, class ªUº snow
chains are permitted on the rear wheels only of vehicles
equipped with LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17, and LT235/
80R17 size tires.NOTE:On 4X4 2500/3500 Single Rear Wheel (SRW)
Ram Trucks, class ªUº snow chains are permitted on the
rear wheels only of vehicles equipped with LT265/70R17.
CAUTION!
Do not use tire chains on 4x4 Ram trucks equipped
with P265/70R17, LT275/70R17 tires. There may not
be adequate clearance for the chains and you are
risking structural or body damage to your vehicle. Do
not use tire chains on the 4X2 front wheels of
2500/3500 SRW (Single Rear Wheels) equipped with
LT245/70R17, LT265/70R17 tires or 4X4 front tires of
Ram Trucks equipped with LT265/70R17tires. There
may not be adequate clearance for the chains and you
are risking structural or body damage to your vehicle.
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SNOW TIRES
Snow tires should be of the same size and type construc-
tion as the front tires. Consult the manufacturer of the
snow tire to determine any maximum vehicle speed
requirement associated with the tire. These tires should
always be operated at the vehicle maximum capacity
inflation pressures under any load condition.
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 pro-
hibit studded tires; therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates and develop irregular wear patterns. These
effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires. The
benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with ag-
gressive tread designs such as those on ON/OFF Road
type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help to main-
tain mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and contribute to
a smooth, quiet ride.
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Follow the recommended tire rotation frequency for your
type of driving found in the ªMaintenance Schedulesº
Section of this manual. More frequent rotation is permis-
sible if desired. The reasons for any rapid or unusual
wear should be corrected prior to rotation being per-
formed.NOTE:On Canadian vehicles only, if your vehicle is
equipped with All-Season type tires on the front and
ON/OFF Road type tires mounted on the rear, do not use
a front-to-back rotation pattern. Instead, rotate your tires
side-to-side at the recommended intervals.
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Dual Rear Wheels
The tires used on dual wheel assemblies should be
matched for wear to prevent overloading one tire in a set.
To check if tires are even, lay a straight edge across all
four tires. The straight edge should touch all the tires.
CAUTION!
3500 Dual Rear Tires have only one approved direc-
tion of rotation. This is to accommodate the asym-
metrical design (tread pattern) of the ON/OFF road
tire and the use of Outline White Letter (OWL) tires.
²When replacing a flat, the spare tire may have to
be remounted on the rim, or installed at a different
location, to maintain the correct placement of the
tire on the wheel relative to the tire/wheel position
on the truck. For example, if the spare is used to
replace an outer rear tire it will have to be re-
mounted on the rim so that the wheel is dished
inward. That way the tread design of asymmetrical
tires and the white writing of the OWL tires will
maintain proper position.
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TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) Ð IF
EQUIPPED
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will warn
the driver of a low tire pressure based on the vehicle
recommended cold tire inflation placard pressure. The
placard pressure is defined on the Tire and Loading
Information label. The Tire and Loading Information
label is located on the drivers side B-pillar. Vehicles
equipped to be operated in either the ªmax load inflation
pressureº condition described on the Tire and Loading
Information label or the alternative ªlight load inflation
pressureº condition described on the Supplemental Tire
Pressure Information label, may also be equipped with a
reset switch to choose the appropriate TPMS low pres-
sure warning threshold levels based upon the vehicle
load condition. The Supplemental Tire Pressure Informa-
tion label is located on the rear face of the driver door.
Operation of the ªLight Loadº reset switch is described
later in this manual section.The tire pressure will vary with temperature by approxi-
mately 1 psi (6.9 kPa) for every 12ÉF (6.5ÉC). This means
that when the outside temperature decreases, the tire
pressure will decrease. Tire pressure should always be set
based on cold inflation tire pressure. This is defined as
the tire pressure after a vehicle has not been driven for
more than 3 hours, or driven less than 1 mile after a 3
hour period. For information on how to properly inflate
the vehicle's tires, refer to ºTire Pressureº under ªTires ±
General Informationº in this section. The tire pressure
will also increase as the vehicle is driven - this is normal
and there should be no adjustment for this increased
pressure.
The TPM System will warn the driver of a low tire
pressure if the tire pressure falls below the low pressure
warning threshold for any reason, including low tem-
perature effects, or natural pressure loss through the tire.
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