Ok, so now I need new tires. I was going to get new tires soon anyway, but wanted to recover from vacation a little and maybe get them a little later in the summer.

I have 245/75/16 tires now. I think they are a tad on the small side. I would like to go to a bigger tire. I know a 285/75/16 will fit, but thats a pretty big tire (over 32 inches). The tire I have now is about 30 inches tall.

I've seen 265/75/16's and they look pretty good. I'm afraid the 285's will really stuff the wheel wells and actually make the truck look lower.

I will be getting BFG AT TA's. Despite they're a bit pricey, I've used them before and am familiar with their performance. I know there are alot of nice all purpose tires out there (BIG O and Interco make nice ones) but I don't feel like experimenting and am couting on getting credit at the tire store since I am short on cash. I guess I could get a more highway tire since I mostly commute, almost never go offroad, and seemed to do ok on my crappy Goodyear Wranglers in the 24 inches of snow we got this year.

Any opinions: 265 or 285's?

Should I seriously consider a different tire?

 

I would go with the 265's. Isn't that the original size? I'm not for sure on that, you would have to check the door sticker for that. Mine has 265/75/17's on it factory so I guess it's all in what you prefer. A girl at work has 285's on her 2 wheel drive, but it has a 3" body lift on it(why she did it, I'll never know). It sits about the same as a 4x4 now and she has no clearance problems.
As for the BFG's, I think that BFG makes the best tires out there. Every since my original Goodyears wore out on my Mustang that I bought new(only 19,000 miles and they were bald, I drove it pretty adult like at that time). I replaced them with Comp T/A's and got 40,000 miles out of them. I have used nothing but BFG's on my car since and I will probably put them on my truck when the time comes.
Jimmy

 

No, like I said I have 245/75/16's, you have the optional 17 inch wheels, and they came with a 265/70 series tire, which is almost the same height as a 265/75 16. 285's will fit with no problem i'm just not sure I want to go that big.

In fact, I think the tire/wheel combo you have looks about right on the truck. thanks for the thoughts!

 

Yeah, I like the look myself. I know that the 17" tires are probably more expensive. I'll find outwhen the time comes. I agree, the 265 will probably look the best. they will throw your speedo off less too.
Jimmy

 

I had to make the same choice last summer - I had some truely terrible rubber on the 2001 F-150 4x4 I had just bought used (General LT235/75/R16's, which were merely rim protectors).

I went with the LT265/75/R16's, which fit nicely in the wheelwells and gave the truck a more burly appearance. The speedo is off about 9%, but hey, the miles don't pile up so fast on the odometer now. My wife doesn't like having to hoist herself an extra 1" up into the cab, but that just gave me an excuse to buy nerf bars. I considered 285's, but have made mistakes in the past with tires that rubbed the fenders.

The Goodrich AT T/A KO's are a great tire - I have a set on my Explorer and the snow traction is fantastic. I've had T/A's on other vehicles too, and no disappointments. I wasn't too thrilled with the price on them for the bigger size of the 265's, however, so I went with Yokohama Geolandar all-terrains (AT II's, I think). They have been a great tire, good in Wyoming snow, and the tread is a nice balance between aggressively knobby and highway-quiet. About $30 less per tire than the BFG's. My 2 cents . . . .

 

I would second the 265/75-16's. I use that size for my snow tires (w/ Expedition aluminum wheels), and I think they look right. There also seems to be more competition in that size, so they are cheaper.

My truck came from the factory with BFG Long Trail T/A's in size 275/60-17, which really are very good. I just didn't think they could be too good in snow.

 

i have a 98 f150 ext cab. it has the 255/75-16's on it right now. i installed the fabtech 3.5 inch performance lift, (its 2wd) and i am thinking about putting the 3.5 in. spindles or a 3 inch body on it. i was wondering what size tires would fit good with :

the 3.5 in. lift i have right now?
the 3.5 in. left plus the 3 inch body or spindles?

i want to run either 33x10.50 or 35x12.50, how much lift do i need for those?
thanks

 

I have the Goodyear Wranglers on my new (less than 2k 2003 4 X4) truck. They seem to be OK but at this point I have little to go on.

I do know that I bought a set of the BFG Long Trail T/As for my old Toyota (250k) and I thought them very nice tires for the money.

I have found that all tires are a compromise. Tread compounds may be designed for long wear or adhesion to the road. Tread design can be designed for quiet ride or comfortable ride or better handling or better off road etc. And of course the number of steel belts and general engineering design plays a significant role.

One might also review the consumers magazine to get their view of the various tires that they might review.

In the end, it seems like a matter of personal preferance and perhaps a cost issue.

 

My 2001 still has the original Goodyear RT/S tires on it. At 28,000 miles, they have about 1/2 or a little better tread left on them. They don't seem to be too bad of a tire(265/75R17). I was just looking to see what kind of price these things might run and Sears had them for $159 each. I think that I may be able to find them a little cheaper though. I am also going to look into the BFG's.
Jimmy

 

I bought mine with Bridgestone Dueler AT Revo 265/70/17 with reviews based on www.tirerack.com. So far, I'm real pleased with the tires, it looks rugged enough and it's stock but gives good smooth ride. The downside is that they're not cheap, I think it's because of size 17 tires. Yet, I immediately forgot the big bill after riding around for a while.

 

I have a 1998 F150 4x4 with 17in. rims. I was wondering how big of a tire could I go before the rubbed??

I am considering either the BFG's or the new Nitto Terra Grappler!

They have a 265/70R/17

Would it Fit or should I go with BFG's and what size???

 

That is the correct size for th 17" wheels. I mis typed the 265/75/17, it should have been 265/70/17. That is the stock sized tire for the F150 with 17" wheels. I just always prefered BFG and they are an American Made Tire.
Jimmy

 

Yes, the 265/70-17 is most common with the factory 17" wheels, but 275/60-17 is sometimes supplied. They fit and work well, but I would worry about the wide 60 series profile in snow, based on my experience in cars.

You should know that the B.F. Goodrich Co. no longer makes car or truck tires. They sold the brand name to Michelin for use in automotive products. Current BFG's are all made by Michelin. That actually makes them a better deal because Michelins labeled "Michelin" are generally more expensive.

 

I didn't know that. I knew that BFG owns Uniroyal. Everybody is always buying somebody else. As long as BFG keeps making the quality tires that they always have, I don't guess it matters who owns them.
Jimmy