Tire swap
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
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From: Northeast, OK
First, you have to determine if your F100 has 5 x 4 1/2 wheels or 5 x 5 1/2 wheels. We cannot tell you that, and F100's came with both. Do some searching on here as that topic has been well covered.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Cadillac, Michigan
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 77
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From: Pine Mountain, GA
My F250 XL currently has 265/75R16s on but the sticker in the door panel says I need 235/85R16s. The rims appear stock; at least, I can't see someone buying new rims like that, but if the door panel is correct they most certainly are not.
Any downsides to running with a non-stock tire of this size? Tire diameter should be about the same, just wider I guess.
Any downsides to running with a non-stock tire of this size? Tire diameter should be about the same, just wider I guess.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
Likes: 48
From: Northeast, OK
Check some place like Tire Rack to see what width rim your tire needs. If the rims you have are the right size then you are ok. If not, you should go to a tire that fits the rim or rim that fits the tire. That's because handling and braking are compromised otherwise.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
These trucks came spec'd from the factory to use skinny tires because that's where you're going to get your best fuel mileage (remember that this was the era of the 55 MPH national speed limit and not too awful long after the Arab oil embargo and what have you). Wider tires increase rolling resistance which increases fuel usage.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
Good plan, Stan.
As an example of what can happen, my brother recently brought his new-to-him FJ Cruiser over for me to test drive. We hadn't gotten more than half a mile when I realized it didn't drive well. It followed every crack in the road, bump-steered, turned on its own during braking, and was otherwise ornery. I asked what the tire pressures were and he explained that he'd tried high, low, and right-on pressures, to no avail.
We took it back to my place and looked at Tire Rack to see how the wheels and tires matched, and found that the wheels were much too narrow for the tires. He took it back to where he'd bought it and they split the cost with him of replacing the tires with ones that were the correct size for the rims. Night and day difference! It now drives like a new vehicle, not following cracks, bump-steering, or turning on its own during braking.
As an example of what can happen, my brother recently brought his new-to-him FJ Cruiser over for me to test drive. We hadn't gotten more than half a mile when I realized it didn't drive well. It followed every crack in the road, bump-steered, turned on its own during braking, and was otherwise ornery. I asked what the tire pressures were and he explained that he'd tried high, low, and right-on pressures, to no avail.
We took it back to my place and looked at Tire Rack to see how the wheels and tires matched, and found that the wheels were much too narrow for the tires. He took it back to where he'd bought it and they split the cost with him of replacing the tires with ones that were the correct size for the rims. Night and day difference! It now drives like a new vehicle, not following cracks, bump-steering, or turning on its own during braking.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Roseville, MN
The '96 F-150 (old body style) was still 5 x 5.5". The '97 F-150 (new body style) was the first F-150 with the metric bolt pattern.
265/75R16 and 235/85R16 are tire sizes. The fact that you don't have the stock tire size doesn't mean your rims aren't stock. The 265/75R16 (10.4" wide, 31.7" tall on a 16" rim) and the 235/85R16 (9.3" wide, 31.7" tall) are close enough to the same size that you could definitely run them on the same rims. As others have said, the added width won't help your mileage, and handling might be affected. But those are close enough that you probably wouldn't notice much difference in handling, and likely not in mileage either unless you track it pretty closely.
My F250 XL currently has 265/75R16s on but the sticker in the door panel says I need 235/85R16s. The rims appear stock; at least, I can't see someone buying new rims like that, but if the door panel is correct they most certainly are not.
Any downsides to running with a non-stock tire of this size? Tire diameter should be about the same, just wider I guess.
Any downsides to running with a non-stock tire of this size? Tire diameter should be about the same, just wider I guess.
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