2001 F250 Superduty
I honestly appreciate anyone who even reads this post. I’m very new at this and am trying to learn the culture as fast as I can.
I replaced every front end bushing and ball and axel pivot I could find using the highest endest parts I could find.
BUT
Any dip from a gutter or bump from a tree root- my tires grab hold and pops me either on the sidewalk or on into the next lane.
PLUS
Turning side to side really strains my hydraulic steering ram.
This>>> I’m really interested in anyone’s opinion for which tires will be the easiest to turn left and right and go straight. I have no interest in all weather or performance since I won’t drive in the rain and will never leave the pavement. Plus, the embarrassing fact that this truck is only 2-wheel drive.
I can’t even find anyone outside of a TA Truckstop to balance my tires.
Current tires: TOYO M/T 38X15.50R20LT 125Q 8 P.R.

 

Your problem is not your tires.... kind of...

The big offset, lifted, and mud tires were not in original design of the steering system. If you want better performance you likely need to completely up size non stock components serious duty components and use rams for control of the steering system.

 

If you are going for function then returning your truck to factory specs would be the best option, and will cure your mentioned problems.

If you want that look of the truck as is, then spend the money for aftermarket components (if even available) with the proper spec to the modifications done.

 

Ruth, I loved your video.

The only reason I watched it was to determine whether or not you were a spammer. (I'm on a rampage against spammers at the moment.)

You've got an interesting story line going here.

I don't have any advice, since you admitted that your biggest problem is that you really like the truck, and unfortunately, all the solutions to the drivability and reliability issues that you have already experienced and will continue to encounter... involve removing the aftermarket elements that made the big truck appeal to you in the first place.

Let's take the tires, since that is what this thread is about. Those are 15.5" wide rims. The factory rims are less than half that width. To replace your current tires.... I'm guessing $500 per tire. That's $2,000 that could be put toward a daily driver, and keep the truck you like as is, to the extent that it resonates with you enough that you purchased it in the first place.

You already know what a normal version of your truck looks like, since it is one the most commonly found trucks in America. Yet you didn't choose a common truck. You chose a statement truck, and the first thing you reported doing is modifying your statement (the Git-R-Done tailgate mural removal, along with putting to rest the buxom babes on the mudflaps).

There are so many hard part chassis changes that would be necessary to restore your truck back to stock (for ease of drivability) that it would take an entire donor truck to do so... and at that point, rather than transfer parts, it would make more sense to fix the donor truck.

Still, this entire story isn't everyday... so let's see what the rest of the FTE community has to offer you in the way of advice!

 

It came with a ram. I actually removed it, shipped it off, and had it rebuilt.
I didn't do any of this to this truck. I bought it because I was infatuated with how it looked without knowing anything about anything.
I have learned a ton getting this back in shape.
I just really want to to eliminate these monstrous tires from my fear of driving.

 

I don't think this truck is going to ever be returned to proper specs. (Trust me, that was the first thing I inquired about.)
I literally call this my "15,000 dollar carnival ride" when I refer to it. I know what I own. It's actually one of the funniest things I've ever done.

Check this out for non-returnable proper specs.




Jaw dropping funny.

 

Thank you for your reply. I have zero ill will or anguish over this truck. My only problem is I immediately felt like a pest on this site for bringing such a monstrosity to the forums and asking for advice.
I have a car that I drive regularly. I just want this to be able to drive 5 miles on the freeway to Home Depot and back and not cause me fear.
I like that it's a carnival ride that I have to wrestle around town.
It actually drives very well. I do realize I have an irrational fear of my first experience on the freeway far from home. I actually had accepted that I was going to flip my truck that I just bought minute before do the the "death wobble" as you guys put it.
So, any pull to the left or right makes me jump in fear.

I am desperate to buy rims and tires for this that will make it easier on my ram. (It turns with no effort because of the ram)
These tires are very hard and old because it sat at the previous owners for so long without driving.

So probably just ask a Goodyear dealer for a set of stock rims and tires?

 

It will really be jaw dropping funny with stock wheels and tires.

