Proper Tire Pressure for 2015 RAM 3500 Dually

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Hey! Nice to have access to all this great information.

I got a 2015 RAM 3500 Longhorn Diesel/Aisin Crew Cab Dually.

There always seems to be confusion about how best to inflate your truck tires. So I thought I'd add my 2-cents. The following works for me and I'm posting my scheme here so that if anyone thinks I'm doing some serious wrong to my 3500, I would surely like to hear from you.

All tire pressurization is done "cold."

My Tire Pressure Door Panel Sticker reads: 80psi front / 65psi rear (all 4).

But, IMHO, this recommendation needs to be tempered with your climate. I live in Arkansas and it's getting hot now. So, I dropped my front psi by 5psi to 75psi. The tires very quickly will heat up by 5-7psi and bring the psi up to 82-83psi.

For my rears here's what I do: With "no payload", I air the outer tires at 65psi, as stated on the door panel. For the inner tires, I air them at 62psi. The reason for this is that roads are typically built with a conical shape, so you're typically always rolling on ball-like surface. Those inner tires, if inflated equally to the outer tires, will do more work carrying your truck.

Therefore, by airing-down your inners by 3psi, it forms more of an equilibrium on the road surfaces and therefore, your inner tires wear evenly with your outers. I practice this method also, with a payload.

Make sense? Comments welcome.

Best and Thanx!

Dan

 

[cptwing]

Interesting thoughts, I presntly keep mine at 72 in the front and 65 in the rear. I was told if I lowered the pressure the ride quality would improve? My truck is brutal when not loaded going over poor road conditions any thoughts? Any other ideas to improve ride quality?

I have a reg cab tradesman, is the ride as rough in the upper trim dialogs?
Not trying to hijack the thread just expanding on it.

 

[[email protected]]

Yes - deflating the tires will absolutely get you a smoother ride. I would just be careful not to air down too much or you may damage your tires.

For me, the ride in my 3500, with no payload is OK - I mean - she rides like a truck, but it's not bone shattering. There is a some "give" in the suspension but not much. The seats have a lot to do with the comfort, I think, for sure. They ARE very nice in the Longhorn. My wife doesn't seem to mind the ride at all and, trust me, she would be the first one to complain. I think she understands that our truck was purchased to haul a heavy payload, (a slide-in truck camper) and the ride is never going to be like cruising in a nice luxury car. Of course with the payload on-board, she smooths out nicely. Just don't try to stop on a dime! Ain't gonna happen! All I learned while driving big-rigs comes into play when this 3500 is loaded.

Drive Safe - Thanx .... Dan

 

[TRCM]

In my 97 dually, I dropped the rear tires to 30 psi unloaded, and when loaded, I'd jack them up accordingly.

These pressures gave me a full contact patch and did not give me any tire wear issues.

I also ran the front @ 60 till I loaded up, then 65.

never had an issue stopping, but I did have chevy 1 ton wheel cylinders in back instead of the dodge ones. Made a big difference.


Yes, roads are crowned, but when you are in the lane, you are driving on only 1 side of the crown. If you drove down the middle of the road, then having the inner tires lower than the outers would let all 4 work evenly, but when you are in your lane, It'd seem you let the outers work more with your pressure settings

 

[DannyMK2]

i dont think the truck is actually wide enough to be affected by the crown of the road. even so, if you rotate your tires as you should the wear shouldnt be an issue. i dont air my tires down unloaded either. its a big truck, it rides like crap no matter what lol.

 

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Speaking of "rotating tires" on a dually; I'm wondering how exactly that is done. Do you just swap the two tires - left to right or do you interchange each of the outer and inner tires left to right. And then there's the matter of the valve stems on the tires. What do you do if your outer tire ends up in an inner position? Do you have to swap out the valve stems too since they'd be point the wrong way as an inner tire? Is this a stupid question?

Thanx .... Dan

 

[DannyMK2]

considering normal even tire wear, theres a diagram in your owners manual showing you how to properly rotate the tires. for uneven wear, discount tire has different diagrams for different situations on their website. all the valve stems should face the same direction on all tires (with respect the the wheel). your rears should have adapters/extenders on the valve stems which you would swap over.