Ford's factory aluminum rims for the 2016 F-450 pickup are not Alcoas.

If you look carefully on the inside of the rim where the weight and pressure ratings are stamped, you might find the word "CHINA".

There might be a subtle hand hole design difference in either diameter or location on the disc that may or may not match Ford's own imported wheels. If perfection is what your discerning eye demands, then you might notice these cosmetic differences. Functionally, the Alcoa wheels specified for 10 lug '05 up Fords with 225 bolt circle diameter will fit your front hubs just as well as the imported Ford wheels.

However, neither the Alcoa nor the factory wheel will fit your chosen tire size. 245 tires require a minimum rim width of 6.75", and the OEM rim width is only 6". The shortfall in rim width for tire shoulder and sidewall support is only part of the problem. The other issue is minimum dual spacing, where the OEM 6" rim set lacks the offset to space the 245's apart from each other within a pairing to meet the specifications of Toyo, Alcoa, Ford, and whoever the manufacture in China was who made Ford's wheels.

If you want to run 245's, I'd suggest seeking out wheels designed for Ford's F-53 stripped motorhome chassis. Those are 6.75" wide, which meets the minimum rim width for a 245 tire (optimal is 7"), and also have the correct offset for dual spacing. Otherwise, the wheels are identical in hub pilot diameter, bolt circle diameter, hand hole count, weight rating, pressure rating, and number of lugs.

Just one thing though... they are all steel. If bright bling is your thing, you'd have to use stainless steel skins. But these have several advantages over aluminum. If you curb the front wheels as much as the previous owner did, you'd merely replace the skins, like hubcaps, without having to break down the tire from the wheel. Also, if you rotate, any tire can go in any position without regard to polished or unpolished sides, or breaking down tires from wheels.

In sum, the bigger concern than which brand to replace your scuffed up front wheels with is the size of all 7 of your wheels, including your spare, if you plan to upsize your tires to 245. No matter how many may follow with "I've run em without a problem", the tire companies are all in agreement and are very clear about minimum rim width for a 245 19.5 tire. I trust that they have good reason for this, as they are in the business of making tires, and have nothing to gain from owners having to buy new wheels to fit them.

 

Really China ... That sucks ... LOL

Thanks for the great follow up . I will admit I have run 19.5 - 245's on Alcoa's on a few local shop trucks , never hauled any extremely heavy loads .

You do bring home more than a few good points about upgrading to the correct wider wheel . I'm still shaking my head about Chinese wheels LOL ... I have not owed a Ford in 18yrs and it was 7.3 was a great truck except for the whole rusting thing ... LOL

I am going to take a look for a set of F-53 like you said and may look at Ricksons but they are pricey from what I understand , I was willing to put out the money for the Alcoa's no reason not to go steel with the Stainless .

Do you know if the lugs are different going from Aluminum to steel ?

Thank again for the great info .

 

I know right? The first aluminum wheels for the F-450/550 back in the 7.3l days I think were Alcoas. Then Accurides. The steelies were Accurides from the beginning, including the F-53. Somewhere along the way, and I don't know when, Ford stopped using the name brand wheels and shifted more parts supply to China sources. GM has done the same. Nothing like buying a "Heartbeat of America" clearance light in person over the counter from Mr. Goodwrench himself and being handed a Genuine GM part that says "China". Heck I coulda got that at harbor freight. I just don't want anyone to think I'm picking on Ford in particular, since my last few posts have not exactly dribbled with blue koolaide praise.

I run steelies and skins. If I ran aluminum, I'd try and find some legacy Alcoas forged in USA, but I don't like the inconvenience of aluminum on light truck dualies, even though I can appreciate the reduction in unsprung weight. Steelies are so much more convenient, any tire, any position, any spare. Scuff up the skins who cares? I curb them from time to time, but I still havent replaced them because scratches to what essentially amount to hubcaps are not as psychologically brutal to look at as scuffed up aluminum wheels. It's just a truck after all.

The OEM swivelling lug nuts will work just the same, as long as you have the OEM nuts. Never know when you are the second or third owner. The bolt circle diameter, number of lug nuts, hub land depth, hub pilot diameter... All the same, as long as you are comparing 2005 and up 10 lug applications. As you know, previous F-450/550/53 model years from 99-04 used 8 lugs on the same 225mm bolt circle, with a stud thread pitch change in 2002.

You'll have to stick with F-450/550/53 applications, since GM 4500/5500 19.5 rims from 2004-2009 have a larger bolt circle diameter, 275mm I think, so those wheels won't work. Nor will Ford F650 LoPro 19.5's, as they have a larger bolt circle diameter also.

 

 

Thanks for posting an alternative resource.

Every business has it's glory days. But those days don't last forever. The glory days of Sears were in the middle of the last century. They are over now, while Amazon basks in today's sun. The glory days of Rickson were in the mid to late nineties thru the early aughts. Their days might be waning also. Who knows? I only use stock wheels, so I'll never know.

60 lbs a wheel with a clamp in valve. Then add tires that are also 15 - 20 lbs heavier each. That's 35 more lbs per tire of unsprung weight, or 140 more lbs of unsprung weight on the rear axle alone. Are you sure you really need 245's? Can't you save the Toyos you got a good deal on for another truck in your fleet that already runs 245's?

