Top 11 Best Tires for the RAM 1500

Dodge RAM 1500 offers multiple features you don’t usually get in pickup trucks. For instance, it is the only pickup truck on the market with air suspension as an option. This feature alone makes the RAM 1500 more comfortable than Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500, its major competitors.

However, even with the air suspension, you’d need the best tires for RAM 1500 to enjoy a comfortable and noise-free riding experience. The air suspension won’t be able to do all the heavy lifting by itself if it isn’t supported by a set of tires that could absorb road vibrations.

That is why we have come up with this article. In the following paragraphs, we’ll give you the lowdown on some of the best tires for Dodge RAM 1500. Every tire that you’d see listed below fits all versions of the RAM 1500, including the ST, SLT, SXT, Sport, TRX, TRX4, and Laramie models.

Furthermore, we’ll provide you with a detailed buying guide. You might want to check out that section before anything else if you’re confused about how to choose tires for your RAM 1500. Read on to find some of the most recommended tires for this pickup truck.

#1. Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Best Overall

The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is one of those truck tires that can handle everything you throw at them. The replacement of the highly-famous LTX M/S2 comes with multiple features that makes it a must-have for the majority of RAM 1500 owners.

This tire owes its outstanding performance to multiple technologies. Its chip-resistant EverTread compound gives the LTX M/S all-season grip, traction and braking power, enabling this tire to perform outstandingly in warm and cold conditions.

Multiple 3-D Active Sipes help this tire grip the road better than most truck tires in wintry conditions. Circumferential grooves in the tread area minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Both these features are the reason the LTX M/S can work well in heavy rain.

Like its predecessor, the LTX M/S is comfortable and quiet on the highway. Michelin backs the T-, H-, and V-speed rated models with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. The W-Speed rated models come with a 50,000 miles treadwear warranty.

All in all, except for snow performance, there aren’t many areas this tire could have done better. Sure, it does have the 3-D Active Sipes. But they will only come in handy in light snow. We don’t recommend putting this tire on in harsh wintry conditions.

Pros

• 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
• Offers year-round traction
• Quiet and comfortable ride

Cons

• Not designed for deep snow driving

#2. Continental CrossContact LX20 — Best All-Season

Continental tires are usually the first choice of truck owners. These tires might not be as pocket-friendly as some of their counterparts from budget brands. But their extensive treadlife, market-high warranties and superior road performance makes them a must-have for those who can afford them.

The CrossContact LX20 is one of the newer additions to the Continental lineup. It belongs to the tire maker’s lineup for SUVs, crossovers and pickups.

An eco-friendly tread compound, comprising +Silane additives and Tf-F polymers, helps enhance this tire’s traction, promote overall better treadwear and improve fuel mileage. The result is a tire that will last longer than its competitors and will force you to undertake fewer trips to the gas station.

Indepndent tread blocks and a continuous center rib ensure stability at high speeds, as well as better grip on dry surfaces. The duo is also the reason why this tire’s steering response is as excellent as it is, something you don’t usually get from truck tires.

Wet traction is another area this tire shines. Four circumferential grooves in the symmetrical tread design keep the risk of hydroplaning to a minimum. Plus, Continentanl’s exclusive Traction Grooves enhance traction on wet and snow-laden roads.

The only reason why this tire isn’t our first pick for RAM 1500 is ride comfort.  Or, to be more precise, the lack of ride comfort. A sizeable number of drivers have complained that away from the highway, this tire is prone to having vibration problems.

Pros

• Built-in rim protector
• Excellent hydroplaning resistance
• Quiet on the highway

Cons

• Susceptible to vibrations

#3. Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Kevlar — Best Mud-Terrain

The Wrangler MT/R’s asking price might blow a hole in your pocket. But you’ll be compensated in the shape of excellent tread life, outstanding off-road performance and durable construction. 

Start with the tread life. A combination of an asymmetric tread pattern and silica tread compound promotes even wear while also ensuring aggressive off-road performance. Unless you drive too harshly, this tire will outlast its warranty.

Next comes off-road performance. This model is equipped with a wrap-around design that helps enhance its traction off-road. Whether you’re driving through deep mud, gravel, sand, rock or any other type of terrain, the Wrangler MT/R won’t make you feel as if it’s losing traction.

Thank the Kevlar-reinforced sidewall for durable construction. Goodyear is the first and (to our knowledge) only tire maker to incorporate Kevlar. It claims that this has increased the tire’s  cut- and puncture-resistance by as much as 35%.

Now, we are the last source to tell you that you should believe in the tall claims tire manufacturers make to sell their product. But with the Wrangler M/T tough as nails on the road, we have no reason to doubt that it is much more puncture-resistant than your average MT tire.

