What Are The Biggest Tires That Fit A Stock Ram 1500? [Inc. With & Without Air Suspension]

The Ram 1500 is one of the most versatile full-size trucks on the market today. To emphasize the truck's rugged design and capability, Many Ram 1500 owners like to upsize their tires. So what are the biggest tires that you can fit on a stock Ram 1500, with and without the air suspension feature?

Depending on the trim, 5th-generation Ram 1500 trucks can accommodate between 33-inch and 37-inch tires without any modification. The factory air suspension lowers the vehicle between 2 and 3 inches at its entry/exit level, therefore limiting the tire upsizing options.

Would you like to know more about the specific maximum tire sizes for the different Ram 1500 models? Do read on, because we've also included some tips about the advantages and disadvantages of upsizing your vehicle's tires.

Biggest Tires On Stock Ram 1500 5th Gen

The Ram 1500 is Dodge's half-ton representative in the American pickup truck segment. Going toe to toe with other popular names such as the Ford F-150, the GMC Sierra, and the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ram 1500 is one of the best-selling models.

Like most manufacturers, Ram outfits its trucks with stock tire sizes that are supposedly optimized for the truck's hauling, towing, and off-road operations. However, for some Ram 1500 owners, these tires fall short in terms of aesthetic and practical purposes.

For this reason, many Ram 1500 enthusiasts choose to upgrade to bigger tires, even without modifying any other truck part or component. So what are the biggest tires that fit a stock 5th-generation (2019 to present) Ram 1500, with or without the air suspension?

The answer differs with every trim and optional air suspension package. Nevertheless, the tire size generally ranges between 33 inches and 37 inches in overall diameter.

Biggest Tires On Ram 1500 With Air Suspension

Ram's Active-level Four Corner Air Suspension is an optional technology for the current-generation Laramie, Rebel, and Limited Longhorn Ram 1500 trims. However, it comes as a standard feature on the Limited Crew Cab trims.

We'll get to the Four Corner technology details later, but for now, we should understand that this system can give the Ram 1500 up to two inches of lift. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly for this topic, the system can lower the truck by two inches (three inches lower for trims with the Off-Road Group package).

If you intend to use the air suspension's full range of lift and dip, then you cannot upsize too much from the stock tires. By staying with modest tire upsizing options, you will be able to use the air suspension's entry/exit level without having your tires rub against the wheel well components.

The Laramie trim comes with three stock tire size options. On the other hand, the Limited Longhorn and the Limited Crew cab trims only come with the last two options.

275/65/R18 - 32.1 inches overall diameter, 10.8 inches tread width
275/55/R20 - 31.9 inches overall diameter, 10.8 inches tread width
275/45/R22 - 31.7 inches overall diameter, 10.8 inches tread width

Based on a Ram truck forum, you can still fit 33-inch tires on these trims and still be able to use the lowest entry/exit suspension level without any tire rubbing. Here are some possible tire upsizing options.

275/70/R18 - 33.2 inches diameter, 10.8 inches tread width
285/65/R18 - 32.6 inches diameter, 11.2 inches tread width
275/60/R20 - 33 inches diameter, 10.8 inches tread width
285/55/R20 - 32.3 inches diameter, 11.2 inches tread width
275/50/R22 - 32.8 inches diameter, 10.8 inches tread width
285/50/R22 - 33.2 inches diameter, 11.2 inches tread width
33/12.5/R22 - 33 inches diameter, 12.5 inches tread width

Biggest Tires on Ram 1500 Without Air Suspension

If you don't use the entry/exit level (Laramie and Limited trims), or if you simply don't opt for the air suspension feature, then you may be able to fit tires just over 34 inches in diameter. Some examples are:

295/70/R18 - 34.3 inches diameter, 11.6 inches tread width
285/65/R20 - 34.6 inches diameter, 11.2 inches tread width
285/55/R22 - 34.3 inches diameter, 11.2 inches tread width

Although some Ram 1500 owners manage to fit 35-inch tires into their stock Ram 1500s, they do experience some rubbing even when the truck is at normal ride height.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ycuWUOr9Jbo

Max Tire Size Ram Rebel

The Ram 1500 Rebel is a capable off-road trim that comes with a 1-inch factory lift and 275/70/R18 tires. These stock tires are 33.2 inches in diameter and 10.8 inches wide. Air suspension is also optional on the Ram 1500 Rebel.

With a 1-inch factory lift, a Ram 1500 Rebel with air suspension can accommodate 34-inch tires without any rubbing during the entry/exit suspension level. Without the air suspension, stock 5th-generation Ram 1500 Rebels can accommodate some slim 35-inches tires.

285/70/R18 - 33.7 inches diameter, 11.2 inches width (with air suspension)
285/75/R18 - 34.8 inches diameter, 11.2 inches width
295/70/R18 - 34.3 inches diameter, 11.6 inches width
35/11.5/R18 - 35 inches diameter, 11.5 inches width

Getting wider 35-inch tires may require a leveling kit and/or some spacers.

Max Tire Size Ram TRX

The Ram 1500 TRX is the most rugged, trail-bred trim of the Ram 1500 family. With a 2-inch factory lift and a track width six inches larger than other trims, the TRX comes standard with 325/65/R18 tires. These tires are 34.6 inches in diameter and 12.8 inches wide.

