How bad do the 20" tires hurt performance?

[Dale_K]

I like the 20" wheels and tires on my 2012 Express regular cab but the truck seems kind of slow for 390 hp. I've had this same motor in a 300 and a Challenger and those were both fast. I realize the Ram is about 500 lbs heavier but it feels slow even accounting for the weight. Are the 20" tires killing the performance?

 

[1500ram12]

I don't think it's the wheel/tire combo. Gear ratio and the newish transmission plus the torque management system have a big factor on how you "feel" the power. My wife has a 2011 grand Cherokee w/the 6 cyl and it feels like it has more get up and go then my truck does.

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[GhostRam94]

Yeah the big thing is the torque management, I disable all mine with my dsp and it's like a whole new truck

 

[Texasez]

Dsp?

 

[GhostRam94]

Diablo sport predator- tuner

 

[fastNugly]

Yeah the big thing is the torque management, I disable all mine with my dsp and it's like a whole new truck

Im jealous

 

[GhostRam94]

you should be bahahahahaha

 

[Hemi450hp]

The tires do hurt performance big time. Even in my 7000lb diesel, the difference in performance from 35" tires to 37" tires is huge. It literally feels like a completely different truck performance wise.

Same applies to the hemi trucks. My 03 on 22's with 30" tires compared to the 17" drag radials that were only 28" tall was a night and day difference.

The shorter diameter not only increases your gear ratio, but the weight loss plays a big part as well.

 

[fastNugly]

The tires do hurt performance big time. Even in my 7000lb diesel, the difference in performance from 35" tires to 37" tires is huge. It literally feels like a completely different truck performance wise.

Same applies to the hemi trucks. My 03 on 22's with 30" tires compared to the 17" drag radials that were only 28" tall was a night and day difference.

The shorter diameter not only increases your gear ratio, but the weight loss plays a big part as well.

Whats your take on AT vs MT in the same tire diameter?

ie: 35" AT vs 35" MT

 

[GhostRam94]

well woundnt a mt be heavier than an a/t?? so more rotational mass??

 

[fastNugly]

well woundnt a mt be heavier than an a/t?? so more rotational mass??

I do know that....but how much more does it affect performance?

 

[Budakane]

Amen brother!!!

The tires do hurt performance big time. Even in my 7000lb diesel, the difference in performance from 35" tires to 37" tires is huge. It literally feels like a completely different truck performance wise.

Same applies to the hemi trucks. My 03 on 22's with 30" tires compared to the 17" drag radials that were only 28" tall was a night and day difference.

The shorter diameter not only increases your gear ratio, but the weight loss plays a big part as well.

 

[Birddog]

I don't know "how much" but a larger wheels can hurt performance. The two biggest performance killers are heat and weight. That's why your truck runs so much better on a cold day and why NOS improves performance (besides the chemicals in it that increase combustion). If you loaded your truck with a pallet of grass you'd slow down.
Your wheels have rotational weight. Rotational weight removed improves better than just removing weight. Thats why expensive racing wheels are light weight. That's also why race cars have light weight pillows. No one on this thread has has given incorrect info but to answer your original question

Yes, the 20's will be slower than 15's unless the 15's weigh more than the 20's of course.

 

[Hemi450hp]

Whats your take on AT vs MT in the same tire diameter?

ie: 35" AT vs 35" MT

From a performance standpoint, whichever is heavier will be slower. Traction is also something to consider with an aggressive MT tire, but if you launch in 4wd, even that wont be a factor. My 07 cummins could not spin the tires in 4wd with Toyo MT's and over 1000rwtq.

 

[Hemi450hp]

If you are looking for an allaround beast of a toy with more uses than just going down the dragstrip, its hard to beat a 4wd 5.9 cummins. If you dont need 4 doors, then grab a RC/LB 4wd...06-07. With a bigger turbo, some fuel, and efi live, that truck will run low 12's all day long.

 

[1500ram12]

I started a thread on tire weight. Just search tire weight chart. I have most popular tires and all sizes. Still need to add more. Just haven't had time to finish

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[fastNugly]

I started a thread on tire weight. Just search tire weight chart. I have most popular tires and all sizes. Still need to add more. Just haven't had time to finish

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Great info!
Just saw it

Got any on Nitto Terra and Toyo AT?

 

[guntoter]

I guess some would consider the Hemi acceleration "sluggish" in the Ram, but in my opinion this truck is like having a race car. I had some fairly fast cars in the distant past (89 IROC Z 350, 81 Corvette) but they are all dogs compared this truck. Of course we traded in a 2004 Durango with the 4.7 so I haven't had a very high performance vehicle for awhile either.

If the traction and torque control are whats holding the Hemi back then I would be a bit afraid to run it ********. I would think the back end would break loose and spin you around if you get on it at low speeds in a turn. This engine is loaded with power.

 

[Big Boi]

It is trq management, as well as not being able to COMPLETELY dissable traction control, I mean the 33 inch tires don't help by any means, but it isn't a huge factor. Wheel weight is thought to make a huge difference but even then the biggest factor is Diameter. Getting shorter tires will help, say 31s or something like that, but the biggest problem is not having a tuner to turn trq management off as well as traction control. Also the 390hp is to the crank, not to the wheels. With drive train loss we are looking around 310 to the wheels on a good day in a stock truck. Which even then should break the tires loose. That would be if there were no restrictions. I mean think about how little HP muscle cars of the 60s-70s had compared to todays standards and how easy it was to lay some rubber down. Those were the good days of not having a compootinator drive for you.

I thought you could disable the TC by pulling the ABS fuse...
2010 Dodge Ram Hemi burnout - YouTube

 

[TRCM]

I guess some would consider the Hemi acceleration "sluggish" in the Ram, but in my opinion this truck is like having a race car. I had some fairly fast cars in the distant past (89 IROC Z 350, 81 Corvette) but they are all dogs compared this truck. Of course we traded in a 2004 Durango with the 4.7 so I haven't had a very high performance vehicle for awhile either.

If the traction and torque control are whats holding the Hemi back then I would be a bit afraid to run it ********. I would think the back end would break loose and spin you around if you get on it at low speeds in a turn. This engine is loaded with power.

If you thought those cars were fast, you'd drop a load when you drove some of the ones out these days. Those cars were ok, but not some of the better examples of that era.