Given that this tire is built for muddy terrain, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it comes with self-cleaning capabilities. Still, the absence of any treadwear warranty means gives you a believable excuse to prefer its competitors over the Wrangler M/T.

Pros

• Above-average treadlife
• Has a Kevlar sidewall
• Superb mud-terrain performance

Cons

• No treadwear warranty

#4. Cooper Discoverer HTP — Best Highway

The Cooper Discoverer HTP is designed to offer all-season traction and a quiet and smooth ride on the highway. You can thus count on this tire to perform well in wet and dry conditions.

This tire comes with a silica-enhanced tread compound. Silica, as some of you might know, is known for its flexibility and can stay pliable in all sorts of its conditions. That is the reason why manufacturers who want their tire to stay useful 365 days a year opt for a silica tread compound.

Road noise is kept to a minimum with this tire. A tread block design and computer-optimized profile makes sure that most of the noise generated on the road doesn’t end up making its way inside the cabin. Also, as long as this tire’s tread will stay intact, the ride will be vibration-free.

High-speed stability on wet and dry roads is also almost guaranteed. This tire’s 3D Siping Technology has given this tire so many biting edges that it won’t struggle for traction on the road. You can thus drive it to the maximum of what the speed limit allows in your area.

Water-draining or hydroplaning-resistant qualities are also exceptional. While most highway tires ‘only’ rely on circumferential grooves to eject water from within the tread area. The Discoverer HTP also has longitudinal grooves pursuing the same objective.

Pros

• Comfortable on the highway
• Exceptional high-speed stability
• Brilliant wet traction and braking

Cons

• Poor light-snow traction

#5. Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi3 — Best for Winter

Michelin’s Latitude series is designed to meet the needs of crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks. All the models in this lineup are meant to offer high fuel efficiency and longer tread life than the competition. But their high asking prices might not be to everybody’s liking.

The Latitude X-Ice Xi3 has everything to be the best winter tire for RAM 1500. Its tread compound is made from FleX-Ice silica, a unique technology Michelin claims makes the tread more flexible for superior all-round year traction. It also helps this tire handle warmer road better than other winter tires.

Michelin has managed to strike the right balance between eco-friendliness and fuel efficiency with this tire. The reason we are saying this is because this tire comes with eco-friendly technologies – like the GreenX tread – that reduce CO2 emissions while also lowering rolling resistance.

Cross Z sipes are helped by the directional tread pattern to do their dirty work. They can cut straight through snow, ice, and slush without slipping or sliding. Together with the tread blocks, Michelin relies on ‘Mico Pumps’ to improve this tire’s grip on skidding surfaces.

There is one area where this tire could have done better. Its cornering in harsh wintry conditions is nothing to gloat about. This might seem like a small detail to many. But for a tire that costs as much as the X-Ice Xi3, manufacturers doesn’t deserve an excuse to cut any corners.

Pros

• Offers exceptional snow and ice traction
• Very comfortable on the highway and the street
• Low rolling resistance translates to better fuel efficiency

Cons

• Average cornering in harsh wintry conditions

#6. General Grabber A/TX — Best All-Terrain

The General Grabber A/TX offers many features you don’t normally see in all-terrain takes. Take for example the 3PMSF rating. The ‘3-peak mountain snowflake’ symbol indicates that this tire meets the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association’s requirements for performance in severe snow conditions.

The StabiliTread Technology justifies this model’s reputation as one of the best all-terrain tires. What this technology has done is increased the tire’s footprint. This, in turn, has expanded the A/TX’s contact area with the road, providing it with more grip.

Yet another thing that the StabiliTread Technology does is improve the A/TX’s durability. It is supported in this by another of General’s exclusive technologies, the DuraGen Technology, which cuts in this tire’s  tread to make it more stable on off-road conditions.

Highway performance isn’t ignored either. The Comfort Balance Technology encapsulates this tire’s tread inside a cushioned layer, while also inserting angled-away grooves into the tread area. The result is reduced vibrations on the highway and a more comfortable riding experience.

The absence of any maintenance indicators, something that you take a given with all-terrain tires as they suffer more wear and tear than their highway counterparts, sticks out like a sore thumb. Still, as glaring as this shortcoming is, it has zero bearing on this tire’s  performance.

Pros

• Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol
• Noise-free and comfortable on the highway
• Exceptional off-road grip and traction

Cons

• Doesn’t come with maintenance indicators

#7. Toyo Open Country A/T II — Best Budget All-Terrain

Toyo tires are the first choice for off-road enthusiasts. Their all-terrain and mud-terrain tires offer exceptional off-road performance in less than half the price of the likes of Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone and other pricey tire brands.

