ECU Ram 2500 2013 Workshop Manual

position, the rear axle is locked. In the FRONT/REAR
LOCK position, the front and rear axles are locked.
NOTE:Even when the axles are in the AXLE UNLOCK
position, the limited slip differential in the rear axle still
provides torque biasing capability for moderate low
traction environments.
During the command to lock the axle, the indicator light
will flash until the axle is locked. After the lock command
has been successfully executed, the light will remain on
solid.
To lock the rear axle, place the vehicle in 4LO. Refer to
“Four Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting and Operat-
ing” for further information. Move the axle locker switch
position to REAR LOCK while traveling less than 3 mph
(5 km/h). The RR indicator light will remain on when the
rear axle is locked. NOTE:
Left to right wheel speed difference may be
necessary to allow the axle to fully lock. If the indicator
light is flashing after placing the switch in the REAR
LOCK or FRONT/REAR LOCK position, drive the ve-
hicle in a turn or on loose gravel to expedite the locking
action.
WARNING!
Do not use the locked axle position for normal
driving. A locked front axle is intended for off-road
driving only. Locking the front axle during on-road
driving will reduce the steering ability. This could
cause a collision and you may be seriously injured.
To lock the front axle; move the axle locker switch to
FRONT/REAR LOCK while traveling less than 3 mph
(5 km/h). The indicator light will be solid when the front
axle is locked.
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WARNING!
Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down
cargo. Unsecured cargo can become projectiles in an
off-road situation.
When To Use Low Range
When driving off-road, shift into 4L (Low Range) 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 4L (Low Range) in rain, ice, snow, mud, sand, to get
heavy loads rolling, improve traction, or whenever 4H
(High Range) 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 4L (Low Range)
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 ¼ turn quickly back and forth, while still
applying throttle. This will allow the tires to get a fresh
bite and help maintain your momentum.
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6. Secure to the anchor point. Once you have establishedyour anchor point, secure the tree-trunk protector or
choker-chain around the object.CAUTION!
Always be certain the anchor you select will with-
stand the load.
NOTE: How to choose an anchor point: A secure anchor
is critical to winching operations. An anchor must be
strong enough to hold while winching. Natural anchors
include trees, stumps and rocks. Hook the cable as low as
possible. If no natural anchors are available when recov-
ering another vehicle, your vehicle becomes the anchor
point. In this case, be sure to put the transmission in
NEUTRAL, apply the hand brake and block its wheels to
prevent your vehicle from moving. Ideally, you’ll want
an anchor point that will enable you to pull straight in the
direction the vehicle will move. This allows the wire rope
to wind tightly and evenly onto the spooling drum. An
anchor point as far away as possible will provide the
winch with its greatest pulling power.
Tree Trunk Protector
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10. Put wire rope under tension. Using the remote con-trol 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. 11. Check your anchor. Make sure all connections are
secured and free of debris before continuing with the
winching procedure.
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an uneven stack, spool out that section of the rope
and reposition it to the opposite end of the drum,
which will free up space for continued winching.
15. Secure vehicle. Once recovery of the vehicle is com- plete, be sure to secure the vehicle’s brakes and shift
the transmission to PARK. Release tension in the wire
rope.
16. Disconnect the wire rope, and disconnect from the anchor.
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.
462 STARTING AND OPERATING

block, secured to a point directly in front of the vehicle
will enable you to change your pulling direction while
still allowing the wire rope to be at 90° to wind properly
onto the spooling drum.
Increasing Pulling Power
In some cases, you may find yourself needing more
pulling power. The use of snatch blocks increases me-
chanical advantage and that increases your pulling
power.
Double Line
Because pulling power decreases with the number of
layers of wire rope on the winch drum, you can use a
snatch block to double line out more wire rope. This
decreases the number of layers of wire rope on the drum,
and increases pulling power. Start by feeding out enough
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wire rope to free the winch hook. Attach the hook to your
vehicle’s frame/tow hook and run the wire rope through
a snatch block. Disengage the clutch and, using the
snatch block, pull out enough wire to reach your anchor
point. Do not attach the hook to the mounting kit. Secure
to the anchor point with a tree trunk protector or choker
chain. Attach the clevis/shackle. Attach the shackle to the
two ends of the strap/chain, being careful not to over
tighten (tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).
POWER STEERING
The standard power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will provide mechanical
steering capability if power assist is lost.If for some reason the power assist is interrupted, it will
still be possible to steer your vehicle. Under these condi-
tions, you will observe a substantial increase in steering
effort, especially at very low vehicle speeds and during
parking maneuvers.
NOTE:
•
Increased noise levels at the end of the steering wheel
travel are considered normal and do not indicate that
there is a problem with the power steering system.
• Upon initial start-up in cold weather, the power steer-
ing pump may make noise for a short amount of time.
This is due to the cold, thick fluid in the steering
system. This noise should be considered normal, and it
does not in any way damage the steering system.
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NOTE:When removing the fuel filler cap, lay the cap
tether in the hook, located on the fuel filler door.
CAUTION!
• Damage to the fuel system or emissions control
system could result from using an improper fuel
tank filler tube cap (gas cap).
• A poorly fitting gas cap could let impurities into
the fuel system.
• A poorly fitting gas cap may cause the “Malfunc-
tion Indicator Light (MIL)” to turn on.
• To avoid fuel spillage and overfilling, do not “top
off” the fuel tank after filling. When the fuel
nozzle “clicks” or shuts off, the fuel tank is full.
WARNING!
• Never have any smoking materials lit in or near the
vehicle when the gas cap is removed or the tank is
being filled.
• Never add fuel to the vehicle when the engine is
running.
• A fire may result if gasoline is pumped into a
portable container that is inside of a vehicle. You
could be burned. Always place gas containers on
the ground while filling.
NOTE:
• Tighten the gas cap until you hear a “clicking” sound.
This is an indication that the gas cap is tightened
properly. The MIL in the instrument cluster may turn
on if the gas cap is not secured properly. Make sure
that the gas cap is tightened each time the vehicle is
refueled.
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Inflation Pressure
This is the cold tire inflation pressure for your vehicle for
all loading conditions up to full GAWR.
Curb Weight
The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the total weight
of the vehicle with all fluids, including vehicle fuel, at full
capacity conditions, and with no occupants or cargo
loaded into the vehicle. The front and rear curb weight
values are determined by weighing your vehicle on a
commercial scale before any occupants or cargo are
added.
Loading
The actual total weight and the weight of the front and
rear of your vehicle at the ground can best be determined
by weighing it when it is loaded and ready for operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a commer-
cial scale to insure 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 axle. Weigh-
ing the vehicle may show that the GAWR of either the
front or rear axles 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.CAUTION!
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR
or the maximum front and rear GAWR. If you do,
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
•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 difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have a collision.
• When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance or dam-
age to brakes, axle, engine, transmission, steering,
suspension, chassis structure or tires.
• Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to
the hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. When parking, apply the parking brake on
the tow vehicle. Put the tow vehicle transmission in
PARK. For four-wheel drive vehicles, make sure
the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL. Always,
block or chockthe trailer wheels.
• GCWR must not be exceeded.
• Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Trailer tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch
utilized .
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