Dodge Ram trucks use different wheels depending on the year model and whether the truck is a 1/2-ton Ram 1500, 3/4-ton Ram 2500 or 1-ton Ram 3500. Aftermarket wheels must match the factory wheel specs in order to fit and work properly. Not only do the lug patterns vary—the wheel diameter and offset also differ between models.
Ram 1500s from the model year 1994 and later use a five-lug, 5-1/2-inch bolt circle. Most use a 17-inch rim, but some models have 16-inch factory rims. Either size will work with a 1500 from any year.
Ram 2500 wheels have a heavier-duty construction and a design for use with higher-load-rated tires. They have a bolt pattern incorporating eight lugs on a 6-1/2-inch circle, and the rim measures 16 inches. Wheels on vehicles from model years 1994 through 1999 measure 6 1/2 inches wide; as of 2010, vehicles from model years 2000 and later have 8-inch-wide wheels.
The Ram 3500 uses the same eight-lug, 6-1/2-inch bolt circle as the Ram 2500. The wheels have a large positive offset, however, which allows you to pair the rear wheels in a "dually" configuration, which places four wheels in the rear and the usual two in front. Vehicles from model years 1999 and before have 16-inch wheels; as of 2010, 3500s from 2000 and later have 17-inch wheels.
