Considering Ram 3500 DRW -- Would 18" Wheels be a Mistake with a 5th Wheel?

I'm shopping for a Ram 3500 dually and I've noticed that all duallies seem to come with 17" wheels. I know you can buy 18" wheels from the same manufacturer that makes the standard wheels for the Ram and I think it would look nice.

Would this be a stupid mistake if towing a 5th Wheel? If towing a TT I'm sure you could easily alter the height of your hitch. I'm guessing there must be a reason all dualies seem to have 17" wheels. Would it be a mistake to consider larger wheels?

Thank you, Tom

Have you considered 19.5" wheels? Those would look great on the new Ram. As long as you keep the overall tire height close, the wheel size won't matter.

The 19.5" wheels sound even better! Is that what you did?

So, are you saying I should pair the 19.5 wheels with tires so the combined wheel/tire height is about the same as the standard 17" wheel/standard tire height? In other words, am I trying to keep the height of my hitch from the ground the same as it would be with the standard wheels and tires?

Or, is it OK that my hitch height from the ground might be higher if I switch to 19.5" wheels?

I know I could easily compensate for this with a TT hitch, but I am a newbie in the 5th wheel world, and I'm buying this truck so I can next purchase our first 5th Wheel and don't want to make a newbie mistake by buying wheels that are too tall/big.

Thanks again!

I think the 17" or 18" would be better for the bed clearance and keeping your rig level. I think I would stay with the 17" for the extra clearance... Maybe someone with a Dodge DRW will sign in here with more info. 19.5" Tires on my Duramax and I would have to raise my RV to clear the bed properly and tow level.

I have never considered putting larger wheels on my truck. I don't see any reason to. Tires for 17 inch wheels are just as good as those for 19.5 inch wheels. If you plan to tow a 5th wheel trailer, you sure do not want to raise the height of your truck bed.

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If you can match the outside diameter of the 17 in. with 19.5's you will be able to get a lot heavier tire in 19.5. would be similar to Ford F-450 and 550. You may also be able to get lower gears sutch as 4.10 or 4.56

I've heard some states have restrictions on tow vehicles with wheels over 17" in height. This may be changed recently as most factory trucks have larger wheels now. However, all the heavy laid packages seem to come with 17" wheels. Even on smaller trucks.

As long as the outside diameter of the tire remains the same you will not change your bed height or speedometer reading. Also keep in mind you want to keep it better the load range on the new tires.


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The 19.5" wheels with a commercial tire will last a lot longer. I have looked extensively at the American Force and the Rickson 19.5" wheels. With michelin tires there is only an inch height difference. I priced the total upgrade at around $8000. I am running the current tired bald before upgrading so I can upgrade the trailer tires to 17.5" with G114's first.

Good luck with your decision.

A neighbor has a F450 with 19.5 tires and hates the drive.
He tells me he pulls his trailer with only 30 psi in the rear tire. I keep telling him it's insane to have to do that.

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loudounrv said:

The 19.5" wheels sound even better! Is that what you did?

So, are you saying I should pair the 19.5 wheels with tires so the combined wheel/tire height is about the same as the standard 17" wheel/standard tire height? In other words, am I trying to keep the height of my hitch from the ground the same as it would be with the standard wheels and tires?

Or, is it OK that my hitch height from the ground might be higher if I switch to 19.5" wheels?

I know I could easily compensate for this with a TT hitch, but I am a newbie in the 5th wheel world, and I'm buying this truck so I can next purchase our first 5th Wheel and don't want to make a newbie mistake by buying wheels that are too tall/big.

Thanks again!

Click to expand...

No, mine are the stock 17". I like the look, and can't justify the expense of replacing everything at this point. In the weight ranges we will be towing (non-commercial RVs) I don't see the need for anything beyond stock. It would be for looks alone. You can find 19.5" tires that are the same height as your stock 17" tire. The same height tire between a 17" and 19.5" wheel will have a taller sidewall on the 17, theoretically giving a better ride.

Remember that every inch in overall height of the tire will result in 1/2" of bed height. I don't know what size trailer you intend to pull, but the heavier trailers will squat the 3500 quite a bit. Many, including me, are installing airbags to raise the bed to level. Point being, there is plenty of room to work with if you go a little larger on the tire. There are drawbacks to the 19.5s including the ride, and maximum speed. As long as you are not going to throw a lift and 37"-42" mud tires on, you should be fine with your fiver. A lot can be made up in truck trailer height leveling by flipping axles or adding spacers, adjusting hitch and pin settings. Our stock tires are about 32" tall. Every brand of tire will be slightly different in overall height within the same tire size.

As far as looks go, I had an 05 Ram DRW with 17s. I thought the chrome wheel covers made the wheels look smaller. It looked better with the covers off, but the wife hated the look. On the 14, the Alcoa wheels that come on the Laramie package don't use covers. They look much better (larger) than my old wheels. For the price to upgrade to new wheels and tires on a brand new truck, you can move up in package from the SLT to the Laramie. You'll have more creature comforts, and better looking wheels.