1999 Dodge ram 1500 tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225/75R16 OEM | 7x16 | N/A | 32mm | 110 | S |
| 245/75R16 OEM | 7x16 | N/A | 32mm | 112 | S |
| 265/75R16 | 7x16 | N/A | 32mm | 112 | S |
| 225/70R17 | 7x17 | N/A | 25mm | 110 | S |
| 245/70R17 | 7x17 | N/A | 25mm | 110 | S |
| 265/65R17 | 8x17 | N/A | 25mm | 112 | S |
| 265/60R18 | 8x18 | N/A | 25mm | 110 | S |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Dodge Ram 1500, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Dodge Ram 1500 →
Compatible alternative sizes for 225/75R16
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
195/80R17 |
-0.01% | plus 1 | Safe |
205/70R18 |
0.04% | plus 2 | Safe |
215/85R15 |
0.35% | winter narrower | Safe |
225/70R17 |
0.39% | plus 1 | Safe |
225/80R15 |
-0.39% | alternative | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 225/75R16 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 225/75R16 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 195/80R17; one rim size up, -0.01% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 205/70R18; two rim sizes up, 0.04% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 1999 dodge ram 1500
The 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 ships from the factory on 225/75R16 tires mounted on 7x16 wheels, with a load index of 110 and a speed rating of S. 7 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Dodge Ram 1500 comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 110), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here S), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 1999 dodge ram 1500
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (12) · Sidewall (3) · Tread / Belt (3)
Reported across: 1999 – 1999 (1 year)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 21% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 230 reports covering every model year of the Dodge Ram 1500 that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 21% | 20% | 1.0× |
| Sidewall failure | 13% | 15% | 0.8× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 12% | 9% | 1.3× |
| Tread or belt separation | 10% | 13% | 0.8× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 10% | 8% | 1.1× |
| Pressure-monitoring (TPMS) fault | 7% | 2% | 2.7× |
Mileage at failure
123 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 31,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 5,000 and 130,500 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Dodge Ram 1500. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVENLY, ALL FOUR OF THEM. WE NOTICED THIS AT 20000 MILES!! WE NOTICED NOISE COMING FROM THE TRUCK AND WHEN THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE TRUCK FOR ROAD INSPECTION THEY SAID IS THE TIRES. AND OF COURSE, THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE, THAT I HAVE TO GO WITH GOODYEAR CO. AND MAKE A CLAIM. WE USED THE TRUCK TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK ONLY! WE DO NOT TAKE THE TRUCK OFF ROAD OR EVEN TO OUR NEIGHBOR COUNTRY (MEXICO) BECAUSE OF ROAD CONDITIONS THERE.THE TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVENLY AND MAKE THIS TERRIBLE NOISE WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ? WE TAKE THE TRUCK EVERY 3000 MILES FOR OIL CHANGE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WILL RECOMMEND TIRE ROTATION AT 6000 MILES OR SO, WE DO AS THEY RECOMMEND, BUT NOW, NO ONE IS HELPING OUT! HOW COME THEY DID NOT NOTICE THIS EARLY WEAR IN OUR TIRES?.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 EQUIPPED WITH A FIRESTONE DESTINATION TIRES, SIZE P265/75/16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE FAILED AND CAUSED THE RIM AND ROTORS TO BECOME DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,088.
IN JULY OF 2012, I HAD THREE CRACKED METAL PRESSURE SENSING VALVE STEMS. ONE OF THEM BLEW OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, RUINING THE TIRE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THREE STEMS THAT WERE BAD AT THAT TIME BUT NOT THE FOURTH. I ALSO COMPLAINED TO DODGE AND GOT SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TIRE. NOW A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, I NOTICED THE FOURTH VALVE STEM HAD CRACKED. I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $160.00 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE AGAIN BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.
WHILE DRIVING THE SPARE TIRE WHICH IS SUSPENDED UNDER THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE METAL BRACKET THAT PASSES THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE SPARE TIRE TO SUSPEND IT RUSTED WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE SUSPENSION CABLE CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY THROUGH A SHOPPING PLAZA AND THERE WAS NO VEHICLES BEHIND ME. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT FOR ANYONE BEHIND ME. VERY UNSAFE DESIGN. I MENTION WHAT OCCURRED TO MY NEIGHBOR WHO HAS A SIMILAR DODGE RAM AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE SAME THING HAD OCCURRED TO HIS VEHICLE. HE TOO WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE SPARE TIRE FELL IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HIS HOME. IN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, NUMEROUS FORUMS REPORT THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND DISCUSS THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH DODGE BEFORE ANYONE GETS HURT. THANKS.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
Where can I buy tires for my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Dodge Ram 1500 is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-09-02.