1999 Dodge ram 2500 tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1999 Dodge Ram 2500, 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 | 6.5x16 | N/A | 19mm | 115 | Q |
| 245/75R16 OEM | 7.5x16 | N/A | 31mm | 117 | S |
| 265/75R16 OEM | 8x16 | N/A | 43mm | 118 | T |
| 245/70R17 | 7.5x17 | N/A | 30mm | 115 | S |
| 265/65R17 | 8x17 | N/A | 40mm | 115 | T |
| 285/55R18 | 8.5x18 | N/A | 30mm | 113 | H |
| 305/45R20 | 9x20 | N/A | 25mm | 110 | V |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Dodge Ram 2500, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Dodge Ram 2500 →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Dodge Ram 2500 factory size →
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 2500
The 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 ships from the factory on 225/75R16 tires mounted on 6.5x16 wheels, with a load index of 115 and a speed rating of Q. 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 2500 comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number, in this case 115), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard, here Q), 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 2500 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 2500, 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 2500
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (6) · Spare Tire (3) · Tread / Belt (2) · Sidewall (1) · Valve (1)
Reported across: 1999 – 1999 (1 year)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 26% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 156 reports covering every model year of the Dodge Ram 2500 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 | 26% | 20% | 1.3× |
| Tread or belt separation | 24% | 13% | 1.8× |
| Sidewall failure | 13% | 15% | 0.9× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 10% | 9% | 1.1× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 9% | 8% | 1.1× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 3% | 6% | 0.5× |
Mileage at failure
61 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 35,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 4,000 and 127,253 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Dodge Ram 2500. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 DODGE RAM 2500 EQUIPPED WITH TOYO TIRES OPEN COUNTRY A/T SIZE LT26570R17. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT PASSENGER TIRES BLEW DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION WHILE HE DROVE 45-65 MPH, CAUSING DAMAGED TO THE RUNNING BOARD AND BED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. RK
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 DODGE RAM 2500 ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY THE FRONT RIGHT FIRESTONE TRANSFORCE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE BLOW OUT WAS IMMEDIATE AND UNEXPECTED. THE TRUCK CAREENED FROM MEDIAN TO MEDIAN BARELY MISSING ANOTHER VEHICLE UNTIL I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO BRING IT UNDER CONTROL. I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED DRIVER, KNEW NOT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND BELIEVE THAT A LESS EXPERIENCED PERSON MAY HAVE HAD A WORSE OUTCOME. I DO HAVE PICTURES.
TPMS VALVE STEM FAILED CAUSING A FLAT TIRE. THE TIRE VALVE ITSELF COMPLETELY CAME APART WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, BUT SO WHAT, IT WAS CAUSED BY ITS OWN FLAWED DESIGN. UPON INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRE VALVES, IT IS DISCOVERED THAT THEY ARE ALL CRACKED AND READY TO FAIL AS WELL AND NEED EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.. A "SAFETY SYSTEM" THAT IS POORLY CONSTRUCTED, DANGEROUS, AND REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE INSTALLED IN VEHICLES. A RECALL MUST BE MANDATED.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE RAM 2500 EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN LTX A/S,V TIRES (NA), SIZE 245/70/R17 (NA). THE DOT NUMBER WAS B7X6LJ4X0310. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES DEVELOPED CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALL AND THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT OILING THEMSELVES DUE TO LACK OF WINTER DRIVING. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND VEHICLE WAS 13,000. UPDATED 1/1315*CN UPDATED 01/15/15.
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 2500?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1999 Dodge Ram 2500?
Where can I buy tires for my 1999 Dodge Ram 2500?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1999 Dodge Ram 2500?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1999 Dodge Ram 2500?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1999 Dodge Ram 2500?
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 2500 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 2500.
- 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 2026-10-07.