I am a novice with this truck and wonder about brands, models for tires. I think it has 16 1/2" rims. Will be mostly city/highway driving, but also some farm use and some snow. Any suggestions? I've never purchased anything other than passenger and light truck tires.

 

Find your self some 16" wheels off of a newer Ford truck old 16.5 rubber like the 8.25-16.5 and 9.50-16.5 are too hard to find not many choices.

 

Is this a silly question...can you just measure the diameter to know for sure if the wheels are 16 or 16 1/2? or is it listed somewhere on the truck, like by the specs on the door?

 

Look at the size of the tires on your truck. It will say something like 235 75R16.5. The .....16.5 is the rim diameter. If there is no tire on the rim, most (stock) rims will be stamped on the inside somewhere.
If you haul heavy loads, you'll want load range "E" tires, as that was what came on the truck.
Definetly get some 16" rims and buy the tires of your choice. Check out Wally World, I got mine there for about 80 bucks a piece. There are only two companies that even make a 16.5" load range E tire, and the prices start at $160ea. Much cheaper to find 16" wheels in a salvage yard and save yourself a heap of money on the tires.
As far as brand/tread pattern, tires are rated A,B, or C for wet traction, dry traction, braking, handling, road noise, load carrying, snow, ice and mud traction depending on the tire, A being the best performer. With these in mind, pick out what fits your rims and your budget. Just remember to make sure you get at least a load range D tire, or if you plan on hauling heavy loads, a load range E.

 

Very helpful to all of you. The tires that are not marked, but I found a receipt for one that says 950R-16.5. Budget being a factor, I might find some tires for these rims and then follow your 16" suggestion in the spring.

Thanks.

 

If you want wide mud/floatation tires, there are plenty of tire choices for 16.5" wheels. I run 33x12.50-16.5 BFG All Terrains on my F350. The limiting factor there is the wheel width. My rims are 10" wide to run 12.5" tires. If your rims are skinny, then yeah you will probably have trouble finding many choices of skinny tires for 16.5's. Pick up an off-road magazine from your local newsstand and in the back there are usually ads from tire sellers showing what tires they sell in various sizes. Most are aggressive off-road treads.