I just bought a 2005 XLT S-Crew. I would like to upgrade to the Lariat 18" wheels ( I have the 17" chrome wheels). I think they would look awesome with my Dark Stone paint color. I was wondering if A. there are any problems with doing this (speedo, clearance, etc.) and 2. Where is the best place to find those wheels. I have seen a couple of sets on EBAY, but I'd like to just go pick some up. Im in central Arkansas.

 

No issues with speedo and the like. It's the overall tire diameter that effects it, not the wheel size. Only place to get them is your dealer or e-bay or local want ads if anyone is trying to get rid of them...

 

I did that swap, paid 300 bucks for wheel/tires with 200 miles on them, sold my Mich 17 aluminums for 300 dollars with 1200 miles on them. Seemed fair.
The 255/65/17 tires are reported at various diameter, but mine measured 30.0 inches across.
I replaced them with Lariat 18 rims with BF Goodrich Long Trails 265/60/18
that were 30.4 inches accross using a home made giant 'micrometer'.
All the online sizes were in dispute with each other, so I just built a device for measuring tires.
This is on the garage floor, wheel and tire 'free standing' no load.

The 18 setup is about 14-17 lbs heavier per tire/rim.

Speedo became accurate. It did read a tad high with stock tires.

On ride, the ride became slightly smoother. I did not expect that.

On cornering any difference is too similar to say which was better.

On gearing, I think it feels a little taller, but not enough to matter.

If my truck had 3.73 gears instead of 3.55 it would smoke them.
Now it just chirps, unless the pavement is very smooth.

I kind of hoped it would handle better, but the Michelins were pretty good there, but no loss either.
I think if you had Hankooks, Americans, Generals, etc. You would find a great improvement.

I found mine in the local recycler, lost out on a set for 200, another for 250.

Some people want as much as a grand. Good luck to them.

I sold mine by putting an add on e-bay, local delivery only, as tires cost more than they are worth to ship (private party to private party).

There was a place in San Jose, a dealership, another in Phoenix that sold them to your door for 500. Not too bad.
These prices include centers.

Hope that helps
Chris
p.s. I love the way they look on my silver Reg cab.

 

I did the swap for the ugly 17in xlt rims for the lariat ones. better ride, looks better, better all around. I paid 350 for mine, worth every penny.

Only problem is that I can't pay to have anyone take those rims and tires... even though they are almost new...

 

I was surfing Ebay this evening. Tons of them there. Of course I wasn't looking for a change but only a single wheel to replace the steel wheel they use for a spare. It still has the Michelin <sp> on it but not the alloy wheels I have on my 05 XLT. If anyone runs onto one of those please PM me or email me about it.

 

Hey PiggNFord, I just live right down the road from you. I'm right off the lake between Conway and Mayflower. I dont have wheels to sell, but if you get new ones I might be interested in yours? Right now I am in the middle of a Ebay deal for a set of wheels I've won but its going on 4 days and I havent been able to make contact with the seller I just have this sneaky feeling its going to turn out to be a bogus deal and if so I will be back to looking for wheels!

I tried to email you through your profile but for some reason the system is down right now. Shoot me an email sometime at jaysalex@sbcglobal.net I saw where your hobbies are fishing, mine too, just moved to this area and I am trying to figure Lake Conway out! BTW, welcome to the boards. Jayson

 

Thanks guys for all the info. Im going to get me some of those wheels as soon as I can afford them ( I haven't paid sales tax on the new truck yet). It was good to hear all this info, I will definitely make the investment.

EP.

 

Like others I made the switch from the crappy 17" hankooks to the lariat tires/rims - much better ride, appearance and handling.

Of course, like others, I can't sell the originals to save my life - I would think for 300 bucks someone would want them.

I got mine from the dealer by the way

-Rich

 

Why is everyone so down on the Hankooks?

I've got the Hankooks, and after almost 8k on the odometer, these tires show almost no wear at all. I've had them rotated once, so we'll see. I've driven in the heaviest of downpours and on some snowy backroads in the mountains of TN. Not once have I felt that these tires were uncapable of the conditions I put them in. If they hold up this well and last as long as I think they will, I will not hesitate to go OEM again when I'm due for a new set.

Just my $0.02.

-Travis

 

I think most people are just down on them because they arent a well known brand, plus they are foreign made (Korean I think). I have them on my truck and so far I dont have any complaints about how they handle or ride. I wish they were a little bigger but besides that they seem fine to me. Its the ugly 17" steel wheels that I hate!!

 

I would be ready to believe the Hankooks are OK, it's just that some tires are better.
It's like an F-150 work truck is a pretty nice truck, but the Lariat is better to have.

I have had lousy luck with off brand tires, and even some name brands. They worked great, handled as well as you could expect, etc. Then I replaced them with Michelin's or Perelli's or Dunlops. Suddenly I realized the other tires weren't so good.

I had Yoko's on a Nissan car, and I thought they were great. I replaced them with Michelins, and suddenly knew the Yoko's were cheap tires.
Chris

 

I agree with you on that CA, kind of like if you've only ate hot dogs your entire life you think they are great and you could be happy eating them all the time until someone feeds you Prime Rib! All I can say is at least they arent Firestone's! Every Ford I have bought that had Firestones on them spent more time at the shop getting flats fixed than it did rolling down the road!