Whats the biggest size tires I can run with on my stock suspension e350 SD with fender/bumper trimming?

Anyone done this?

 

deez, It depends quite a bit on what engine (how heavy) and what front spring code you have and also how much they have sagged. Another factor is tire width and offset of your wheels. The first place you will see rubbing is not the bumper or fender. The driver's side front tire will rub right below the brake pedal on a body reinforcement. It can be hammer clearanced to not rub on tight left turns. I have a 2003 E-350 with the 7.3 diesel so that's as heavy as you can get. I have 265/75 R16 Michelins on it now with no rubbing whatsoever. I had the black cargo van front bumper on it originally. When I switched to the front chrome bumper with grey plastic valance, I had to space the bumper out about 3/8" with washers to prevent rubbing the plastic. I also replaced my front sagging coils with Tough Truck Coils #TTC-2814. They are thicker than stock and rated around 3935#. They lifted it back up to original stance or higher. The other place you have to watch with larger tires is the rears can rub on the inside fenders with a heavy load. I have seen guys hammer them some, use 1/4" wheel spacers, or offset wheels. Anything is better than tearing up your inside sidewalls the first time you haul some weight. A rear helper spring wouldn't hurt either. There are threads on here about guys trimming fenders and bumpers too, but in my opinion, it is far easier to put some better coils on. These model years are significantly under sprung in the front compared to the previous and newer vans. Hope that helps.

 

mounted 265/75-16 and cutted and hammered the back part of the wheel housing. inside the housing everything works... e250 97'.. i think for everything bigger you Need to cut out sections or lift your car

 

255/60/17's on my E150 with no rubbing.

 

i have the 6.8 v10. spring code LS (what does LS imply?)
Looks like 265/75 16 shouldnt be too bad but would like to try 285/75 16s.
Maybe Ill look for a used set to try first.

I just now got the van running right since I bought it 3 months or so ago (had broke trigger wheel and replaced timing chains etc while in there) so I havnt had a chance to really get the feel for if the springs feel wore out or not. They dont look to be sagging but could be wrong.

 

285/75's are 33" tall and I think even Camburg lift kits spec 265/75x16's as the max size that should be used with their 4-6" lift. I know that people have fit 33's on lifted vans which still required cutting.

A van is not a pickup. It is a box with relatively small wheel wells cut out of it and the front wheel wells compete for room with the engine cover and passenger footwells, as well as the wheels having to turn while deflecting.

George

 

Agreed, the goal is to fill the wheel well up with wheel and use low profile tires but as the profile gets smaller so does the weight rating so choices become limited quickly, with a van you want a weight rating on each tire of at least 2,000lbs which provides 8,000lbs capacity (in my case) and the smallest i could go was 60's and the tire is still 30" tall..

 

Giant diameter wheels with low profile make no sense on a truck. I like larger rubber on reasonably sized wheels, not rubber bands on huge wheels which get trashed the first time you hit a chuckhole.

The Ford Raptor uses 35" tires on 17" wheels, which is what I like on a truck. It's all about personal preference and esthetics, of course, but trucks need some height in their tires to carry the weight and deal with road hazards.

George

 

I have seen vans with 20's and 22's and SMH, used car dealers throw that junk on there to help it sell and people buy it not realizing it's a blow-out just waiting to happen..

 

I see all kinds of hilarious stuff in inner-city Detroit like Hummers with 24's and rubber bands. Not only are these wheels and tires really expensive, they are probably bought via a loan. I have trashed 60 series tires in chuckholes so I am wary. Our road conditions stink.

 

I haven't heard that word since I lived in Michigan. That takes me back.

(And no this is not a joke about Michigan roads- I really am just referring to the word being regional).

 

just say no