Friend just purchased a 2010 F150 4x4 .. he is trying to determine the largest tire size he can put on his new baby w/o a lift kit... any experience?

Thanks in advance..

Wayne

 

As a note.. I can't find my old id or pw..unfortunately, had to sell my 2001 F150 (sad day).. didn't want you to think I came in w/ immediate questions on my 1st post ..

 

If he uses the OEM wheels and adds a leveling kit he can fit a 35x12.50 tire but they will rub the control arms slightly at full steering lock. If he doesn't want a leveling kit, I'd stick with a 33x12.50 tire.

 

I don't know what is the absolute largest tire that will fit without rubbing nor do I know what you mean by "largest" (diameter, width or air volume). I also don't understand why that would be the most important consideration because you have not told us what and where the truck will be used.

Selecting a good tire for the intended uses is one of the most important things a truck owner can do to provide the best performance and driving experience.

What is important?
Will the truck be towing or hauling heavy loads on a regular basis?
Will it be covering a lot of miles on the highway or used on a farm or mostly in city driving?
What gear ratio/engine does the truck have?
What is the trucks GVWR?
What size rims does it have?
What type of ground/terrain will it see off-road?
Will it see snow/ice/deep snow?
Is fuel economy a consideration?

In most cases I recommend avoiding the widest tires in favor of going taller (unless floatation on soft or loose ground is of primary importance). A narrower tire will give superior deep snow performance, provide crisper handling, minimize hydroplaning potential, return better fuel economy and range on a tank of fuel, be better for technical off-road trails and logging roads, they will accelerate faster and put less wear on the brakes. A narrower tire will also cost less to purchase and put less strain on the steering and chassis components the wheel is connected to. And this is purely subjective but, on a truck, I think a narrower tire just looks better. But I am a form follows function kind of guy, especially when it comes to the most important part of the truck, the tires.

The primary benefit of an extra-wide tire is more floatation on soft ground at the expense of all the above qualities.

With more information on how the truck is configured and what it will be used for I'm sure you will get a lot more useful info.

 

Great questions..
This is 2010 XLT 4x4 (I'm envious..)
Important - Traction off road - camping / fishing, though this will also be a daily driver .. used to commute to work on highway
Heavy loads? - Not normal
Travel mainly highway miles..
Not sure of gear ratio or gvwr
18" rims (possibly move to 20")
Ground terrain - Gravel / dirt (mountain terrain)
Some snow .. travels to Virginia..
Fuel economy is always "some" consideration.. don't want to drain the wallet dry

Thx..

 

I'd suggest a quality all terrian tire like the BFG AT KO, Nitto Terra Grappler, Toyo AT, Pro Comp Xtreme AT, Mickey Thompson ATZ or **** Cepek FC II. Personally, I'd try to find a 305/60-18 (33x12.50).

 

Thx sir! That was the direction he was heading..

 

If there was any heavy towing/hauling involved and the gear ratio is 3.55, your friend might want to limit the diameter to keep from becoming over-geared. Otherwise it appears to do relatively light service with a lot of highway miles but also needs to perform on a variety of surfaces. I would look at an all-purpose A/T tire like the Silent Armor's in the size of 265/70/18 which is a 32.6" diameter. I just don't see the need for a wider tire and for all the highway miles your friend will be saving a lot of money of fuel and increasing his highway range significantly.

He will probably appreciate the lighter weight (while gaining a bit of sidewall puncture resistance) and more nimble handling too, especially off-road or if he gets caught in a virginia snowstorm.

 

What about 285 75 18 toyo mtr? I got a good good deal, checking fit tomorrow. 2010 FX4 s/c. Stock suspension. Think they'll fit?

 

The gear ratio for my truck is 3.73, the gvwr is around 5,700-5,800, the truck will be used to get back and forth to school and light off-roading every now and then, I like the stock 18 inch clad chrome rims, but I also would like to run 35s, I also plan on putting a 1-2inch lift then a leveling kit afterwards. I also want decent fuel range for what it will have in terms of mods, btw the engine is a 4.6l 3v.