Ram Heavy Duty Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

My 2500 handles tows better then my new 3500.

noizy21

New Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Messages
22
Reaction score
22
The first thing I noticed with the 3500 is it does need some weight on the tongue to behave smoothly. Releasing the WD fixed the problem. It's like it's telling you: are you kidding me? Give me that weight. I'm a big truck!
lol...you know that is a really good thought and when I first got the truck I actually towed it with out the WDH knowing that it has the air leveling and well....it's a 3500 it should handle it fine. It was WAY worse to my surprise. I really think I have something else going on. You would think if this was a common issues, I would have a lot more results when googling around and such and I'm just not seeing very many other issues with my type of setup.
 

Brutal_HO

The Mad Irishman
Staff member
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
12,126
Reaction score
21,640
Location
Douglas County, CO
Factory Transforce tires?

I never towed with them, but they are otherwise not a very well mannered tire.
 

GOES211

New Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
2
Location
Central Texas for the moment
It's a very good thought and I'm gonna try swapping the tires on my 2500 on the truck and see if that makes a difference. I'll report back what I find but will be a few weeks.

I’m curious what you find out as I have been suspicious about those tires while towing as well. I have those tires and the few miles I have towed (300 miles @ 50 mph into the break-in period) and the truck is very unsettled and wiggles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CdnHO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2020
Messages
1,463
Reaction score
1,657
Location
Ontario
Many years ago I bought a new 1997 12 valve 2500. (That baby was LOUD) I inflated the tires to the recommended pressures. The thing was all over the road both solo and towing. Finally in desperation I dropped the rear tire pressures by ten pounds from that recommended by manual. Completely different truck. Solved the problem completely. I took the truck to the scale to insure the pressure I was using was adequate for the load. I am not saying that this will solve your problem, but something to consider. The manual is not always right.
 

Sleepyweasel

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
81
Reaction score
108
When I had my 2020 1500 Limited, you had to turn the air suspension into the tire jack mode to set up the WDH (if I am remembering this right). I do not have the air suspension on my 3500, so I do not know if the procedure is the same for it. If it is, it could be altering your WDH set up.
 

bfs673

Active Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
105
Reaction score
71
Location
NE Salt Belt
It's a very good thought and I'm gonna try swapping the tires on my 2500 on the truck and see if that makes a difference. I'll report back what I find but will be a few weeks.
Subscribing... Interested in the outcome here as well!
 

noizy21

New Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Messages
22
Reaction score
22
I finally got around to switching the tires on my 3500 with the tires off my 2500 this week.

I couldn't belive it....I would say it was 95% better!! I went out and did about a 60 mile test drive on the interstate with traffic, up and down hills, and around corners with traffic. Before, I was definitly white knuckling it around corners and next to traffic with both hands and felt like the rear "light" in the corners, now it's back to the way I would exspect it for what I'm towing and close to how it is with my 2500. Even the wife in the passenger seat could feel the difference.

The other 5% would be me just not liking the adaptive steering over tradtional from my 2500. It could be a bit of the allignment which my local dealer is going to look at since it has a "loose" feeling, but I'm guessing it's just probably me not liking the feel from what I'm used to. I wish there was a was to make the steering firmer. Would a better stabalizer help with that?

As far as the tires, I'm not exspecting the dealer to do anything about the tires except replace them with the same thing so I'm going to be tire shopping soon. I have a few trips coming up so I'm just going to leave the 2500 tires on it for now.

I did have one thought though......The tires that I put on from my 2500 are 18" wheels vs 20" that came with the 3500....I wouldn't think it would make a difference and if anything would be better.... unless the tire is "rolling" since there is less sidewall to take the side loads.


Liking the look on the 2500...
1615793824137.png
1615793889955.png
 

b307a1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Messages
1,035
Reaction score
966
Location
Western NY.
It's good to know that you found out that the issue is with the tires.

How does the '17 handle with them? They surely improves the looks of it.

Even though the '21 handles better with the tires from the '17 those factory junkyard wheels certainly takes it's appearance down a few notches.
 
Last edited:

H3LZSN1P3R

You're doing it wrong
Joined
May 29, 2020
Messages
9,105
Reaction score
8,265
It's good to know that you found out that the issue is with the tires.

How does the '16 handle with them? They surely improves the looks of it.

