I need some help and I'm looking for some experienced views. I need to replace my P275/55/R20 111HPirelli Scorpion STR tires, but the tires I would like to use are 111T's. According to Ford, they recommend 111H at least for my 07 Expy Lmd EL 4x4. What do you guys think? I'm looking at the Michelin LTX M/S 2 tire, which by all acounts is a better tire than the Pirelli stock tires, but they have a lower speed rating. Should this be of concern to me? It isn't like I do high speed chases in my Expy anyway, but I have read that higher rated tires have better handling at freeway speeds also. Any thoughts?

 

The LTX M/S2 will be just fine. I have them on my F150 in a 275/60/20.

Your Expy is limited to right at or just below 100mph anyway, so you'll never reach the tire's tops. You cannot go wrong with the M/S2, that is unless you need something more agressive.

 

@MCDavis - thanks for the reply. I know that I will never have my Expy over 100 anyway, I just wanted to be sure that there wouldn't be any handling issues with/without load at 75mph. I don't know why manufacturers put such high requirements unless it matters. I assume it is for liability reasons, so people won't try to sue if they go careening out of control.

 

I've had my F150 pretty well loaded: 5 people ranging from 125lbs to 215lbs each, with coolers, a table, drinks, beer, and food for a sporting event last Spring. 35 miles from my house to the event at 75mph and she handled like a dream. The truck was riding on the helper springs for the most part, as she was sitting completely level. Didn't feel the least bit squirmish at any point and that's about the heaviest I've had her loaded. I'm assuming that I was right at the almost 1500lbs my truck can take...according to the door jamb sticker.

 

One more thing, FWIW, I'd be more concerned about the load rating, than the speed rating. You've got a pretty hefty EL there, and you might want to look into the 275/60/20 instead of the 275/55/20 as the 60 ratio tire is rated about another 200lbs more per tire than the 55 ratio. A heavier rating means a slighty stronger sidewall.

The 275/60/20 is what I run on a stock F150, and Tylus just put a set of Firestone's in the same size on his wife's EL.
Just something else to consider...plus they will fill the wheel wells better!!

 

What does putting on a slightly higher ratio tire do to the truck? Will it mess up the speedometer/tachometer, bottom out in the wheel well? I shouldn't need to change the wheels as well would I? I currently have the stock wheels.

 

Well most vehicles have about a 3% difference between actual speed, and what your speedo says...with the speedo reading slightly higher. In my case, after the 60 series tire, my speedo is dead accurate (GPS tested) upwards of 80mph.
You won't need new wheels and you won't need suspension mods if you want to go to a 60 series/ratio in the 275/60/20.

Here's a thread by Tylus who recently put 275/60/20s on his wife's 2wd EL:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...lli-tires.html