Tire dealers don't stock stock wheels. They may have take offs, but your truck is 22 years old, and Ford changed the wheel bolt circle diameter since your truck was made.

It is a tough call to balance the carnival ride look with highway ride manners. Stock wheels and tires will really look wrong.

More importantly, you'll want to know if the ring and pinion gear was changed to a higher number (higher number = lower gearing) in order to compensate for the 38" tires with a gas motor.

With all the modifications done to the truck, it seems quite likely that the rear gear was changed. Since changing ring and pinions in a differential is neither easy nor cheap, that is another reason (if applicable) for sticking with non-stock diameter tires.

But you most certainly can reduce the width, and would do well to change the wheels to accommodate a slimmer tire.

Try to find a buyer for your present wheels, and see if you can swap wheels with that buyer in a trade.

People who go big... often want to go bigger.... until they get older. Catch a younger person when they are in the go bigger mode, and the both of you may find your needs met.

 

Whoops. You're right about the speedometer. I'll pause this inquiry until I can use my GPS and drive 40MPH and see if the GPS and speedometer match up.

It gets no better than this: "...Catch a younger person when they are in the go bigger mode, and the both of you may find your needs met..."
I'm still laughing.

I'll come back when I got the GPS / Speedometer comparison.

 

as a last resort, these rims should fit.
16 X 7 Reconditioned OEM Steel Wheel, Black Full Face, Fits 1999-2004 Ford Superduty Pickup - Walmart.com

 

I think what you’re experiencing is called bump steer.

 

While those wheels will likely fit your truck, you will have a very hard time finding tires that are large enough in diameter to not look absurd on your truck while still fitting those wheels. The 7" wide wheel will really limit you to basically the stock tire size, which is like 31.5" in diameter and will look like your truck skipped leg day at the gym.

Ultimately you will probably be better off with something like a 9" wide wheel and something like a 35x12.50R17 tire size as a reasonable compromise between what you currently have and a stock setup. Wheels that have a more neutral offset (not sticking out so far to the side of the truck) should also help with your steering issues and certainly moving more toward a highway tread pattern should make the tires easier for the steering system to work with.

Looking at how your hydraulic ram is set up, I agree with the other poster that said you are likely getting bump steer. It's difficult enough to set up a hydraulic ram properly on a solid front axle vehicle, but I would imagine that it is much more difficult to arrange that properly with the twin I-beam front suspension that you have since there are more moving parts that change the geometry with suspension compression. If you move to the smaller tires, you may find that the ram assist is not necessary and that can be removed from the system. You may also try removing the ram from the system and basically connecting the hydraulic lines together to bypass the ram without losing all of your hydraulic fluid, then taking if for a test drive to see if it behaves any better without the ram.

 

Ruth,
A suggestion. Look around your area and locate, what you call, a "Monster Truck" shop.
Go in and ask the guys to take your truck for a drive. You should ride with them.
Explain to them about "hitting the curb" and the Death Wobble.
First, those guy's love to drive other's trucks.
Second, they love to give opinions,
Since none of us here can actually drive your truck, there could be something they would pick up on.
This is your lowest cost option.

Hobo

 

I'm a glutton for punishment. I would stick a solid axle up front and a transfer case up under that poser. In a perfect world, that tc would be stuck to a 6 speed.
It might be easier to sort out than the Frankenstein stuff already there. Plenty of 4x4's running that size tire with no issues.

 

surprised no one said to check the tires for out of round, I think you will find that aggressive tread pattern can also be an issue. I worked with a guy did the jacked up oversize tires on one of the older full size Bronco's and it steered like crap, he went back to smaller tires and the issue was resolved. The truck manufacturers hire engineers to design the trucks and along comes the garage tree mechanic who thinks he can change the steering dynamics the engineers designed, kind of like I saw it on the internet so it must be true. You end up with a garage queen that looks cool and is useless in the real world.

My F350 came with 20 inch rimes and 275/65/20 tires on 8" wide rims . You want to stay with the 38" you might try 395/60/20's on 12 width, your still 38 in height.