Well, I'm planning to get some 17" wheels to replace the stock 16" ones on my 1500 4x4 Sport. Unfortunately, searching the forum has done nothing but confuse me on what tires to get. It's a pretty standard rule that, when you go up an inch in wheel size, you go down a series in aspect ratio (the "plus one" concept). So, as stock tires on the 16" wheels are 225/75R16 (or 245 or 265), I'd expect the aspect ratio to change to 65 or 60 when going to a17" wheel, like maybe a 285/65R17 or 305/60R17.But when I search the forums, everybody seems tostay with 75 series or maybe justgo to 70 series with their 17" wheels. In fact, I think the later Rams that came with 17" wheels had a stock tirein the 70 series.

So is 285/70R17 the accepted standard despite the"plus one" rule? Any other suggestions (I don't think I want to have to mess with lifting the truck or rolling the fenders or anything like that)? Thanks.

 

you should be able to fit 285/70/17's with no lift or trimming. I have some 305/65/17's on my 99 1500 sport, and they just barely rub at full lock on a bump. I think yours will be just a tad shorter.

 

So am i right in thinking that the 285/70/17's would fit fine on my 97 1500 4x4 with out any mods.


1997 1500 4x4
5.9L SLT
pilot fog lights
daul flowmasters

 

Just know in advance before you make this decision to go to 17's, expect to pay $25-$50 more per tire. The tire I run cost about $230 per tire in a 285/70/17 size. It is $180 per tire in a 285/75/16.

 

According to the calculator on the 1010tires.com site, the 305/65R17 is actually about 1/10th of an inch shorter than the 285/70R17, though it's 3/4" wider. This ties in exactly to why the normal "plus one" rule makes sense, because shortening the sidewall allows for a taller wheel withoutmaking the overall diameter that much bigger. In fact, going to the 60 series with a 305/60R17 makes italmost exactly 31.5" in total diameter, which is the same as one of the stock configurations (though obviously wider). So why don't more people go this route? In fact, does anybody even know where you can get tires in these sizes? Tirerack, Discount Tire and 1010Tires all don't carry them (at least online). If I have to special order, then what Silver_Dodge said about additional cost is going to be even worse.

556fmj, where'd you get your 305's? Silver_Dodge, where'd you get your 285's?

 

I have found that tirerack and most other online places rarely list the tires I am looking for in the sizes I look for. I go to the tire manufacturers website, and there you will see all the sizes they make, and usually links to places that sell them.

I got my 285/70/17's from Discount tire. I really want something a little wider and taller next time, so I am looking at several different sets of 295/70/17 and 305/70/17. If I can't get those, then I might settle on another set of 285/70/17, or even a set of 305/65/17 (to get the extra width), or a set of 33x12.50x17.