Ram 2500 tire question...

[maroonandwhite]

We recently had to upgrade my vehicle and I ended up in a 2015 Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi. It has the Firestone Transforce HT 275/70/18 10 ply tires on it and they ride about as well as can be expected until I hit around 65-70MPH. At that point they begin to shake and I can feel it in the steering wheel as well as the peddle. I am assuming this is a balancing issue but with only 30k on the truck and what I assume are factory tires I am wondering if they typically go out of balance or are just hard to balance.

 

The truck tracks great and has no issues overall other than at that speed. Does anyone else have issues with this tire or truck combo? I just hate to waste $50 if this is just how it's gonna ride.

[Wingshooter]

I have the same issue at that same speed with my 1500. I have Goodyear 275/60/20. They are ready to be replaced, so I just attributed it to that. I also have a little bit of play in the front drive shaft, so that could be an issue with mine also.

Let me know if you find out what's causing it

[Caster]

Dodge is notorious for front end shakes, especially their dually's.  I deal with it weekly.  The Transforce is a good tire.  Not as goods as their Steeltex they used to make, but a good solid tire.  It's possible but I doubt rebalancing them will make much difference unless some gumby did it before.  Balancing tires ain't rocket surgery.  Set the machine and put the weight where the machine says put it, rinse & repeat until the machine says "zero". 

 

 

Bit of trivia, your stated "10 ply" is a misnomer.  I doubt you could go to town and find a true 10 ply tire.  "E" load range is a 10 ply rated tire.  Reading the fine print on the side wall, they're likely a 5 or 6 ply with a 2 or 3 ply sidewall.  I really wish they would do away with the term "PLY" altogether, it's aggravating when dealing with a customer who just KNOWS they gotta have a 10 ply tire.  Ohh no, I gotta have a 10 ply!!!  Jeez.  

[maroonandwhite]

Dodge is notorious for front end shakes, especially their dually's.  I deal with it weekly.  The Transforce is a good tire.  Not as goods as their Steeltex they used to make, but a good solid tire.  It's possible but I doubt rebalancing them will make much difference unless some gumby did it before.  Balancing tires ain't rocket surgery.  Set the machine and put the weight where the machine says put it, rinse & repeat until the machine says "zero". 

 

 

Bit of trivia, your stated "10 ply" is a misnomer.  I doubt you could go to town and find a true 10 ply tire.  "E" load range is a 10 ply rated tire.  Reading the fine print on the side wall, they're likely a 5 or 6 ply with a 2 or 3 ply sidewall.  I really wish they would do away with the term "PLY" altogether, it's aggravating when dealing with a customer who just KNOWS they gotta have a 10 ply tire.  Ohh no, I gotta have a 10 ply!!!  Jeez.  

Yep I was just assuming that Load Range E meant 10 ply. Learn something new every day I guess!

 

The weights are all over on these tires. The front right tire has one tiny weight. The front left has one larger weight. The rear left has about 5 of the larger weights and I don't remember what the rear right had. It definitively feels like it's coming from the front end.

[maroonandwhite]

Also just to clarify I'm not talking about the "death wobble" that some folks are having. This is not severe but is enough to be annoying. The weird thing is that it comes and goes but is doing it most of the time above 65 mph.

[Wingshooter]

Also just to clarify I'm not talking about the "death wobble" that some folks are having. This is not severe but is enough to be annoying. The weird thing is that it comes and goes but is doing it most of the time above 65 mph.

Mine is smooth as glass except between 65-70mph. When I go faster than 70, it smooths right out. I think mine will be corrected with new tires (I hope). Are yours wearing evenly?

[monkeylizard]

I had a Pontiac Grand Prix that did that. It was right at 65-70mph. It kept doing it even after replacing the tires. I had the rotors turned and it stopped. The rear rotors (or at least one of them) must have had a slight warp to it that created enough wobble at that speed to finally overcome the suspension that was dempening it out up to that point. I don't know why it would stop if I went faster than about 72mph. ISTM that a problem like that would just get worse as speed increased. All I know is that turning the rotors fixed it in my case.

Edited October 21, 2015 by monkeylizard

[maroonandwhite]

Mine is smooth as glass except between 65-70mph. When I go faster than 70, it smooths right out. I think mine will be corrected with new tires (I hope). Are yours wearing evenly?

Not sure. I literally just got the truck last week.

[peejman]

 Balancing tires ain't rocket surgery. 

 

 

 

You say that because you know how to do rocket surgery....

 

 

Seriously tho....  If it was a tire imbalance it would continue to get worse as speed increases.  A wobble only in a specific speed range is a harmonic resonance somewhere in the chassis and re-balancing tires won't fix it.   Given how common it appears to be with Dodge trucks (based on Caster's response), its likely a combination of several things... slightly worn ball joints, suspension bushings, or struts.... wheel bearing races not exactly where they should be, brake rotors dragging (as monkeylizard suggests), tires slightly out of round, ... or any combination thereof. 

[maroonandwhite]

You say that because you know how to do rocket surgery....

 

 

Seriously tho....  If it was a tire imbalance it would continue to get worse as speed increases.  A wobble only in a specific speed range is a harmonic resonance somewhere in the chassis and re-balancing tires won't fix it.   Given how common it appears to be with Dodge trucks (based on Caster's response), its likely a combination of several things... slightly worn ball joints, suspension bushings, or struts.... wheel bearing races not exactly where they should be, brake rotors dragging (as monkeylizard suggests), tires slightly out of round, ... or any combination thereof. 

