SPARE TIRE Ram 2500 2017 Owner's Guide

Towing Requirements — Tires
•Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact
spare tire.
• Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe
and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in “Starting And Operat-
ing” for proper tire inflation procedures.
• Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pressures
before trailer usage.
• Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage before
towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires – General Information”
in “Starting And Operating” for the proper inspection
procedure.
• When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – General Informa-
tion” in “Starting And Operating” for proper tire re-
placement procedures. Replacing tires with a higher
load carrying capacity will not increase the vehicle’s
GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
WARNING!
• Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle’s hy-
draulic brake lines. It can overload your brake sys-
tem and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
• Towing any trailer will increase your stopping dis-
tance. When towing you should allow for additional
space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes and they should
be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake pedal
effort, and longer stopping distances.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 561

There are two ways to assemble the tools:
Assembled For Spare Tire Lowering/RaisingCAUTION!
•The wheel wrench can only be attached to extension
3.
• When attaching the tool to the winch mechanism be
sure the large flared end opening on extension 1 is
positioned correctly over the winch mechanism ad-
justing nut.
• Damage to the wheel wrench, extensions and winch
mechanism may occur from improper tool assembly.
Assembled For Spare Tire Lowering/Raising
1 — Extension 1 3 — Extension 3
2 — Extension 2 4 — Wheel Wrench
586 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Removing The Spare Tire
1. Remove the spare tire before attempting to jack up thetruck. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension
tube with the curved angle facing away from the
vehicle. Insert the tube through the access hole between
the lower tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the
winch mechanism tube. 2. Rotate the wheel wrench handle counterclockwise until
the spare tire is on the ground with enough cable slack
to allow you to pull it out from under the vehicle.
Inserting The Jack Extension Tube Into The Access Hole
Rotating The Wheel Wrench Handle
588 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

3. Pull the spare tire out from under the vehicle to gainaccess to the spare tire retainer. 4. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance to tilt
the retainer at the end of the cable.
Pulling The Spare Tire OutGaining Access To The Retainer
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 589

Jack Instructions (1500 Series)
WARNING!
Carefully follow these tire changing warnings to help
prevent personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
•Always park on a firm, level surface as far from the
edge of the roadway as possible before raising the
vehicle.
• Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
• Block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to be
raised.
• Set the parking brake firmly and set an automatic
transmission in PARK; a manual transmission in
REVERSE.
• Never start or run the engine with the vehicle on a
jack.
• Do not let anyone sit in the vehicle when it is on a
jack.
• Do not get under the vehicle when it is on a jack. If
you need to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a
service center where it can be raised on a lift.
• Only use the jack in the positions indicated and for
lifting this vehicle during a tire change.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•If working on or near a roadway, be extremely
careful of motor traffic.
• To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are securely
stowed, spares must be stowed with the valve stem
facing the ground.
Jack Warning Label
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 591

Connect the jack tube extension and wheel wrench.
CAUTION!
Before raising the wheel off the ground, make sure that
the jack will not damage surrounding truck parts and
adjust the jack position as required.
4. By rotating the lug wrench clockwise, raise the vehicle until the wheel just clears the surface.
WARNING!
Raising the vehicle higher than necessary can make the
vehicle unstable. It could slip off the jack and hurt
someone near it. Raise the vehicle only enough to
remove the tire.
5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Install the spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped
end of the wheel nuts toward the wheel. To avoid the
risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack, do not fully
tighten the wheel nuts until the vehicle has been low-
ered. 6. Finish tightening the lug nuts. Push down on the
wrench while at the end of the handle for increased
leverage. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern until each
nut has been tightened twice. For the correct lug nut
torque refer to “Torque Specifications” in this section. If
in doubt about the correct tightness, have them checked
with a torque wrench by you authorized dealer or
service station.
WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could injure someone in the vehicle. Always
stow the jack parts and the extra tire and wheel in the
places provided.
7. Install the wheel center cap and remove the wheel blocks. Do not install chrome or aluminum wheel center
caps on the spare wheel. This may result in cap damage.
8. Lower the jack to its fully closed position. If the bottle jack will not lower by turning the dial (thumbwheel) by
hand, it may be necessary to use the jack drive tube in
order to lower the jack. Stow the replaced tire, jack, and
tools as previously described.
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WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 595

9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
NOTE:Do not oil wheel studs. For chrome wheels, do not
substitute with chrome plated wheel nuts.
To Stow The Flat Or Spare
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with aluminum wheels cannot
be stored under the vehicle because the wheel retainer will
not fit through the wheel pilot hole. Secure the flat tire in
the bed of the truck. Have the flat tire repaired or replaced
immediately.
WARNING!
A loose tire thrown forward in a collision or hard stop
could injure the occupants in the vehicle. Have the
deflated (flat) tire repaired or replaced immediately. 1. Turn the wheel so that the valve stem is facing the
ground and toward the rear of the vehicle for conve-
nience in checking the spare tire inflation. Slide the
wheel retainer through the center of the wheel.
Reinstalling The Retainer
596 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

2. Lift the spare tire with one hand to give clearance to tiltthe retainer at the end of the cable and position it
properly across the wheel opening. 3. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension tube with
the curved angle facing away from the vehicle. Insert the
tube through the access hole between the lower tailgate
and the top of the bumper and into the winch mecha-
nism tube.
Pushing The Retainer Through The Center Of The Wheel
And Positioning It
Wheel Wrench And Jack Extension Tube AssembledAnd In Position
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 597

Remove the jack and tools from the bracket assembly. Turn
the jack-turn-screw counterclockwise to release jack from
bracket assembly.There are two ways to assemble the tools:
Assembled For Spare Tire Lowering/Raising
Jack And Tools Bracket AssemblyAssembled For Spare Tire Lowering/Raising
1 — Extension 1
3 — Extension 3
2 — Extension 2 4 — Wheel Wrench
602 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

WARNING!
After using the jack and tools, always reinstall them in
the original carrier and location. While driving you
may experience abrupt stopping, rapid acceleration or
sharp turns. A loose jack, tools, bracket or other objects
in the vehicle may move around with force, resulting
in serious injury.
Removing The Spare Tire
1. Remove the spare tire before attempting to jack up thetruck. Attach the wheel wrench to the jack extension
tube with the curved angle facing away from the
vehicle. Insert the tube through the access hole between
the lower tailgate and the top of the bumper and into the
winch mechanism tube.
Inserting The Jack Extension Tube Into The Access Hole
604 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES