Hey everyone,

At 35,000 miles the factory VancoFourSeasons were getting worn out. The back two were at 3/32nds, and the fronts were around 5/32nds, presumably uneven because I didn't rotate them. After a disappointing run in our first snowfall of the year I went tire shopping. I remember six months ago the only tires I could find in the stock size were the OEM Hankooks and Continentals, but I was happy to find that Firestone now makes their Transforce HT in 235/65R16C. They're also substantially cheaper than the Continentals, at $137/tire at my local Firestone.

Picked up a set of four mounted and balanced for $567 after tax on a Black Friday sale. Measured the tread at 10/32nds, as opposed to 11/32nds on the Continental spare that's still hanging under the van never used. These puppies are fresh, too...date code of 4516 means they were manufactured just two weeks ago. They seem to ride and grip better than my worn out Contis, and I hope to get at least as many miles out of them.

Here are a few photos:

 

I love new tires. The small size used on the Transit definitely makes tires hard to find, but it looks like Firestone is getting into the market. I know the local contractor who built our garage uses Transforces on his 4WD F350 year round, including for plowing snow and pulling around trailers (although he's got a dump truck for the real big stuff). Good luck for many safe miles with them.

George

 

Thanks, George!

More than the size, the paucity of tire choices has a lot to do with the euro-metric load standard they require. You can swap LT225/75R16s and have over a dozen choices, but these are only rated for 2,680 lbs per tire, which would be underrated for the 5,730 lb RAWR. The 235/75R16C the Transit uses are rated for 3,195 lbs per tire, and the OEM Contis accomplish this at 94 PSI. The replacement Transforce HTs are rated for 3,195 at 84 PSI.

Until now the Sprinter is the only van I'm aware of that uses this kind of tire. I would expect to see more options now that the much higher volume Transit and ProMaster are here.

 

Yup, as a self admitted tire geek, I certainly know the high load ratings required; one reason I did not buy a Sprinter in 2003 (and bought my E150 instead) was the high pressure tires that made the van crash and bang over bumps...and I wanted a plusher passenger conversion for my use. I also had concerns about body rust, a diesel, price, and the unsure prospects of parts/svc (these were when the Sprinter was being sold as an International).

It makes a lot of sense to minimize tire (and wheel well) size so the box size of a van can be maximized; pickups have room for huge tires but even the E vans can't take much in the way of tire upsizing....and the new gen Sprinter, ProMaster and Transit have absolutely tiny tires by American truck standards.

I did a quick check at Discount Tire (my fave dealer) and they also list a Cooper tire in an E load range in that size, but the price you paid was less than the Cooper, as well as the load range C Hankook and Contis they carry.

Like I said, good luck for many safe miles with the Firestones.
George