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New tires- thoughts/advice

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delco1946

New tires- thoughts/advice

So I’m starting the process of blasting and painting rims I found at the junkyard. In tandem I’m also researching tires to mount on said wheels once painted. Does anyone have thoughts or advice on stores/ online venders etc? I don’t do off roading really - my tires are currently capable of doing that although they’re loud as heck and it really annoys me. This truck is generally my daily driver and I’ll use it for house projects a.k.a. heavy loads in the back so I wanna tire that can withstand a lot of weight and is reasonably quiet . I also would rather get a better quality tire assuming they last longer than go cheap upfront, but that being said of course I would prefer not to spend $1300 on tires . The tires that were on the wheels when I found them are 235/85/16. I’m not sure if I can select a different size tire I’ve seen a lot of 275‘s but I don’t really know what that means or if Its a big deal. The current tires I have rub when you make take turns so the 235s peer to be a little smaller and narrower and more in keeping with what originally came on the truck which I would prefer. Are there any brands I should avoid? I keep hearing about Toyo but I don’t think those are available at Les Schwab or discount tire for example. And Costco has pretty limited options.

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

salans7

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

#1 choice for most truck guys will probably be BFG All-Terrains, but those are pricey to say the least. All of the "good" tires are pricey, for good reason.

If you're looking for budget and road manners, you'll definitely have to stick with an A/T. Most tire shops can order whatever tires you want, but I'm not sure how that works with chains such as Discount Tire and Les Schwab.

Gary Lewis

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

In reply to this post by delco1946

Before I decide on tires to run on a given wheel I determine the width of the wheel. To do that, assuming those are Ford wheels, take a look at the Identification Codes tab at Driveline/Wheels and cross-ref your wheel's code to a part number. Then take that part number to the Applications tab to find the width.

Once you have the width, then go to Tirerack and look at the tires in the size you are considering. Select 3 or 4 in which you are interested and click Compare and you'll get ratings for several categories.

But, down below there's a + to tick for Detailed Specifications, in which you'll see the Rim Width Range for each tire. Check to see if the tires will fit your rims.

Also, you will see the weight of the tire. The heavier the tire the worse the ride will be. Trust me, it makes a difference.

As for which one, I've had good luck with Cooper tires.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

delco1946

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

These wheels already had tires on them so I don’t need a width, right? They were 235/85 16 inches. Looks like all wheels over the early 80s for a f250 are 16x 6. But tire rack just seems to ask for tire size or diameter.

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

Gary Lewis

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

delco1946 wrote

These wheels already had tires on them so I don’t need a width, right? They were 235/85 16 inches. Looks like all wheels over the early 80s for a f250 are 16x 6. But tire rack just seems to ask for tire size or diameter.

Yes, you need to know the width. If you put too wide or too narrow of a tire on a wheel you get poor wear and poor steering/tracking.

So just because your wheels had tires on them, you don't know that they are the right width for those tires, or the tires you are considering. There were both 5.5" and 6.5" in the Bullnose era. But wheels up into the 90's fit these trucks, and were usually wider. Do you know for sure what you have?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

In reply to this post by delco1946

235/85R 16 may actually be a bit narrow for yours, look at the owners manual or if it is still legible the tire size on the door post label. The other thing to consider is load range. Darth specifies 215/85R-16, load range D, but that is based on dual rear wheels. I am lucky here, the school buses use 215/85R-16 Load range E tires so they are easy to locate and a little less costly.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

grumpin

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

I second the BFG’s. They do better on black ice than others I have had.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

delco1946

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

I guess I’m just not understanding Gary. Width is not a column in any of those tables that you’re referencing to look up width. The only type two wheels from the early 80s that are 8 hole For heavier trucks are 16” x 6”. Is the second number not the width?

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

delco1946

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

I’ll add that the spare tire that came with the truck and which appears to be original has a tire that is 16 1/2 inches in diameter mounted on it still and this is probably the 6.5 inch width. But in my research people are saying 16 1/2 inch diameter tires are incredibly hard to find.

Also the truck that I pulled the wheels off of with tires still on was an F250 and I think it was from 1982 To 1984 ish. I don’t look at truck from after 1986 in the JY. The only difference I can think of between the two trucks would be that mines a trailer special and might have come originally with heavier duty rims/wider.