Which is precisely what the Open Country A/T II does. This tire comes with a silica-enhanced tread compound that stays useful come rain or sunshine. An asymmetric tread pattern gives the tread all the help it needs to stay useful in wet and dry conditions.

Tie bars between the tread blocks help reduce the braking distance on the highway, while deep grooves within the tread area minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Throw into the mix its low road noise and high road comfort, and you’d get the feel of a highway tire from the Open Country A/T II.

That isn’t to say that this tire doesn’t have the features to stay useful off-the-road. Had that been the case, it wouldn’t have earned its place in our review.

Specially-designed stone ejecting blocks make sure that rocks, dirt particles and other debris don’t end up staying inside the tread area for long. And the abovementioned deep tread grooves don’t only minimize the build-up of water – they are equally useful in preventing mud build-up.

Pros

• Incredible cut- and puncture-resistance
• Brilliant sidewall strength
• Stays quiet on the highway and during off-roading

Cons

• Some users report experiencing vibration issues

#8. Falken Wildpeak AT3W — Best Tires for Gravel

The Wildpeak AT3W is one of best tires for gravel. At the same time, its refinement on highway conditions won’t let you feel as if you’re driving an AT tire. Sounds interesting, right?

An outer apex sidewall is where the fun begins with the AT3W. The ultra-strong sidewall is the reason why this tire is ultra-durable and resists damage or punctures so well. It also functions as a heat shield to prevent temperatures from soaring in highway driving.

Close inspection of the sidewall will reveal heat diffusers. They are the reason why this tire’s rubber remains cool at highway speeds. This ensures that the tire’s stability remains above par when carrying or towing incredibly heavy loads.

All of this is good and all that, but what about gravel performance? Well, that is where its treads make an appearance. Falken claims they are the deepest in the A/T category. A bold claim, sure, but one that is backed by an army of tread blocks visible from the outside.

Look closely and you’ll notice that the blocks are dotted with step-down etching and support ramps. Both these features not only ensure consistent grip and handling on gravel. They also help with stone ejection, minimizing the risk of punctures.

Noise is the only area where you feel the AT3W has let the guard down. Even for an all-terrain tire, this model is incredibly loud, especially as the needle on the speedometer swings toward right.

Pros

• Long-lasting wear
• Consistent grip and traction
• Resists damage as well as punctures

Cons

• Tire roars at high speeds

#9. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus

Multiple features make the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus a must-have for RAM 1500. Most important among which is that it was made for pickup trucks. That is to say that if you fit the Alenza Plus on your RAM 1500, you won’t be going against conventional wisdom.

Next, unlike most tires in this category, H/L Alenza Plus offers year-round traction. That is a claim you’d see being made from all quarters. But the H/L Alenza Plus belongs to the minority that justifies this claim. You can take our word for this.

A systematic tread pattern keeps the H/L Alenza Plus stable come rain, snow or sunshine. It also ensures a comfortable driving experience by absorbing road vibrations. Plus, you also have the tread pattern to thank for the excellent high-speed stability of this tire.

Keep in mind that this tire won’t perform well in deep snow. It lacks the biting edges that dedicated winter tires like the Michelin X Ice Xi3 come with. Having said that, it can still handle light snow or ice. So you can count on this tire to safely carry you from point A to point B through a light snowstorm.

Bridgestone usually pulls out all the stops when it comes to backing its tires with a warranty. It has done the same with the RAM 1500. This tire is backed with an amazing 80,000 miles treadwear warranty, a number you don’t see too often with any kind of tires.

Pros

• 80,000-mile warranty
• Offers year-round traction
• Quiet and comfortable ride

Cons

• Not designed for deep snow driving

#10. Kumho Road Venture APT KL51

Most drivers believe that you need to break the bank to land a high-quality tire. While this thinking is right for the most part, tires like the Kumho Road Venture APT KL51 indicate that sometimes in life, you get more than what you paid for.

There are many areas where this Korean tire stands shoulder to shoulder with its US counterparts. Its stability and responsiveness is among the best of the tires in this category.  Which is a massive surprise since, as stated above, the APT KL51 doesn’t cost much.

Wet traction is also above-average. As long as you stay below the speed limit, the braking distances won’t get long either. Hydroplaning resistance is also above-average for a street performance tire, but we’d still recommend you to stay away from deep puddles of water.

Road comfort is another area where this tire shines. In fact, of all the street performance tires that we have tested and/or driven so far, the APT KL51 is one of the few that doesn’t let the road vibrations make their way inside the cabin. So everyone bar the driver can sleep during the journey.

