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Turning radius? Can this be improved with wheel offset or it is what it is?

JeffK2019

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I think I know the answer but figured I would toss it out there.

It's only been a week for me and my new Limited - but wow the turning radius I think is just horrendous. I am coming out of a Suburban, which is no small vehicle, and it would turn dimes around the 1500 Limited.

I do plan to add aftermarket rims/tires at some point - can wheel offset impact the turning radius at all or is this pretty much a suspension issue and I live with what I have?

I think my U turn days are over...........
 

trixdesigns

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Look at the wheelbase.
2019 Suburban: 130"
2019 RAM 1500 Crew Cab: 144.5 - 153.5"

You're looking at over a foot more in the smallest bed size (unless you've got a quad cab).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JXL118

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I'm with you. I'm coming from a Nissan Titan and i definitely think the Ram's turning radius feels a lot bigger than the Titans. Titan wheelbase was 140.
 

SpeedyV

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I think I know the answer but figured I would toss it out there.

It's only been a week for me and my new Limited - but wow the turning radius I think is just horrendous. I am coming out of a Suburban, which is no small vehicle, and it would turn dimes around the 1500 Limited.

I do plan to add aftermarket rims/tires at some point - can wheel offset impact the turning radius at all or is this pretty much a suspension issue and I live with what I have?

I think my U turn days are over...........
I sometimes really miss the four-wheel-steering of my old GMC (with Quadrasteer).
 

Billet1500 4x4

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I think I know the answer but figured I would toss it out there.

It's only been a week for me and my new Limited - but wow the turning radius I think is just horrendous. I am coming out of a Suburban, which is no small vehicle, and it would turn dimes around the 1500 Limited.

I do plan to add aftermarket rims/tires at some point - can wheel offset impact the turning radius at all or is this pretty much a suspension issue and I live with what I have?

I think my U turn days are over...........
2 largest factors on turning radius both of which are fixed. Wheel base and steering angle
 

3corner

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I drove a 2015 Tacoma prior to buying a 2019 Ram, the turning radius on the Ram is terrible, I scratched my front passenger rim 3 times making a U-turn scrapping the curb. I have the factory OEM 22 wheels. Cost me 85 bucks to repair it. I should of went with the 20 wheels. 22 low profile tires suck so bad, I have to be careful when I parallel park or U turn from now on, which suck because on my Tacoma I never had a problem even if I scrapped the curb.
 

Biga

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The Ram has a better turning radius then the Ford or GM trucks, obviously if your coming from a car or SUV you will have to get used to a long wheelbase vehicle.
 

SilverSurfer15

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To answer your actual question, not in a positive way. The more negative offset, the worse it gets, either because it rubs at full turn or just simply because the tire is out further which increases the chance of hitting something like a curb. The only thing you “could” do is grind back the steering stops, assuming that’s what is stopping it. But then you risk over stressing a few parts, I think a lot of this comes from non truck owners buying trucks, turning the wheels all the way full lock (especially dry turning), and complaining about wearing out CV and tie rod ends. So now they limit it.

The turning radius on this truck is SO MUCH BETTER than f150, I could NEVER make a u turn in the ford, even ridiculously large ones (3 lanes and a shoulder). This truck I usually can make the medium sized ones (normal two lanes) as long as I pregame it a bit.
 

moosem

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The turning radius on my '15 GMC sure seemed way better than my RAM. I have to 3 point turn backing out my garage down my driveway in my RAM. Never had to do that in my GMC. Roughly the same wheel base.
 

Neurobit

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I drove a 2015 Tacoma prior to buying a 2019 Ram, the turning radius on the Ram is terrible, I scratched my front passenger rim 3 times making a U-turn scrapping the curb. I have the factory OEM 22 wheels. Cost me 85 bucks to repair it. I should of went with the 20 wheels. 22 low profile tires suck so bad, I have to be careful when I parallel park or U turn from now on, which suck because on my Tacoma I never had a problem even if I scrapped the curb.
So you’re comparing a compact truck’s turning radius with a much bigger RAM 1500? :rolleyes:
 

Biga

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Only way to get a tight turning radius in a 1500 is to buy a regular cab short bed, I had one in college and that thing would turn better then some cars.
 

rsmeanie

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Yup, like ^^^ he said, give it some gas and whip the backend around. Nice and tight.
 

SpeedyV

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The turning radius on my '15 GMC sure seemed way better than my RAM. I have to 3 point turn backing out my garage down my driveway in my RAM. Never had to do that in my GMC. Roughly the same wheel base.
Comparing crew cabs, the Ram has a 0.1’ smaller turning radius than the GM trucks...all but identical. The F-150 is a couple of feet worse. The Tundra is slightly better than the Ram.

Sadly, none of them hold a candle to my old Quadrasteer (4-wheel steering) GMC. The system cut more than 5 feet off of the turning radius, compared to these trucks...and that was a crew cab with a 6.5’ bed. It was a fantastic idea that never gained enough traction to be profitable.
 

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