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Hi all. I'm in the market for some new wheels and tires and wanted to know if going from an 18" wheel to a 17" wheel is possible. I can save a few hundred bucks if I can. What is the downside to either. I have a '19 XL STX FX4 gasser. I do not tow heavy and do not like the look of a huge diameter wheel anyway. Thanks.
All other things being equal (outside diameter of tire, offset, backspacing, load rating, etc) the size of the wheel won't matter. If you have the same outside diameter tires, you may end up with a slightly softer ride (more sidewall to flex).
The only advice I have for you wanting to run 17s is to have whoever balances the wheel/ tire package be aware of stick on weight placement because the brake calipers will peel them right off if they are not off center.
I like the look of the 18" wheel. Check prices of tires. When I went from 17" to 18" wheels, the tires with the same diameter were less expensive. Someone told me that its because the manufacturer uses less rubber
17’s look really good. There are several on the forum. I, like you, appreciate more sidewall. I am just running 35’s on factory 18’s and I like the setup. I do think weights, as mentioned above, create problems since the space between the wheel and the caliper is paper thin. I’d go 18’s just because of that but I like the look of 17’s.
I have stock 17" rims with 35s. Rides pretty well for a one ton truck. I used the balancing beads rather than weights, so no issues with caliper clearance. Beads only cost a few bucks per tire...
Good to know and makes sense. Is there any difference to towing or payload with the 17s vs the 18s?
Ford’s 17” wheels have a lower load rating than the 18” or 20” wheels; see below. However, I suspect the 17” wheels are compatible with the F250’s GVWR, GAWR, and payload specs.
I went from 18" OEM wheels to 17" Method wheels. I cheaped out and didn't use Dynabeads, so the tire shop used stick-on weights. The wheel weights on the drivers front rubbed the caliper a little bit, but after a couple weeks it fully wore in and clearanced itself.
I went with 17's because tires were $300 a set cheaper than 18's. Cheaper tires will pay for my wheels in short order...
We've done quite a few setups with 17" wheels that are properly load rated based on the GAWR and matching tires. Let us know if we can help. The Method NV HD like ATC Crazy has above is a pretty popular option.
37 muds on 17s is a sweet combo imo. most people dont like the big sidewall offroad look but i think its the best. weights can be placed on the wheel ID toward the outside and it doesnt interfere with the caliper
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