I got a black 2004 Ford f-150 with a leveling kit and bushwackers on it and was wondering what kind of rims and tires I should put on it. There are so many out there and can't decide which ones to get. I want something that will fill out the flares. And suggestions??? Color? Brand? Size? Help me out ford fanatics. Please post some pics or links. Thanks!!
Tires and custom wheels are a matter of personal choice, but your selection should be based not only on what you like and can afford, but also on what you will be using your truck for. Keep in mind that installing larger than stock tires will change your gear ratio (higher, or lower numerically) so acceleration will suffer unless you change gears as well (expensive).
Larger tires will also cause your speedometer to read slower than actual speed ("gee officer, I didn't know" probably won't work) and will do bad things to fuel economy. The upside is that your truck will look and handle (if done right) much better. "Undertired" trucks look funky.
My daughter's boyfriend has a "macho man lifted-big-tire '03 150 (no offense meant, dads are tough on their daughter's boyfriends). I'll check with him and get the sizes. He drives the truck on freeways and off-road in Baja and I know the combo works.
There are many good tire brands, but I have been using BFG all-terrain T/A's for many years. We traveled from SoCal through Mexico and Central America over some of the worst roads I have seen, without even getting a flat. They have tough sidewalls for when you need to air-down.
Good luck with what sounds like a nice truck! Send photos!
One other consideration: winter salt! Aluminum alloys don't do well. If you go with them and your state salts heavily in the winter (like NY), you've got to wash them frequently otherwise they'll leak.
There is a little more to it than that . Will your engine and transmission turn that extra
weight ? If you put on a set of 33's will the tops of your fenders blow out when the
tires hit over a large bump ? Can you turn a corner without the tire rubbing on your
rubber brake hoses ? And they will. Then you re aim the headlights. Now you have to make it stop. Don't forget about the death wobble. If you have your hands in the
wrong place at the wrong time in the sterring wheel you could break a few fingers. Nice truck though.
33's would not be a "little" larger, they would be way larger and would require substantial suspension modification and gear changes. Don't go overboard on tire sizes, "biggest" is not necessarily the best. I ran 305's on a 4wd Diesel Excursion with no modifications, except for stiffer stock height front springs to prevent bottoming, and they worked great. If you go too big, you will need to address the issues mentioned by Chipset and Cat, and the results are not usually worth the expense.
As mentioned earlier, I will be in San Diego today and will check on my daughter's boyfriend's truck to see what size tires he's running. He has a 150, with larger tires, and it handles and runs great. But, he has big bucks in suspension modifications, mods which cost much more (thousands more!) than the initial cost for tires and wheels. Be prepared to take a big hit in gas mileage.
Where do you live, what type driving do you do, and what do you use the truck for?
Driver 1.jpgMine are only 16's, and, even though bigger might look a little more aggressive, the handling I'd have to give up just isn't worth it. If I was taking it out 4 wheeling, I might reconsider, but I like the all around versatility with the way it is.
Back from San Diego. Daughter's boyfriend is running 315x17's, but he has a Fabtech lift kit and offset wheels to clear the Fabtech A arms (around $550) and remote reservoir, coil over shocks, (forgot the brand). He ran 295's with stock suspension.
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