tow Ram 5500 Chassis Cab 2011 Repair Manual

CAUTION!
•Do not use a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar
on your vehicle. The bumper face bar will be
damaged.
•Do not disconnect the rear driveshaft because
fluid will leak from the transfer case and fluid loss
will damage internal parts.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 355

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
Hazard Warning Flasher ................ 358
 Jacking And Tire Changing ............... 358
▫ 3500 Models — If Equipped ............. 359
▫ Preparations For Jacking ............... 360
▫ Jacking Instructions ................... 361
 Hoisting ............................ 370
 Jump-Starting Procedures ................ 370 ▫
Preparations For Jump-Start ............. 371
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ............... 372
 Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ................. 374
 Emergency Tow Hooks — If Equipped ...... 375
 Towing A Disabled Vehicle ............... 376
▫ Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 376
▫ Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles .............. 376
6

WARNING! (Continued)
•To assure that spare tires, flat or inflated, are
securely stowed, spares must be stowed with the
valve stem facing the ground.
•Turn on the Hazard Warning flasher.
1. If equipped, remove the spare wheel, jack, and tools
from storage.
2. Using the wheel wrench, loosen, but do not remove,
the wheel nuts by turning them counterclockwise one
turn while the wheel is still on the ground. 3. When changing the front wheel, assemble the jack
drive tube to the jack and connect the drive tube to the
extension tube. Place the jack under the axle as close to
the tire as possible with the drive tubes extending to the
front. Connect the jack tube extension and wheel wrench.
Jack Warning Label
Front Jacking Locations
362 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

5. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the wheel off. Install
the spare wheel and wheel nuts with the cone shaped end
of the nuts toward the wheel on single rear wheel (SRW)
models. On dual rear wheel models (DRW) the lug nuts
are a two-piece assembly with a flat face. Lightly tighten
the nuts. To avoid risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not fully tighten the nuts until the vehicle has been
lowered.
6. Using the wheel wrench, finish tightening the nuts
using a crisscross pattern. The correct nut tightness is
135 ft lbs (183 N·m) torque for single rear wheel (SRW)
models and 145 ft lbs (197 N·m) for dual rear wheel
models. If in doubt about the correct tightness, have them
checked with a torque wrench by your authorized dealer
or at a service station.WARNING!
A loose tire or jack thrown forward in a collision or
hard stop could injure someone in the vehicle. Al-
ways stow the jack parts and the extra tire and wheel
in the places provided.
7. Install wheel center cap (if equipped) and remove
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 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.
9. Adjust the tire pressure when possible.
364 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Wheel Nut Torque
All wheel nuts should be tightened occasionally to elimi-
nate the possibility of wheel studs being sheared or the
bolt holes in the wheels becoming elongated. This is
especially important during the first few hundred miles/
kilometers of operation to allow the wheel nuts to
become properly set. All nuts should first be firmlyseated against the wheel. The nuts should then be
tightened to recommended torque. Tighten the nuts to
final torque in increments. Progress around the bolt
circle, tightening the nut opposite to the nut just previ-
ously tightened until final torque is achieved. Recom-
mended torques are shown in the following chart.
Disc Wheels Type Nut
Stud SizeTorque Ft Lbs Torque Newton
Meters
Cone 9/16-18120-150160-200
Flanged 9/16-18130-160190-220
To Stow The Flat Or Spare — If Equipped
Refer to Upfitters Body Builders Guide for information
on stowing your spare tire (if equipped).
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 369

WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
EMERGENCY TOW HOOKS — IF EQUIPPED
Your vehicle may be equipped with emergency tow
hooks.
NOTE:For off-road recovery, it is recommended to use
both of the front tow hooks to minimize the risk of
damage to the vehicle.
WARNING!
•Chains are not recommended for freeing a stuck
vehicle. Chains may break, causing serious injury
or death.
•Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with tow
hooks. Tow straps and chains may break, causing
serious injury.
CAUTION!
Tow hooks are for emergency use only to rescue a
vehicle stranded off-road. Do not use tow hooks for
tow truck hookup or highway towing. You could
damage your vehicle.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 375

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for the purpose, following equip-
ment manufacturer’s instructions. Use of safety chains is
mandatory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to
the main structural members of the vehicle—not to
bumpers or associated brackets. State and local laws
applying to vehicles under tow must be observed.
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles
CAUTION!
To avoid damage to the transfer case while towing,
always use one of the following methods.NOTE:
The transfer case must be in the NEUTRAL
position, and the transmission must be in PARK (auto-
matic transmission), or in gear (manual transmission) to
tow a four-wheel drive vehicle, unless all its wheels are
OFF the ground.
The manufacturer recommends towing with all wheels
OFF the ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the
vehicle on a flatbed or with one end of vehicle raised and
the opposite end on a towing dolly.
Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Provided that the transmission is operable, tow with the
transmission in NEUTRAL and the ignition key in the
OFF position along with the front wheels raised and the
rear wheels on the ground. Speed must not exceed
30 mph (50 km/h) and the distance must not exceed
15 miles (25 km).
376 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Towing faster than 30 mph (50 km/h) or for more than
15 miles (25 km) can cause severe damage to the
transmission. Such damage is not covered by the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
If the vehicle is to be towed faster than 30 mph (50 km/h)
or more than 15 miles (25 km) the vehicle must be towed
with the rear wheels OFF the ground. It may be towed on
a flatbed, or with the front wheels raised and the rear
wheels on a dolly, or (when using a suitable steering
wheel stabilizer to hold the front wheels in the straight
position) with the rear wheels raised and the front wheels
on the ground.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 377

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM (OBD II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated onboard
diagnostic system called OBDII. This system monitors
the performance of the emissions, engine, and automatic
transmission control systems. When these systems are
operating properly, your vehicle will provide excellent
performance and fuel economy, as well as engine emis-
sions well within current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL). It will
also store diagnostic codes and other information to
assist your service technician in making repairs. Al-
though your vehicle will usually be drivable and not
need towing, see your authorized dealer for service as
soon as possible.CAUTION!
•Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and drivability. The
vehicle must be serviced before any emissions
tests can be performed.
•If the MIL is flashing, severe catalytic converter
damage and power loss will soon occur. Immedi-
ate service is required.
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines
that the fuel filler cap is loose, improperly
installed, or damaged, a loose gascap indicator
will display in the EVIC telltale display area.
Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further in-
formation. Tighten the fuel filler cap properly and press
382 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

performance of blades may be present with chattering,
marks, water lines or wet spots. If any condition is
present please proceed to clean wiper blades with humid
cloth removing any debris that may be affecting its
function.
Adding Washer Fluid
The fluid reservoir is located under the hood and should
be checked for fluid level at regular intervals. Fill the
reservoir with windshield washer solvent only (not ra-
diator antifreeze). When refilling the washer fluid reser-
voir, take some washer fluid and apply it to a cloth or
towel and wipe the wiper blades clean. This will help
blade performance.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets or
exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.The washer fluid reservoir will hold a full gallon of fluid
when the Low Washer Fluid Light illuminates.
WARNING!
Commercially available windshield washer solvents
are flammable. They could ignite and burn you. Care
must be exercised when filling or working around
the washer solution.
After the engine has warmed up, operate the defroster for
a few minutes to reduce the possibility of smearing or
freezing the fluid on the cold windshield. Windshield
washer solution used with water as directed on the
container, aids cleaning action, reduces the freezing point
to avoid line clogging, and is not harmful to paint or trim.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 393