It does actually get worse the faster I go. It doesn't stop once I get to a certain MPH. The fastest I've gone was about 90 just to see what it was like. Still not violent or anything but definitely rough.

[peejman]

In that case it might simply be tire imbalance.  No harm in having them rebalanced. 

 

I got new wheels/tires for my utility trailer that supposedly came off a boat trailer.  It shook so bad at 40mph I thought it was gonna come off the hitch.  I took the wheels off and to a tire shop.  The tech put it on the balancer and couldn't get a reading.  He took the wheel off and checked the machine thinking something was wrong with it.  The tire was so far out of balance it kept shutting the machine off before the cycle was complete.  He took all the weights off, rebalanced them and they run smooth as glass now.

[Caster]

What pressure are you running? The tires will say 80psi max on an e load range tire. Unless you're hauling loads and/or this is a deisel engine there's absolutely no reason to run that much pressure. 80 psi cold could be close 90 or 100 on hot asphalt at high speed.

If it's a gas engine and you're not hauling a bed full of sheet rock, try backing off the pressure, at least in the front to 50-60 lbs. even as low as 35-40 if it's a gas v8. The actual number isn't too important, it's more important that they are the same (side to side).

If for nothing more than a litmus test, I'd let them all back to about 40-50 pounds and take a cruise up the interstate, see what happens. You can always air them back up if need to haul a load or if it makes no difference.

Obviously, the more air, the harder the tire and less give it will have.

[maroonandwhite]

What pressure are you running? The tires will say 80psi max on an e load range tire. Unless you're hauling loads and/or this is a deisel engine there's absolutely no reason to run that much pressure. 80 psi cold could be close 90 or 100 on hot asphalt at high speed.

If it's a gas engine and you're not hauling a bed full of sheet rock, try backing off the pressure, at least in the front to 50-60 lbs. even as low as 35-40 if it's a gas v8. The actual number isn't too important, it's more important that they are the same (side to side).

If for nothing more than a litmus test, I'd let them all back to about 40-50 pounds and take a cruise up the interstate, see what happens. You can always air them back up if need to haul a load or if it makes no difference.

Obviously, the more air, the harder the tire and less give it will have.

I'll try that. I have 57 in both front and about 70 in both rear. They are matched left to right exactly based on what the gauge says.

[E4 No More]

TPMS on the new trucks will go off at 76 psi on the rears in new 2500's. I have a 2014 2500 and know this for sure. There is a procedure that will reset that, but it's on my home computer.

[maroonandwhite]

TPMS on the new trucks will go off at 76 psi on the rears in new 2500's. I have a 2014 2500 and know this for sure. There is a procedure that will reset that, but it's on my home computer.

I think that is exactly what my rears have in them come to think of it.

[E4 No More]

I think that is exactly what my rears have in them come to think of it.

If you want that procedure PM me your email address. I sign off work at 4:00 and can then go into my computer to email it to you.

[Monkeyman2500]

maroonandwhite, do you still have a warranty on the truck? If so I would take it to a dealer first. DON'T let them fix it unless it's under warranty! It may have a recall on the front suspension. There is quite a bit of trouble with the Dodge trucks front end. If you have to pay for any repairs out of pocket take it to Cedar City Diesel in Lebanon. They are one of the best in Tennessee.

[maroonandwhite]

maroonandwhite, do you still have a warranty on the truck? If so I would take it to a dealer first. DON'T let them fix it unless it's under warranty! It may have a recall on the front suspension. There is quite a bit of trouble with the Dodge trucks front end. If you have to pay for any repairs out of pocket take it to Cedar City Diesel in Lebanon. They are one of the best in Tennessee.

I called them but they don't have an appt for another 2 weeks. I do have a warranty though so if the alignment doesn't fix it I will go that route. I did talk to firestone yesterday and the guy they said would do the best job on it had just left so I have an appt Saturday. I was pleased that they genuinely wanted someone to do it right rather than let a low level tech just run it through the machine.

[Sam1]

Mine is smooth as glass except between 65-70mph. When I go faster than 70, it smooths right out. I think mine will be corrected with new tires (I hope). Are yours wearing evenly?

If it shakes only at a certain speed then goes away again at a higher speed, that is normally a balancing issue. If it starts shaking and doesn't stop as the speed changes, that's something else, could be multiple issues.

[tennesseetiger]

I put Cooper Discoverer AT3's on both my last 2 Ram's "including my current 2015" and love them and I mean love them. They are rated super high as well. Sounds like a balancing issue but factory tires are usually pretty crappy for lack of a better term...I'd check the balancing and if that isn't the issue I'd throw new tires on it and be done with it.

[Dad03]

My 2011 2500 CTD front shocks didn't make it past 25k miles. Front tires cupped bad due to this. Rotated tires and added some bilstens it rides much better but its a Dodge its going to be a bit rougher than others.

I bought the Cummins engine the Dodge just came with it.

[maroonandwhite]

Just an update. The technician said that all four tires were a good bit out of balance. After getting the balancing done it rides MUCH better now with none of the "feedback" I was getting before. About as well as a 3/4 ton can ride.

 

Just a little funny for Caster. As I was sitting in there waiting I heard a guy come in and ask for a 10 ply tire. :)