Ram 1500 18" vs 20" Wheels Ride Quality Is there a difference

[Handy Smurf]

I am curious if anyone has test drove ram 1500 with 18" wheels and 20" wheels and compared the ride quality. Was one more harsh than the other, did the 18" tires absorb the pot holes and bumps better than the 20"? Was one better than the other. I want to know if the 18" tires make for a smoother ride than the 20" and if they do is it worth switching from 20" to 18" wheels and tires. I live in PA and the roads here are terrible My truck handles excellent on the smooth roads but I dont see too many of those nice roads where i am. Will i lose the excellent handling on the smooth roads if i go to 18"?

 

[BOWERSFJ]

18” will be a little softer, 20” will handle a little better ... There is no way to quantify it ... The difference will be slight in either case ... 18” tires will be cheaper to replace


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[tidefan1967]

I ran 17's with 265/70's on my previous Ram for a while(it had the factory 20's on it originally) and I couldn't tell any difference in the ride personally but it definitely handled worse in the rain and would spin a lot easier. I've rode quite a few miles in a new body style Ram 1500 and it rode great with the factory 20" Bridgestone's. Better than my 4th gen for sure. I don't think you could go wrong either way.

 

[Elkman]

The difference depends on the profile of the tire mounted on the wheels and the true plies of the tire (many 10-ply tires are 10-ply rated but do not actually have 10 plies). A mud tire is going to provide a harsher ride than a passenger car type LT tire. There are more 18 inch tires from which to choose, in particular if looking for an all terrain tread or want to maximize payload capacity. But with the rear coil springs on the 1500 trucks the ride soft anyway with the Ram trucks.

 

[taz2016]

My 2019 5th Gen Bighorn came with 18" wheels and the Goodyear tires. It rode very well but the handling left a bit to be desired. I know it's a 4 wheel drive truck but handling is very important to me. I replaced them with OEM polished 20" takeoffs with the OEM Bridgestone's. There was a very noticeable loss of ride quality and improvement in handling. The overall diameter is virtually the same so therefore the 20" package has about 1" less tire to absorb shock - or flex in the curves.

Which is more important to you?

 

[DILLIGAF]

20"s with 37s is nice and soft

 

[BWL]

Most of the real off road package trucks have 17 or18" wheels so I figure for big potholes and crappy roads the 18s are probably better. Ie power wagon, ford raptor and tremor.

 

[Octane]

But wouldn't going to a different size tire throw the computer off and have to be recalibrated somehow?

 

[attaboy]

I did exactly that. I don't see any difference in ride or handling. I like the 20" better because of the chrome rims vs the painted stock 18" rims that came on the truck. Why Ram decided not to make a chrome 18" rim (even as an option) is a mystery to me. Probably would have stayed with the 18" if they had. I sure like the look of the chrome 20".

 

[BOWERSFJ]

But wouldn't going to a different size tire throw the computer off and have to be recalibrated somehow?

If you keep overall tire diameter the same, rim size means nothing ...


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[kmrtnsn]

The more sidewall, the more tire flex over obstacles and road irregularities and subsequently a smoother ride.

 

[kmrtnsn]

I ran 17's with 265/70's on my previous Ram for a while(it had the factory 20's on it originally) and I couldn't tell any difference in the ride personally but it definitely handled worse in the rain and would spin a lot easier. I've rode quite a few miles in a new body style Ram 1500 and it rode great with the factory 20" Bridgestone's. Better than my 4th gen for sure. I don't think you could go wrong either way.

You went from a 33" diameter setup to a 31 1/2" setup, of course they were easier to spin. They were also narrower, that wasn't a "handling upgrade".

 

[tidefan1967]

You went from a 33" diameter setup to a 31 1/2" setup, of course they were easier to spin. They were also narrower, that wasn't a "handling upgrade".

The OP asked for opinions and I gave one, I don't see where he said anything about "a handling upgrade" anywhere in his post..............

 

[ramffml]

I test drove a 2019 big horn with 18's and a 2019 sport with 22's, could not tell any difference in ride quality. Perhaps if you've been driving on 18's for months on end and have "memorized" how it feels, you might notice a difference in 20's.

Probably it's more important to worry about the tires themselves. You can get rough riding 18's and smoother riding 20's, depending on the rating of the tire, manufacturer, ply, terrain type etc.

I'm thinking of getting 20's for towing reasons, I find the 18's on my truck a little squirrely at times while pulling a moderately heavy load.

 

[mikeru]

Because you said your local roads are rough, I'd go with 18's to do a little better job of absorbing the bumps. Handling might suffer slightly, but if the roads are as rough as you say you probably don't drive your truck in a way that might require better handling. Of course, tire selection is also a major factor in this decision. And one more thing, from what I've read, it'***** or miss as far as aftermarket 18 inch wheels fitting over the brake calipers goes. Apparently many aftermarket wheels won't clear the calipers. So you'll want to make sure the wheels you choose will fit if you decide on 18's. If you go with OEM you won't have that issue. Good luck with your decision.

 

[ScLeCo]

Tire air pressure will also play a significant roll in perceived NVH.

 

[PoMansRam]

Tire air pressure will also play a significant roll in perceived NVH.

Excellent point.

As will the specific design of the tire. P-rated vs LT. Tread style, etc.

I love the 17's my 2017 Ram 1500 had and my 2019 Ram 1500 classic has. They seem to last longer than the 20's and are cheaper to buy than the 20s. Given the softer sidewall, I think they do better in the snow than the 20s as well.

 

[canadiankodiak700]

My 19 classic night edition has black 20", I like the look of them, but would trade in a heartbeat for a set of black 17" or 18". The 33s on 20" rims handle like it's on rails, but the lack of sidewall means I feel every little pile of ant **** I run over.

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[Handy Smurf]

My 2019 5th Gen Bighorn came with 18" wheels and the Goodyear tires. It rode very well but the handling left a bit to be desired. I know it's a 4 wheel drive truck but handling is very important to me. I replaced them with OEM polished 20" takeoffs with the OEM Bridgestone's. There was a very noticeable loss of ride quality and improvement in handling. The overall diameter is virtually the same so therefore the 20" package has about 1" less tire to absorb shock - or flex in the curves.

Which is more important to you?

I ask because i have a pinced nerve in lower back and the bumps tend to aggravate it. I have been experimenting with different seat position. Was told by a friendvwith similar problem to try sitting more upright. I got the power seat so i can do this but seems like i can never find a comfortable position or i have to readjust every ten minutes