Unfortunately, there are a few areas where this tire has cut corners. Kumho hasn’t produced this tire in the load range E trim, which means it isn’t the best option for towinig. Also, when compared with other tires in this category, the 60,000-mile treadwear warranty is a bit on the lower side.

Pros

• Competitively priced
• Ultra-stable and responsive
• Above-average wet traction
• Good treadwear warranty for the price

Cons

• Might not be the best choice for towing big trailers

#11. Firestone Transforce HT — Best for Summer

Pickup trucks like the RAM 1500 are by far the most popular vehicle type in the US. They are tough, can take whatever you throw at them, and possess go-everywhere qualities. Yet, as popular as their drives are, light truck owners don’t have many picks for summer tires.

The Firestone Transforce HT aims to change this situation.

This summer tire comes with a Long Link Carbon tread compound which provides it with more traction, enhanced handling, and better durability than other tires in this category. It is supported by the computer-optimized tread pattern to offer better traction on all sorts of road conditions.

Broad shoulder blocks help the tire grip the road better while cornering, braking, and steering. That is not all. The credit for this tire’s excellent wet pavement traction also goes to the shoulder blocks, which interlock with the middle tread blocks on slippery surfaces.

Hydroplaning resistance is also exceptional. A set of multiple lateral grooves and four circumferential grooves allow more controlled and safe driving in rainy conditions. Sipes and biting edges are on offer, too, in case you want to experiment with this tire in light snow conditions.

One final feature that distinguishes this tire from other summer picks is reduced road noise. A 5-degree noise reduction pattern technology has enabled the tread compound to absorb the majority of road vibrations, letting you and the passengers enjoy the ride.

Pros

• Best-in-class road stability
• Noise-reduction technology
• Elite dry traction

Cons

• Doesn’t have a limited treadwear warranty

Best tires for RAM 1500

Highway and Touring

Highway and touring tires are usually the first choice of most RAM 1500 owners.

On the one end, these tires offer the excellent ride quality that the likes of grand-touring, summer or all-season tires fail to offer. That too while keeping the noise to a bare minimum on the highway. All of this is to say that if comfort is your main concern, you cannot go wrong with these tires.

On the other end, these tires are hardy. Touring and highway tires are more long-lasting than most people believe them to be. Their internal construction, casing and outer sidewall all have what it takes to easily withstand the weight of the RAM 1500.

However, touring tires might not be the best choice if you intend to tow very heavy trailers with your RAM 1500. Their load ratings are nowhere near enough to perform such grueling jobs. If you intend to haul a big trailer with your pickup truck every day, highway tires are a better option.

All-Terrain

Although its AWD version can navigate demanding terrains, the RAM 1500 isn’t an off-road focused pickup truck on the whole. Still, if you have an itch that cannot be satisfied unless you go on off-roading every few weeks, all-terrain tires will prove to be up for the challenge.

In addition to offering a higher traction on challenging terrains than their highway or touring counterparts, all-terrain tires also offer excellent grip. Some of these tires also come with the 3PMSF symbol to prove to you that you can use them in deep snow.

Mud-Terrain

Mud-terrain tires come across as a double-edged sword for RAM 1500 owners. Their off-road performance is much better than all-terrain tires. And these tires can drive through challenging road conditions – slush, mud, gravel, etc. – with much more ease.

At the same time, M/T tires will be unbearably loud on the highway. Also, the same sidewalls that make them incredibly durable in off-road conditions also make them incredibly uncomfortable on the highway. Ultimately, if you decide to opt for M/T tires, you’d have to have a separate set for daily driving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What brand of tires does RAM use?

The latest model of the Dodge RAM 1500 comes fitte with Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus. Aftermarket, this tire is backed with an amazing 80,000 miles treadwear warranty, a number you don’t see too often with any kind of tires.

What kind of tires come on a RAM 1500?

RAM 1500 tire sizes range from 17 inches to 22 inches. The base model comes fitted with 18-inch all-season tires, while the upper models have either 18-inch or 20-inch factory-installed tires.

What size tires can I put on 2022 RAM 1500?

The stock tire sizes of the 2022 model RAM 1500 range from 18 inches to 22 inches.

Conclusion

The Dodge RAM 1500 is one of the highest-selling vehicles in the US. In 2021, RAM solid 569.388 picks, a 1% increase from 2020. These numbers were higher than those of Chevy Silverado despite the fact that there was a chip shortage hamstringing the vehicle industry.

If you belong to the ever-growing community of drivers who own a RAM 1500, all the tires reviewed above will take your ride quality to the next level. All you have to make sure is to select the size that fits your model, and the rest will be taken care of!