We own two Excursions and both are coming due for some new skins. One is a 2000 XLT w/the V-10 gasser and the 3.73 LS rear-end; the other is a 2004 LTD w/the 6.0 PSD. We love them both and use them as daily drivers and we tow with both. We pull a ~9000# travel trailer and a ~6500# boat. They're both 4x4.

Stock tires are 265/75/16. The gasser has D-rated tires, the diesel has E-rated. A local Ford shop said I could go up to 285/75/16, which seems like they would fill up the wheel-wells better. I don't NEED them, but I like the look of the on/off road versus the straight street tires.

Some questions:

- Will going up in tire size affect towing handling/safety? Make it harder to stop when towing?
- Anyone who has done this, did you get any rubbing problems? I don't want to mess with spacers.
- My speedo is already a little optimistic (speedo reads 60 mph, GPS says ~55 mph). Bigger tires will exacerbate this, right?
- Any recommended tires based on the above?
- I hate to ask this, but should I get a fifth tire for a spare vs using the stock 265/75/16?

Thanks in advance!!

 

I don't think you will notice much difference in towing, IMO.

From what I have seen, 285's will not rub as long as your srpings are still decent. My boss's front springs look like they are installed backwards they droop so much.

Speedo - no idea

I had Michelin's on my last deisel. BEST tire I have personally used. 50K miles and still had good tread.

I would get a used one for a spare. Front will work with different size long enuough to get it to a garage, but rear would be devaststing.

 

Run 285's and no rubbing, heard others using 305's without problem.

With the stock tires, my speedometer read fast. Now it is close to right.

 

Just make sure the 285's are E-load rated. This is what you should be using for both now.

 

I run the Michelin AT2 in the 285/75/16 E's and no rubbing, they tow just fine with 70psi front and 75 psi rear. The speedo is within 1mph of my GPS. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the replies, gents.

It seems the tire size will be ok, now I gotta decide which ones and get shopping.

I really didn't want to buy a fifth tire for two reasons. One, I didn't want to spend the $$, but I guess driving trucks has its costs. Two, I really want to keep the spare in the normal place, and I bet the bigger tire won't fit and the carpeted cover probably won't fit over it either. I know that sounds like a silly reason, but there it is...

 

B ready for some "differences", even if you go back to the exact same tires...

being used to my stock 265-75 16's when I put the new rubber on them they tracked differently.... not badly, just differently from the well worn old tires


I too tried the 285's and Discount tire told me the 285's had the same rating as the 265's I had... (I ASSumed he meant E rated...later owned up to weight carrying rating)

I had a 1000 mile white knuckle trip after that.... the 285 D's wandered ALL over the road... actually the WORST trip ever taken !!!

When I got back I made them swap them out for 265-75-16's E Michelins....

good luck...

MUCH better than the D rated 285's, but I am underwhelmed with the Michelins...
wish I had gone back to the BFG's that I got 93K out of with tread left !!!

 

You know, I had a similar experience the last time I put new shoes on my diesel Ex. I got Silent Armors in the original size. I immediately noticed low-speed steering (parking lot speeds ) was easier and then the truck had a tendency to wander at highway speeds. After about 36k miles, it's downright un-fun to drive since it really wanders badly now.

So, for the wandering and the poor tread life I don't want to get Silent Armors again...I hope the 285s don't do this...hmmmm.

 

Well, I finally got off my butt and got some new shoes for Mommas' X. I went with the 285/75/16s on advice from you guys and I'm pretty happy. I got Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armors.

The shop I bought them at worked well with me to make sure they wouldn't rub, to the point he was willing to mount two of them, put them up front and lowered it down to the ground to roll the steering back and forth. He was willing to dismount those two tires if it didn't work out; pretty cool of him I thought.

The left front one rubbed a bit on the mudflap at full steering to one direction. We found the fender-well had separated from some connection on the backside. A few small holes in the fender-well and a mondo zip tie and the problem was solved.

Turns out we needed an alignment, shocks all around (after 142,000 miles, go figure) and had to have the upper- and lower-ball-joints replaced on both sides...ugghhh. Can't complain too much since this is the first time we've had to replace them. After having read up on ball-joint replacements, I probably could've done it myself with enough time and tools, but sometimes it's nice to drop it off and let someone else to it, although the cost difference is quite a hard pill to swallow.

Anyway, we're pretty pleased with the new tires. They fill up the wells better than the stock 265/75/16x and look pretty cool.

Pics show the difference between stock and newer tires. Lighting wasn't optimal but you can see the difference. The X with the skateboard wheels (old Silent Armors, 265/75/16) is my diesel rig. I'm thinking I might have to go bigger and better on mine when my tires are worn out...

Thanks again for all the words. This site is a huge help!!

 

the tires look awsome! the 285s make a world of differance.

i have a quick question. where are you located? i may be wrong but on the pass side fender of the V10 Ex is that a "nye frontier ford" logo? if so do you know the history on that truck?

 

I went with the silent armor in stock size and like the way they track at low and highway sppeds.

 

Wow!! Good eye!! That IS a Nye logo...we bought the X in Dec of 99 (it's a 2000) up in Palmer from Nye, when we lived in Eagle River.

We've since lived in several places, but we're the first/only owners of this X. We drove it from AK all the way to the mid-Atlantic coast of the US, back to the middle of the country and then back to the east coast, all pulling a 27 foot travel trailer, plus many miles of pulling a boat on the weekends.

Right now she has 143,000 miles and still going strong. I think except for towing, the V10 spends most of its life loafing along. The only real problems we've had with the engine were a failed cooling fan (wire fell into the fan and got cut) and now she has a high-idle issue (still trouble shooting that one).

I forgot to mention above, I got the E-rated tires. Also, the spare WILL fit in the normal spot. There's a plug to remove at the bottom (like someone already mentioned) that says "remove for larger tire." I got an unmounted tire up into position and it seems like it will fit OK, though the angle for the retaining bolt might not be perfectly horizontal. Of course the carpeted tire cover won't fit so we'll need to look for an alternative. The bigger spare also protrudes a little forward abeam the seatback for the third-row seat, but it looks like Ford expected this since the seatback width allows the tire to come forward a little. We rarely have every seat full, so I don't think this will be a comfort issue for someone in back.

 

I have those on the other X. I've not been too happy with the tracking, but I think I may have the pressures too high (I run them at 60 front, 65 rear, 70/75 when towing) and the tire guy says that may be the problem. Probably also need an alignment. Or, it might just be the dreaded sloppy steering some Xs are known for.