Hey all,
Ive got a 2003 f-150 2wd 4.2L w/5speed. Its in need of some new tires and im not sure if i wanna go with a 265 tire or a 285. I am thinking about installing a 3 inch body lift on the truck probably a few weeks after the tires. If it were a 4wd id definitely say 285 as it already sits up two inches higher and would probably look weird with a 265 and that much ride height. But with a 2wd im not sure which way to go. Id love a 285 tire but I am also worried about decreased performance and gas mileage with a 285 especially because it has a 3.55 gear. All in all id prefer to run a 265 but i dont want it to look like *** if its gonna be lifted. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

If you install a 3 inch lift, you will be about the same height as a stock 4x4. So you know what your truck would look like with 265's because that is what most 4x4's came with.

 

Yea thats what i was thinking. Another future mod might be a 1.5 inch coil spacer to level the front end making the entire truck sit about an inch higher than a stock 4x4 with torsion bars cranked up. Based on that do you think a 285 tire would be the better choice?

 

yeah go with the 285's.....

 

I have a Supercrew with 285/70R17's and 3.73 rear gear. I don't care for the performance. I couldn't imagine how a V6 would feel, even with a stick, although I'm usre you have a reg or supercab with less weight. Still, 33" tires look best on stock height 4x4's IMHO which is what you'd be at with a lift. Gears are pretty cheap for 2wd so you can easily change them to 4.10 or 4.56 is you don't like how it accelerates. Brakes, that's another story of the larger/heavier tire.

 

well based on that does anyone have any pictures of some stock regular cab 4x4s with 285 tires (1997-2003 body style)?