Originally Posted by
DAVE67FD
If you have a limited amount on your budget i would suggest sticking with your stock wheels and going to a narrow 33 or 34" tire. Tirerack.com will get you started on some tire ideas. If you decide to go larger (35" or higher) you may want to go with the leveling kit as mentioned. Be aware there is more to just adding tires wheels and lift/level kit. To do all of this correctly and properly you could easily be into $2500 and up. Include wheel/tire, lift, mounting, balancing, alignment, installation etc.. If you do all this you will probably want or need to purchase new/performance shocks, stabilizer, possibly track bar etc...
Seeing as you have the 250 and decide to go with a leveling kit (2.5" for example) you may realize you will want/need to lift the rear to level the truck resulting obviously in additional costs.
Set goals for the truck that you want and take your time to research all the possibilities and options. Purchase the items you decide on in intervals until you have what you want. You will loose performance and economy period. That is the price you pay for modifying it. Additional costs will be involved to recoup the performance but your economy will typically never return.
If you really need tires now, purchase some new stock or 275/285 tires and in the meantime do your homework.
Solid advice! That's exactly what I'm doing. I was in the same position when I purchased my F350 last year. The truck was bone stock and needed new tires. I had a general idea about what mods I wanted to install (tires, wheels, lift kit, etc) but did not want to commit to the mods to later determine they were not what I really wanted. So I installed new Michelin AT2's (stock size) and started my research.
I started out thinking that I wanted 35" tires and a 4.5" Icon lift kit. This is a very popular combination for good reasons. However, I wanted something more hardcore. I then decided on 37" tires and a 7" Icon lift kit. However, 37" tires and taller are too large for the OEM fender wells so I started looking at how I could resolve this issue. I then decided on 40" tires and Bushwacker "cut-out" fender flares. The COFF's would allow me to install very large tires with minimal lift. This would improve handling and access to the cab and bed.
I've already purchased 18x10 Ion Terminator wheels, 40" MT Baja Claw tires, the Bushwacker flares, Mag-Hytec front & rear differential covers and transmission cover, new headlights, and a new grille but I haven't installed anything. I know that I want Yukon 5.38 gears and Eaton differentials, which will be the next purchase. I'm still undecided about the lift kit but am looking at either the 7" Icon lift kit or the 8" Pure Performance lift kit. The 4.5" Icon lift kit will provide sufficient lift for the 40" tires with the COFF's. However, you get 50% more wheel articulation by going to the 7" Icon lift kit and the cost is basically the same.
I neither have the tools, a garage, or the skills to do the install of the gears and lift kit myself. So my goal is to try to minimize the installation cost by having everything done at one time. It's going to be one hell of a transformation but worth the wait to get it right the first time.
If you combine research and patience, then you will get exactly what you want with no regrets.