The Ram TRX does not come with the air suspension option. Furthermore, Ram officials claim that a stock TRX can accommodate some 37-inch tires without any issues. True enough, more than a few TRX owners have slapped on these 37s on their trucks.

Many 37-inch tire upsize projects use 37/12.5/R18 or 37/12.5/R20 tires. Wider tires, such as 37/13.5/18 tires, may need a different rim with less offset than the factory +19 offset rims.

What Is Ram Air Suspension?

Ram's Active-level Four Corner Air Suspension is an advanced suspension system that can adjust a Ram truck's suspension lift automatically or manually.

From the normal ride height, the Four Corner system can lift or lower applicable Ram 1500 trims by two inches. Alternatively, when combined with the Off-Road Group package, the air suspension gives an additional 1-inch lift or a 3-inch lowering.

Four-Corner Air Suspension System Levels

Here are the different suspension levels of the Ram 1500's Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension system.

Off-Road 2 (OR2)

Raises the truck by approximately 2 inches or 51 mm from the normal ride height
Available for activation at speeds below 20 mph or 32 km/h
Beyond 25 mph, automatically shifts to OR1 level
Not available with Off-Road Group (ORG) package

Off-Road 1 (OR1)

Raises the truck by approximately 1 inch or 26mm from the normal ride height
Available for activation at speeds below 35 mph or 56 km/h
Automatically shifts to normal ride height if vehicle maintains 40 to 50 mph (64 to 80 km/h) over 20 seconds, or instantly if the vehicle exceeds 50 mph (80 km/h)

Normal Ride Height (NRH)

Standard vehicle suspension position

Aero Height

Lowers the truck by approximately 0.6 inch or 15 mm from the normal ride height
Automatic Aero mode activates if the vehicle maintains 62 to 66 mph (100 to 106 km/h) over 20 seconds, or instantly if the vehicle exceeds 66 mph (106 km/h)
Automatic Aero mode shifts to NRH if the vehicle maintains 30 to 35 mph (48 to 56 km/h) over 2o seconds, or instantly if the vehicle goes below 30 mph (48 km/h)
Manual Aero mode can be activated at any speed, but can only return to manual NRH if the vehicle travels below 56 mph (90 km/h)

Entry/Exit Height

Lowers the truck by approximately 2 inches or 51 mm from the NRH for vehicles with no ORG package
Lowers the truck by approximately 3 inches or 73 mm from the NRH for vehicles with the ORG packa
Can be activated at speeds below 33 mph (53 km/h), but actual lowering will start only when the vehicle slows down below 15 mph (24 km/h)
Lowering process automatically cancels if the vehicle maintains speeds between 15 and 25 mph (24 and 40 km/h) for longer than 60 seconds.

Is It Bad To Have Bigger Tires?

Aside from giving a more aggressive stance to your truck, bigger tires can also add more traction and control to your vehicle. Moreover, bigger tires can also increase your truck's ride height, ground clearance, and off-road capability.

Of course, tire upsizing also has some disadvantages.

Heavier Steering

Because bigger tires have larger contact patches, they generate more friction, particularly when you're dry-steering your vehicle to maneuver within small parking spaces.

Slower Acceleration

Bigger tires are generally heavier, and thus they generate more rolling resistance for the engine and transmission to overcome. Furthermore, aggressive tire tread patterns cause more wind resistance while the vehicle gains speed.

Additional rolling and wind resistance generated by larger tires will hamper your truck's acceleration and top speed.

Poor Fuel Efficiency

Because the engine and transmission need to overcome the extra rolling and wind resistance generated by the larger tires, the vehicle will become less fuel-efficient than it was when it was using stock tires.

Inaccurate Speed And Distance

Speedometers and odometers determine vehicle speed and distance traveled based on stock wheels and tires. Because larger-diameter tires move farther with every spin compared to smaller stock ones, tire upsizing will create inaccurate speed and distance readings.

Many tire experts recommend minimal tire upsizing, or up to 3% larger tires. However, some trail-ready truck trims can fit up to 15% bigger tires. Although we've presented some tire upsizing options, we leave the weighing of the benefits and drawbacks to the truck owners themselves.

How Much Do Ram Pickup Trucks Cost?

Here are the starting prices of the 2022 Ram 1500's different trim levels.

1500 Starting Prices
- Tradesman - $ 37,090
- Tradesman HFE - $ 38,727
- Big Horn - $ 42,405
- Laramie - $ 50,830
- Rebel - $ 51,975
- Limited Longhorn - $ 58,560
- Limited Crew Cab - $ 63,275
- TRX - $ 83,890
1500 Classic Starting Prices
- Tradesman - $ 30,235
- Express - $ 30,235
- Warlock - $ 41,825

These Ram 1500 prices are accurate as of December 2022.

Wrapping Up

Depending on the trim level, stock 5th-generation Ram 1500s can take between 33-inch tires and 37-inch tires. Non-offroad trims with the air suspension feature can accommodate the smallest tires due to the entry/exit level. The Ram TRX, on the other hand, can handle some 37-inch tires.

Thank you very much for reading. We hope we were able to help you figure out the best tire upsizing option for a stock Ram 1500.

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