Even though the '21 handles better with the tires from the '16 those factory junkyard wheels certainly takes it's appearance down a few notches.
Nothing wrong with steelies they look better than the alums ram has in my opinion
 

Highcountry

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Messages
168
Reaction score
144
It's amazing the difference tires can make. I can't wait to swap the firestones for a set of coopers. Glad to hear you figured out your issue
 

RV_Goose

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
877
Reaction score
541
I dislike Firestone on my trucks, they cannot handle the weights the asm as Michelin do. I dislike Firestone on cars because the rain handling. So we no longer use Firestone tires.
 

RamGuy84

Active Member
Joined
May 17, 2019
Messages
366
Reaction score
165
I finally got around to switching the tires on my 3500 with the tires off my 2500 this week.

I couldn't belive it....I would say it was 95% better!! I went out and did about a 60 mile test drive on the interstate with traffic, up and down hills, and around corners with traffic. Before, I was definitly white knuckling it around corners and next to traffic with both hands and felt like the rear "light" in the corners, now it's back to the way I would exspect it for what I'm towing and close to how it is with my 2500. Even the wife in the passenger seat could feel the difference.

The other 5% would be me just not liking the adaptive steering over tradtional from my 2500. It could be a bit of the allignment which my local dealer is going to look at since it has a "loose" feeling, but I'm guessing it's just probably me not liking the feel from what I'm used to. I wish there was a was to make the steering firmer. Would a better stabalizer help with that?

As far as the tires, I'm not exspecting the dealer to do anything about the tires except replace them with the same thing so I'm going to be tire shopping soon. I have a few trips coming up so I'm just going to leave the 2500 tires on it for now.

I did have one thought though......The tires that I put on from my 2500 are 18" wheels vs 20" that came with the 3500....I wouldn't think it would make a difference and if anything would be better.... unless the tire is "rolling" since there is less sidewall to take the side loads.


Liking the look on the 2500...
View attachment 13306
View attachment 13307
I finally got around to switching the tires on my 3500 with the tires off my 2500 this week.

I couldn't belive it....I would say it was 95% better!! I went out and did about a 60 mile test drive on the interstate with traffic, up and down hills, and around corners with traffic. Before, I was definitly white knuckling it around corners and next to traffic with both hands and felt like the rear "light" in the corners, now it's back to the way I would exspect it for what I'm towing and close to how it is with my 2500. Even the wife in the passenger seat could feel the difference.

The other 5% would be me just not liking the adaptive steering over tradtional from my 2500. It could be a bit of the allignment which my local dealer is going to look at since it has a "loose" feeling, but I'm guessing it's just probably me not liking the feel from what I'm used to. I wish there was a was to make the steering firmer. Would a better stabalizer help with that?

As far as the tires, I'm not exspecting the dealer to do anything about the tires except replace them with the same thing so I'm going to be tire shopping soon. I have a few trips coming up so I'm just going to leave the 2500 tires on it for now.

I did have one thought though......The tires that I put on from my 2500 are 18" wheels vs 20" that came with the 3500....I wouldn't think it would make a difference and if anything would be better.... unless the tire is "rolling" since there is less sidewall to take the side loads.


Liking the look on the 2500...
View attachment 13306
View attachment 13307
So I have adaptive steering on my Laramie with a Thuren Fox steering stabilizer and it hasn't helped. The steering has always felt loose on the highway.
 

GOES211

New Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
2
Location
Central Texas for the moment
I finally got around to switching the tires on my 3500 with the tires off my 2500 this week.

I couldn't belive it....I would say it was 95% better!! I went out and did about a 60 mile test drive on the interstate with traffic, up and down hills, and around corners with traffic. Before, I was definitly white knuckling it around corners and next to traffic with both hands and felt like the rear "light" in the corners, now it's back to the way I would exspect it for what I'm towing and close to how it is with my 2500. Even the wife in the passenger seat could feel the difference.

Thanks for coming back and sharing what you learned. Just two days ago I went and ordered some three-ply sidewall tires to replace the two-ply stockers.
 

MotoSloth

New Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
My 2500 wandered in sweeping turns. I went into the settings on the UConnect screen and turned down sensitivity on 'Lane Keep Assist'. Now it turns on like it's on rails.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top