Otherwise, yeah, I'd grab the Accurides for 141.

Maybe Rickson meant that Rickson was discontinuing selling Accurides, not that Accuride was discontinuing them? Also, Accuride may no longer be the OEM for Ford wheels any more like they used to. I'm not sure, because I haven't dealt with any new Ford chassis cabs... but it is a possibility that a part can still be active until stock is depleted, without it still being manufactured. Dana has done this repeatedly with various axle components... still an active part, but only while currently built parts still in the distribution channel last, with no plans to replenish stock again, regardless of new orders. That sort of thing. Just speculating different possibilities giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.

 

I did some more research on the Accuride turns out the wheel is now a Freightliner number thats why the wheel is coming PKBLK Poweder Koted Black which is great for me my truck is Black . I bought 7 wheels so for 900 bucks that was a great deal .
Yes 245's are a good size I need , I am in the greater northeast Pa , NJ , NY my Business is boats but have 30' Toy haulers on Dirt and Coal tailings ... Stock tires get stuck in grass ... LOL
We get bit of all weather up hear HSR tires are for City tow truck guys .
I have a few trucks just have not had a Ford in 17yrs and figured 2015/2016 was the best over built truck made , I have Cummins and Duramax which are fine trucks but feel this F-450 is a better truck .
That was 141 minus 10% being a new customer ... LOL
They are Black and may look good with stock Ford center caps and Rickson trim rings .
Figure once I fine turn the new and sell off the old set , figure a full set of 7 wheels with 12k on them should bring 1500 or so with the minor front wheel scrapes .

 

 

My F-350 is an SRW, not dually. It came with Rickson rims. I dropped down from the 285 Michelins it came with to 245 Dayton. Still can feel the unsprung weight. Gonna have to pony up for Fox 2.0 shocks to make it feel right on the road. Have the original Ranchos in each corner with 287.000 miles on them. The feel of the extra weight tells me factory shocks or Bilsteins are just not going to be enough.

 

The 2016 has that big Dana S130 so could help with the rear un sprung weight . I was planing a BDS 2.5 lift down the road and the Fox 2.0 or 2.5 can be a option .

 

I've read several articles where ppl have been putting 245's on 6" 19.5 wheels.
I also ready they will last twice as long, but will ride stiffer since the ply rating goes up.

Confirm? Comments? Facts?

 

IIRC, 225 is the largest size on a 6" wide rim. Need 6.5" or 7" to go taller.

They do ride harder, and for most users will age out long before they wear out. They are also heavier, so better shocks may be needed.

Many can be re-grooved, plan on doing that around the 5 yr point, no later than 7 years. Passenger tires are generally limited to 5 or 7 years, commercial tires often have a 10 year life (from some manufacturer sites I looked at). Still, many shops will not work on tires they deem to be too old.

What else did I learn...

They come in three forms. Drive, Steer, and All-position. I am running drive tires on all 4 corners, will have to rotate them often to avoid cupping on the fronts. All-position tires are more expensive than the other two forms. RV tires (in the 19.5 size) will give a much better ride than commercial service versions, but the price goes up dramatically.

 

 

Whatever tire it is that 4WheelGreg posted a picture of immediately above. with the two blue stripes, the one white stripe, and the two green stripes running circumferentially around the five rows of tread blocks.... that looks to me like it has the fundamentals of a good wet traction tire that can bite through slush. Technically seven rows of tread blocks, but uniquely, the outboard rows of tread blocks are simultaneously siamesed together and staggered at the same time. The siamesing adds more shoulder support to the outer ribs of the tread, similar to a closed shoulder steer tire, but in this unique case having an open shouldered edge to get that bite. Sort of a bit of both worlds between drive and steer. These must be all position tires? What are they? Toyo M920's?

The tires in the photo also have factory cut sipes in all tread blocks. Zig Zagging sipes at that. 4 sipes per tread block. 7 rows of tread blocks. Am going to take a SWAG and say 50 tread blocks per row. 4x7x50 =1,400 sipes! Are you kidding me? Think about how much it would cost to have a tire shop cut that many sipes in a tire, if tire shops still do that sort of thing. If tire shops even know nowadays what sipes are. 1,400 factory formed zig zag sipes is simply beyond the capability of any tire shop siping machine. And these sipes are already included with the tire... which increases wet traction performance.

This tire looks to me like the kind of tire ideally suited to make tracks following those 'noreaster storms. Not meaty military monster chevrons that roar down the road screaming I'm a big boy with a big toy look at me... but rather seriously engineered tires designed to attack the more practical motoring conditions that one would realistically encounter, here on earth, not in some imaginary war zone that some people seem to fit tires for.

I'm very happy with the Michelin XDS2 tires, which I chose specifically for wet traction and very light snow over mountain passes, because I don't drive in heavy snow. But if Michelin stopped manufacturing tires, and I needed an alternative, the tires shown in the photo above would certainly get some consideration for the drive axle.

 

Confirm? Yes, people put oversized tires on rims not designed for them all the time.
Comments? It's too bad we have to share the same roads with people who do things that are not in their own best interests, because the interests of others are actually at stake as well.
Facts? It is a verified, indisputable fact that a 245 19.5 tire requires at least a 6.75" rim minimum, with a 7.00" rim being ideal.