1996 Dodge Ram Tire Size

Q: Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1996 Dodge Ram?

Yes — the standard winter-tire fitment pattern is one width step narrower than OEM (e.g. 225 → 215) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter. Narrower tires increase contact pressure on snow for better traction. The Compatible alternative sizes table includes any winter-friendly options that fall within ±3% OD for this vehicle.

Approved fitments

Tire size	Rim size	PCD (bolt pattern)	Offset	Load index	Speed rating
275/60R17 OEM	R17	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
225/75R16 OEM	R16	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
245/75R16 OEM	R16	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
265/75R16 OEM	R16	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
215/85R16 OEM	R16	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Best by use case

Four tires, four jobs

Best all-season

Bridgestone

Dueler H/L alenza 275/60R17

all-season touring

Best budget

General

Grabber HTS60

Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 680

Compatible alternative sizes for 275/60R17

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
`305/50R18`	0.05%	plus 1	Safe
`255/55R19`	0.17%	plus 2	Safe
`295/60R16`	-0.18%	alternative	Safe
`255/60R18`	0.18%	plus 1	Safe
`255/65R17`	0.20%	winter narrower	Safe

For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 275/60R17 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 275/60R17 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.

Common upgrade paths

Plus-1: 305/50R18; one rim size up, 0.05% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
Plus-2: 255/55R19; two rim sizes up, 0.17% 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 1996 dodge ram

The 1996 Dodge Ram ships from the factory on 275/60R17 tires mounted on R17 wheels. 5 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 comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), 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 1996 Dodge Ram 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 1996 Dodge Ram, 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 1996 dodge ram

33

Complaints

4

Crashes

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Top issue category: Tread / Belt

Most reported: Tread / Belt (16) · Tires (General) (14) · Sidewall (3)

Reported across: 1996 – 1996 (1 year)

What owners described

Tread or belt separation appears in 24% of these reports; about 1.8× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 105 reports covering every model year of the Dodge Ram 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
Tread or belt separation	24%	13%	1.8×
Blowout or sudden deflation	16%	20%	0.8×
Sidewall failure	12%	15%	0.8×
Loss of control, rollover or collision	10%	8%	1.1×
Cracking or dry rot	7%	9%	0.7×
Bubble or bulge in the tire	5%	6%	0.8×

Mileage at failure

34 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 20,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 2,000 and 50,000 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Dodge Ram. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE. THEN, THERE WAS A SECOND ACCIDENT WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH, AT THIRD ACCIDENT HE WAS TRAVELING 75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, AND TREAD PEELED 360 DEGREES, BUT TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. TREAD WAS HITTING AGAINST VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THESE WERE BRIDGESTONE DUELER APT, #LT245/75R/16 #DOT 7BA3PUA178.

NHTSA complaint 225524 · 1996 vehicle

PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND SHEET METAL WAS DAMAGED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. TIRE IS A GOODYEAR, WRANGLER #AT, T245/75R16. *AK GOODYEAR 245/75/R16

NHTSA complaint 229198 · 1997 vehicle

TIRE EXPLODED, LOOSING ITS TREAD THAT DAMAGED SHEET METAL & UNDERCARRIAGE OF PU. SPEED WAS 65 MPH, TIRE PRESSURE 75#. EXPLOSION TORE OUT FUEL FILLER HOSE & DAMAGED FUEL SENDER. SHEET METAL AND WHEEL SHROUD DAMAGE.

NHTSA complaint 232565 · 1998 vehicle

POE00 020; WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 10MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE DUE TO LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. THERE WERE TWO TIRES. SIDEWALL FAILED. FIRESTONE MODEL TRIUMPH 2 8537 DESIGN NUMBER. ANOTHER SIDEWALL FAILURE, TIRE WAS LEAKING AIR. THE FOURTH TIRE STILL INTACT.

NHTSA complaint 233245 · 1976 vehicle

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 1996 Dodge Ram?

The OEM tire size for the 1996 Dodge Ram is 275/60R17 mounted on R17 wheels.. Trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment; confirm against your specific vehicle's driver-door placard before purchase.

Can I run a different tire size on my 1996 Dodge Ram?

Plus-sizing (larger rim, lower aspect) is possible within ±3% of the OEM overall diameter per the ETRTO safe-fit standard. The Compatible alternative sizes table on this page lists every safe option for the OEM size. Always confirm with the manufacturer or a qualified tire shop before deviating from the placard.

Where can I buy tires for my 1996 Dodge Ram?

Online tire retailers in our affiliate network carry every size documented for this vehicle. Use the Shop online buttons above to compare prices across them; variance of $20–$40 per tire is common between merchants. The <a href="/tools/tire-install-cost-calculator/">install cost calculator</a> estimates the out-the-door including mount, balance, TPMS, and disposal by state.

What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1996 Dodge Ram?

The cold-inflation pressure is printed on the driver-door placard of your specific vehicle and varies by trim, tire size, and loaded vs unloaded condition. Typical OEM front and rear pressures fall between 30 and 36 psi for passenger trims and 32–40 psi for SUV/truck variants, but the placard is the authoritative source.

Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1996 Dodge Ram?

Yes; the standard winter-tire fitment pattern is one width step narrower than OEM (e.g. 225 → 215) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter. Narrower tires increase contact pressure on snow for better traction. The Compatible alternative sizes table includes any winter-friendly options that fall within ±3% OD for this vehicle.

How often should I rotate the tires on my 1996 Dodge Ram?

Every 5,000–7,500 miles is the typical OEM recommendation for passenger vehicles. AWD vehicles and high-torque trucks benefit from the shorter interval. Documented rotation history is also a tire-warranty prerequisite; most manufacturer treadwear claims require rotation receipts at the warranty inspection.

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 is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1996 Dodge Ram.
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.