Hey all,

I have been searching this topic for a few days and haven't seen what I am looking for. so I apologize in advance for continuing to kick a dead horse.

I recently got my 1997 F250 HD with 7.5/460ci, it has needed some work that I have been doing to get it drivable again. I have everything almost buttoned up but now I am in need of tires. It currently has the Ford factory 16x7in wheels and has the metric equivalents to a 33in ( I forgot to grab the exact size), it is sitting on the stock leaf springs and has a two leaf set up in the front, as well as the front bumper has been cut and doesn't look shimmed in the front.

wanting to get a 35in tire or the biggest I can fit (just like everyone else seeming to ask this question) and I am wanting to keep my factory wheels. does anyone have experience with running 35's on factory wheels? what with tire am I able to go with that wont balloon the tires being it will be on a 7in wide rim? Are 33's the biggest I can run without rubbing leafs or strut tower as well as fenders ( I can cut more or shim my front bumper more if needing to)?

his truck wont be a daily driver due to its extremely economical power train. It may have a trailer behind it from time to time and will be used as a hunting/camping rig. I was thinking of an R/T or M/T tire.

Thank you in advance!!!

 

Honestly I don't think it will fit 35's at stock height. My 97 has 33x12.5, and only misses the bottom corner of the fender by about an inch. And that's with aftermarket wheels that have much more backspacing/offset.

 

Fastback460,

thanks for the response. I will look this evening and see what size tires are currently on there. I know they are not 12.5.

BTW I have been reading on your build, that thing turned out nice!

 

Thanks man!

If they are 33" then they are most likely 285/75/R16., which may be the biggest you can go on the factory rims.
Unless you get a really skinny tire, then you may be able to go taller. But I can't say for sure since I've never tried anything taller then 33"

 

Nice truck, personally I wouldn't change a thing, maybe slop some paint on that frame.

 

Thanks Robert! it needs some work yet to be road worthy. it was seriously neglected when I got it but being in AZ the body is rust free and for an old neglected work truck it surprisingly isn't all dented up. the frame and inner fenders are defiantly going to get painted in time. I have had the truck for two weeks now and I knew I was buying something I was going to need to work on. so far I have been chasing ATF, Coolant and Oil leaks and still working on those, although I have the ATF fixed and coolant I believe but next it tires and dropping that dreaded oil pan to change that gasket

 

The 7" wide rim will restrict the width of tire you can run. You'll need to keep it around 10.5" wide or narrower.

 

Update: I finally got my tires. I ended up going to a 285/75r16 as Fastback recommended. It was the same size that was on the truck before so I knew I wouldn't have any clearing issues. I think with the bumper cut I could have gotten a little bigger but from a cost perspective I like what I got so far. I ended up with Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3. I wanted something more aggressive as I will mainly be using this truck for hunting and camping.

didn't want to leave this with out an update on what I got.
thanks again for all the help and recommendations, now on to fix the oil leak and hunting through the forms on best way to replace the oil pan gasket