The tires on my 1985 2wd 6.9 V8 are ~ 235/85/R16
Though trying to find a used set is very hard...what other size am I able to put on this truck?
Thanks

 

dont buy recapes there only good for burn outs lol

 

My 87 has 265/75/16's on it. I was told by the local tire shop that as long as they are 16's, pretty much any tire will do. All mine are load range D too.

Gary

 

Hey Joe, no I wasn't loking at recaps..lol Kal-Tire is managed by a family friend and they sell used tires, I have two that are OK and two that need replacing but I have to get a diffrent size since I can't get the size mine are now

Thanks Gary!!! I will look for that size!!!!

 

265/75's will work along with 235/85's. I currently have 295/75's on my back but they wouldn't fit under my front unless I put new springs in.

Joe, have you had a bad experience with recaps? I'm actually a fan of recaps, if they're done right of course. The main problem with recaps is they will seperate if they are run at low pressure, but if the pressure is maintained properly they can last practically identically with virgin rubbers. Most big rigs run recaps with no problems. I've run recaps on trailers with no problems at all, but we always make sure they are full of air.

 

death cause recaps

 

bein your 2wd different tire sizes wont be an issue as long as the tires are the same size as the one across from the other(front one size,rear one size)

 

On tire size, the 235/85-16 is what the SRW trucks came with from the factory, they also happen to be the most all-around versatile tire size for work trucks. This is also what I have on my dually, however the tag on the door says 215/85-16. The 265/75-16s Gary The EMD Man () mentioned are the samie diameter as the 235/85-16s you have now, only about an inch wider. Next size up IIRC would be 285/75-16, apparently there's a 295/75-16 as evidenced by Dean, and then the 305/75-16s and the 315/75-16s but those are pretty big tires used mostly on 4x4 trucks. So you got plenty of choices here, I'd avoid the big fat tires cause 2wd trucks usually don't have enough clearance in the fenders for those, so I'd say go with the 285s at most. General rule is the larger the tire the more expensive it is though. And Josh is correct, you can mix tires indeed, as long as they are the same size per axle, heck most folks with muscle cars do this - just run the larger tires in the rear.

On the retreads - overseas I've ran a big 3-axle Scania tractor pulling logging trailers, (fly in empty in the woods, get loaded to the brim and then some, then hop back on the freeway and put the hammer down), all tires except the steers were retreads, trailers ran retreads too, never had a single issue with any, sure I a few flats here and there, but considering the "roads" we were driving and the speeds we were driving at I don't think brand new tires would have held up much better either. Key thing - it needs to be a quality retread, just like new tires price of retread usually reflects quality of finished product pretty good.

 

Just stick with 235/85's

If You look around, You'' find some.

 

I was going to swap some 33's on to my 87 2wd off of my 85 4x4 before I sold it but after checking it looked like the front bumper wouldn't clear it. I'm sure there is some sag in the front after 20+ years of having the heavy 6.9 sitting on it so it may vary depending on the condition of the front suspension. The 235/85/16 is probably the tallest tire I can clear as my truck sits now and still have a bit of space to compensate for suspension travel. Personally, I'd go with a narrower tire (215's) first, then go shorter if you can't find any 85's.

 

I feel ford got it right with their choice of 235/85/16 tires. They are tall, tough, and not very wide. They last fairly well, but being tall and fairly narrow, they are better for fuel economy.

For a 4x4 you might want to consider something more aggressive depending on what you are doing with the truck off road, but even then, you can do a lot with the stock tire size. Changing your tire diameter will affect your speedometer accuracy as well, so keep that in mind.

 

hers is 2wd i

 

Your front bumper is the same as mine, my front tires are 32s and they got plenty of space around them even at full lock, I can fit 33s no problem and maybe even 35s. Problem with narrower tires is they also got lower load carrying capacity, even if they're in the same load range according to the letter (D, E, F or G).

 

MLSC the 215/85-16 tire was used on the dually for clearance between the tires.

How close are yours with 235's on there?

If you load heavy enough that the tires rub between the tires, you are looking at a blow out.

 

Dave, I know that, here's what they look like empty: