Best tire and rim size

[mudmony]

Looking for thoughts and experience regarding the best rim/ tire size. Tire will be a 35" load E off road tire, but will see pavement to get to the dirt. With rim sizes from 16"-20" what works best off road? Smaller wheel for more sidewall and overall lighter weight or?? Is a beadlock wheel needed? Truck is F250 loaded to max gvw. Thanks in advance

 

[kfgk14]

You'll want the sidewall, best go with 16-17's. I seriously doubt you want beadlocks with that amount of load, best go with internal air-beadlocks if you really feel the need for them. I'd say start out with non-beadlocks unless you're planning on pushing really hard terrain with this rig, you can always sell the rims later (go with basic steel rims, whatever fits your chosen tire).
For tires, try Cooper STT's, BFG KM2's or AT's, or Goodyear MT's. General Grabber AT's/AT2's. All a matter of personal preferance IMHO, but I know the Cooper's have great tread life and lots of people dig BFG.

 

[fasteddy47]

16 inch rim / Cooper ST MAXX 315/ 75 / 16

Best Rubber I have ever ran with ....quiet and very tough...........

 

[NothingClever]

I just bought a Ford F350 4x4 with an OEM wheel size of 17 x 7.5.

What are the advantages of moving to an 18" wheel?

What are the disadvantages?

What will be the advantages / disadvantages of a 35 x 12.5 x 17 tire?

What will be the advantages / disadvantages of a 37 x 12.5 x 17 tire?

I'm looking for a tall tire to gain some more ground clearance for my differentials, would like to maintain fuel efficiency and will be doing long stretches of highway with a 3,000 load (nicely controlled) followed by moderate four wheeling.

I really like the Toyo Open Country A/T IIs but they're limited to a 35" outside diameter and don't know enough about full-size truck tires to have an opinion about that.

I've also looked at the DC Fun Country IIs, BFT A-T T/A KOs.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Buliwyf]

I just bought a Ford F350 4x4 with an OEM wheel size of 17 x 7.5.

What are the advantages of moving to an 18" wheel?
Better towing, more likely to find your E rated tires in the tread design you want.

What are the disadvantages?
Much more expensive, sometimes harder to find your tire. Most aftermarket wheels are half as durable as the stockers.

What will be the advantages / disadvantages of a 35 x 12.5 x 17 tire?
The biggest you can go on a fullsize truck without impacting it's drivability too much. Decent grip and clearance, worse fuel mileage. For less aggressive travel use and towing, often the 285/75-17 sized tires are superior.

What will be the advantages / disadvantages of a 37 x 12.5 x 17 tire?
Now you are seriously starting to compromise towing and highway travel. Stuck with mosty MT tires except for the BFG ATKO.

I'm looking for a tall tire to gain some more ground clearance for my differentials, would like to maintain fuel efficiency and will be doing long stretches of highway with a 3,000 load (nicely controlled) followed by moderate four wheeling.
Then don't go larger than 35". Get some super strong diff covers.

I really like the Toyo Open Country A/T IIs but they're limited to a 35" outside diameter and don't know enough about full-size truck tires to have an opinion about that. Cooper ST Max's are the current favorite compromise tires.

I've also looked at the DC Fun Country IIs, BFT A-T T/A KOs.

Thanks for any feedback!

In blue.

 

[98dango]

I have run 15-16-16.5-17-18-20 all in various 35" setups 16-17 is the best in my opinion. There easy to find tires not outrageously priced and you came step.up or down at will. 18 is a pain to get tiers for and options are limited there opening up but still not much. The tire is up to you how and where your going to use it the look you want.

 

[bfdiesel]

There are a lot of tires to chose from I like the cooper STT. I currently have a set on 17" rims and have had them on 16" rims pretty much the same thing. 16" tires are still popular and there are lots to chose from, but 17" tires are more popular now and there is getting to be a big selection for them as well. I would stay away from anything bigger, cost goes up and avliability goes down.

What year of F 250?

 

[NothingClever]

In blue.

As always, your insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bftank]

There are a lot of tires to chose from I like the cooper STT. I currently have a set on 17" rims and have had them on 16" rims pretty much the same thing. 16" tires are still popular and there are lots to chose from, but 17" tires are more popular now and there is getting to be a big selection for them as well. I would stay away from anything bigger, cost goes up and avliability goes down.

What year of F 250?

i am going to venture a guess that it is a 2012 white crew cab diesel shortbox with 20" rims.






yup, imma creeper:snorkel:

 

[NothingClever]

What year of F 250?

It's a 2005 diesel.

I tried and tried to be a good acolyte of buliwyf's who generously offered sage insight and advice and steered me towards the 7.3l but I just kept coming up with models that had something wrong with them. Most candidates I found had the vacuum-assisted 4WD on-the-fly which I don't like. Others were from salt states. Others had telltale signs of poor drivers. Others were a little ragged out and the list goes on. I did let slip through my hands a perfect '02 from New Mexico in late 2011. It was tough...I've had to get counseling for that. I still get choked up when I see a blue, Super.....(sniff) excuse me, I got something in my eye....

I wanted to find a 2006 MY (because ostensibly Ford had worked out most of the bugs by then) and two slipped through my fingers. So, when a pristine 2005 model with super low mileage (and a life lived as an occasional hay truck for a hobby horse) turned up, I half-heartedly explored it. The owner of 2033diesel.com (a BulletProof Diesel dealer in Weatherford, TX) thoroughly checked out the truck for me. It turned out to be a gem. By that time I had www.bulletproofdiesel.com music blaring at full volume and was getting dizzy so I just leaped into the 6.0 abyss and bought it.

It's getting picked up today and shipped to XPCamper in California for a whole mess of man jewelry. The new wheels and tires are part of the overall outfit which is sure to stun all the baristas at Starbucks when I go on an expedition for a double-white machafrappasoychino drink with those nummy little chocolate sprinkles on top.

Oh, wait...did I say that out loud?

Anyways, once I get back home and pick it up, my wife and I will be driving to Bulletproof Diesel in Mesa, Az to swap out the EGR Cooler, install a new oil cooler, a new waterpump, a new radiator, a new HPOP mounting kit and some other shiny engine jewelry.

After that, we're going to Flagstaff for the Overland Expo thing to take some courses on how to properly hold our titanium cups and dress like forest rangers, security contractors and/or gnarled world adventuristas with zip-off pants and fedoras.

So, yeah...it sucks to dump that much money into the engine compartment on a truck with less than 60K on the clock but I think I'll be end up with a reliable truck.

Anyways, didn't mean to derail the original thread....just the drama of my life at the moment.

Now back to tires....

 

[NothingClever]

i am going to venture a guess that it is a 2012 white crew cab diesel shortbox with 20" rims.

2012?

< blink blink >

I couldn't save enough Green Stamps in a decade to afford one of those.

 

[olly hondro]

I'm running 46 " tall, 15" wide radials on 20" wheels w/ beadlocks, load range J. Seems OK so far.

 

[mudmony]

46" ?? dont think I could stuff those in the wheel wells. I like 17" with 35". Wheel is big enough to clear the calipers and still get good amount of contact when aired down, but tire choices are limited when needing a min. of 3400 lb rating, choices are much better going to 18", but I know with a tire the same O.D. its less overall weight with the smaller diameter wheel and in my case I need less weight

 

[bftank]

have you thought about running a 19.5" rickson wheel with a 35"(285 series) tire? really hard tire, hold lots of weight last forever kinda thing.

the continental hdr is a good tire, holds 6000+ lbs, good tread for mild offroad. h-rated tire. $500. http://www.ricksontruckwheels.com/tires-28570R195.php

might be something to consider if you are loaded to max capacity more often than not.

 

[Jimmeh]

2012?

< blink blink >

I couldn't save enough Green Stamps in a decade to afford one of those.

He was referring to the original poster. According to his other thread and the pictures in it, he is the one with the spare green stamps.