Hello,
I just purchased a 2018 F150 XLT 4X4 Speacial Edition in Leadfoot Grey.

I do not like the factory rake and wanted to go with a bigger tire. I've been trying to read up as much as possible and have come up with the following but would like everyone's opinion.

• Rough Country 3" Bolt on Lift
  • This comes with
    • Forged Aluminum Upper Control Arms to fix angle
    • V2 Monotube Shocks
    • Rear Blocks and Shocks
    • etc....
• Tires: Nitto Ridge Grappler LT295/60/R20
• Wheels: This is where I get lost. Can I run my Stock 20" OEM wheels with these tires until I am ready for wheels. I believe I have to purchase a 1/4" spacer (Not sure why though).
• When I am ready to purchase wheels what is the "+" number used for ie....20x9 6x135/6x139.7 +1mm. I do not want to sling rocks and mud everywhere and would do not want the tires sticking out much from the fenders.

This is also a street truck and will never go off road (Besides the yearly trip to the mountains)

Thank you.
Mike

 

Welcome to FTE Leadfoot18!

Read through this thread before you spend your money.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ling-woes.html

You can go with up to a 285/65/20 (34.8”), but I would stick with a 275/65/20 (34.1”). I believe Nitto makes one in an SL load rating, which will give you a significantly better ride. You will like you wheels much better with bigger tires on them.

With the kit you’re looking at, a spacer is recommended to push the factory wheel out to avoid contact with the UCA.

Ask Smokewagon about Rough Country. I recommend ReadyLift because it fits with no issues. Avoiding UCAs allows you to keep your wheels. In my opinion, UCAs make more sense if you buy a coil over front kit like Icon, Fox etc.

 

Thank you for the quick response.
I read over the post and it looks like he had issues when having the Ford shop install spacers for his leveling kit.

What I liked about the Rough Country 3" bolt on kit was that included everything I needed to raise the truck 3" while upgrading all the shocks, front springs, and UCA.

I am open to other brands but do any of them offer an all-in-one solution (Front Shock with New Spring attached, UCA, Rear Blocks, Rear Shock, etc..) or maybe I do not need all of that.

My goal is to just get a more aggressive look in my truck that still provides a smooth ride.

Thanks again.
Mike

 

Many of us, myself and JKBrad included, just used a 2.25" leveling kit with no problems.

 

You're over thinking it. If you're going to run rough oil field, ranch or fire roads on a regular basis then get the Icon/Fox etc setup with coil overs and UCAs.

For regular use, just get a leveling kit. If your truck already has 80-100k miles on it then it might make sense to get the coil overs anyway, as your shocks would be about ready to replace.

If you have low miles, there is no sense in getting rid of the perfectly good factory shocks.

Another option is to get a set of Bilstein front shocks. Be advised though that they do ride somewhat firm on the highest (2.1") setting.

 

Like JK stated, some Nitto's are SL rated, my 305/55/20s are and the ride is awesome. If you go to an E rated tire you'll definitely feel the difference since the sidewalls are quite stiff.

 

I run nitto 295/70/18s........ with a 2.25" leveling kit in the front and a 3" block in the back...... looks great ...rides a little hard ...I'm thinking load rated E tires are the issue

 

I think General Grabbers are offered in load C ratings in some bigger sizes.

 

Indydog I think your right...... I had these nitto grapplers on my Jeep Wrangler as well.....they rode hard on that as well..... I forget why I put them on my f-150.......oh well....

 

JK,
I had a leveling kit on my last truck, 2008 F150, and the UCA angle looked pretty extreme. If I go with a leveling kit should I replace the UCA to fix this?

Thanks again.

Mike

 

If you stay at 2.25” max, you’ll be fine. 42k miles on mine so far and no issues.

The kit you linked looks like a step up from their more basic options. If that’s what you want, then give it a try and let us know. I just don’t think you need all of that for what you want to do.

 

Okay.
Since the truck is still pretty new and it will never go off-roading I will just put a 2.25" leveling kit on the front.

Now for the tire/wheel combo.
The stock tire is 275/55/20 (31.9")

With the 2.5" leveling kit can I run 295/65/20 (35.1")"
Can I also run this on the stock wheels?

Thanks,
Mike

 

I would recommend 275/65/20 (34.1”) on your stock wheel. You will get zero rubbing with this. You might be able to pull of 285/65/20 (34.8”). Get over 35” and you really need to start thinking about what gears are in your differentials.

 

JK,
Thanks for all the help. My bonus was a little more than I had planned on so...Wheels are back in the mix.
How do you think this would fit/ride.

Tire: Nitto ridge grappler LT275/65R20 126/123Q all-season tire
Wheel: Motto Metal M0970 (Part # MO97029067418) 20x9 6x135/6x139.7
Front Lift: 2.5 Spacers in front.
Rear Lift: Do I need to put any blocks in the back.

Mike

 

Stay with 2.25. You won’t need blocks in the rear unless you tow a trailer with more than 500 lbs tongue weight. Mine is 1/2”(.50”) higher in the rear with a 2.25” level in the front. I plan on going another 1” in the rear, as my truck is level with the boat hitched up. Add 4 people and gear and it’s a little lower in the back than I’d like. Don’t buy a cheap leveling kit (see my earlier link to the thread made by smokewagon).

I don’t like wheels that are drilled to fit multiple combinations. The ones you mentioned have 12 holes so they fit a multitude of six lug trucks. You will need a wheel with +12 offset/5.5” backspace. Anymore and they will stick out beyond the fender wells. Some like that look, I don’t. Plus, you would need to cut the crash bars to prevent rubbing when turning. The wheels you referenced don’t have a backspace mentioned.

Ford wheels are hub centric, meaning that the wheels are designed to fit tightly on the hub to better center it. Most aftermarket wheels are lug centric which means that the lugs center the wheels. Nothing really wrong with that, but you want a wheel that has only six lug holes on it so that you get the most material possible in the hub area. Also, look for a fairly popular wheel. If you ever damage one, a replacement will be easy to find. You OEM wheels are 18x8.5, so the tires you mentioned will fit. You may not like your OEM wheels though, that's a matter of personal preference.