"Bald-shouldered Treadless Wimpy Spare" was on my original list of Ram Design Pet Peeves, especially when coupled with 20" Passenger Tires on a full 4x4 Truck.

Most of the 20" packages - BigHorn, LoneStar, (and Laramie - iirc) - come with the "Restricted Use Spare". Seems Dodge Marketing/Accounting is convinced that "None of these Customers would desire to run with a full-sized but mismatched steel wheel spare" and/or "We can save a few dollars in a place that they won't think to look - until they drive it off the Lot..."

 

Does that mean Dodge gave you 5x the same tire ?? Or is it still a "downgrade" ?? (just curious)

 

Currently there is a total of ONE 20x8 wheel with Dodge 5x5.5 bolt pattern to be found on eBay !!

But does anyone know if Dodge changed the fit between the 3rd Gen and 4th Gen Rams with regards to their OEM steel 20" wheels ??
(I guess that I could simply "chance it" - there isn't much of a Returns-policy for private sellers on eBay...)

 

My TRX originally came with Good Year AT/S 275/70-17 and the spare is exactly the same. Now I have since put on Destination M/T 285/70-17's now I wondered myself would I be able to put my spare on and be okay to get to a shop or something? The new tires are pretty similar in diameter if not the same, just wider.

 

Your overall tire circumference is 1.73in different for 1.01mph difference at 60MPH.
Given that you have 3.92 with Limited Slip in the rear, is that "close enough" ??

Per: http://www.dakota-truck.net/TIRECALC/tirecalc.html

 

Ryan, your new tires are just over half an inch taller than your spare (.551 inches). So, yes you'll be fine if you have to change out. Just go straight home or straight to the shop as good practice. The half inch will take some miles to cause any problem if any down the road, but best to get it fixed.

 

My truck came with 275 70R/17 GY Wranglers and a 265 70R/17 of the same with a steel wheel. My only experience with the Dodge before this one was my dad's from 2001 or 2002 and it had tiny tires on it. I never looked at what size but they were probably 28's and just looked dwarfed on the truck. I was very happy to see the 2009 model with tires that actually filled out the tire well.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Yes, we have five of the same tires on the TRX-4. The spare is on a steelie though, not an alloy.

 

I was reading on another thread that between the 20's and the 17's there is only about a 1/2 difference in diameter, so that tells me there is room for a 20in spare under there? I thought I heard before a 20 would'nt fit.