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

delco1946

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Ok so the door panel seems to give a range for tire sizes from 9.5 - 16.5 E. For the rim I think it might just be specifying what it came with? And that was as I suspected the 16.5×6.75 rim Which I am moving away from since apparently it’s hard to find tires in that diameter.

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

Gary Lewis

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

Yes. Bottom line: Get tires sized to fit whatever rims you use. And later model rims did get wider. So if yours are later rims, measure them and get tires that are supposed to go on that size of rim.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Shorty

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

I've been happy with the Goodyear Wranglers I put on my '80. Ordered at Walmart online and picked up at store for their garage to install. Great deal. Hardest part was explaining 3 on the tree to the kid in the tire dept. They fit the Sanford and Son look I wanted.

“Find what you love and let it kill you.”
― Charles Bukowski

1980 F100 Custom, Big Six, bench and 3 on the tree. My bare bones play truck.
2012 VW TDI Sportwagen daily driver.

Dennis

delco1946

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

That’s a good-looking truck!

Christopher in Portland Or. 1981 F250 Ranger XLT 4x4 trailer special 351M, and auto C6

Shorty

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

“Find what you love and let it kill you.”
― Charles Bukowski

1980 F100 Custom, Big Six, bench and 3 on the tree. My bare bones play truck.
2012 VW TDI Sportwagen daily driver.

Dennis

Shorty

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

In reply to this post by delco1946

Thanks.
Spent the whole weekend replacing exhaust sensors under Dad's diesel Ram. Makes you appreciate the simplicity of our rigs. All I did to mine this weekend was replace my rear view mirror, run the engine and play with the radio. Still hoping to knock out a brake job on my Ford one of these weekends so I can start driving it regularly. Dad's getting tired of folks asking if that old truck is for sale and he has threatened to plant flowers in it.

“Find what you love and let it kill you.”
― Charles Bukowski

1980 F100 Custom, Big Six, bench and 3 on the tree. My bare bones play truck.
2012 VW TDI Sportwagen daily driver.

Dennis

Ray Cecil

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

I am currently considering a tire purchase. The 32" BF Goodrich Mud Terrains on Little Blue are noisy as all-get-out. I'm fixin' to take a medium length trip with the wife next month. I'm working on making the truck quieter. So, exhaust, tires, weatherstrip, and the loose bolts holding the wood bed down....

Anyone have any opinions on the quietest All-Terrain that doesn't look neutered? I am not a huge fan of plain-jane looking tires.

1988 F250 Supercab Longbed 7.3 IDI, C6, 1356, GEARVENDORS, 4.10 Sterling with autolocker

1986 F150 302, C6, 9" 2.75, Wood Flatbed

Gary Lewis

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

Big Blue has Cooper Discoverer S/TMaxx tires on him and they aren't loud at all. They seem to be well thought of in the reading I've done.

But I'd go to Tire Rack and look at the tires you are considering. Select up to 4 and hit the compare button. That brings up all kinds of detail on the tires, including noise ratings.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ray Cecil

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Gary Lewis wrote

Big Blue has Cooper Discoverer S/TMaxx tires on him and they aren't loud at all. They seem to be well thought of in the reading I've done.

But I'd go to Tire Rack and look at the tires you are considering. Select up to 4 and hit the compare button. That brings up all kinds of detail on the tires, including noise ratings.

The only 15" available in the Cooper Discoverer S/TMaxx is 35x12.5x15!!!!!!!! My 32's already rub a little bit at max steering lock. 35's would be way too big.

Im not a smart man, but I am guessing you have 16" rims Gary. I know you enough to know you wouldn't go with 35's...

1988 F250 Supercab Longbed 7.3 IDI, C6, 1356, GEARVENDORS, 4.10 Sterling with autolocker

1986 F150 302, C6, 9" 2.75, Wood Flatbed

Gary Lewis

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

I didn't put the tires and wheels on Big Blue. The previous owner, Vernon did that. And they are LT285/75R16's, which equates to 33" tires. But with the 460 and 3.55's, plus that he's an F250 getting a D60 in front, Big Blue could handle 35's.

But you are right that 35's would be too much on your truck. I wasn't aware those tires weren't available in something smaller. Sorry, won't work.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: New tires- thoughts/advice

Administrator

My son has these on his truck and is quite [and quiet!] pleased.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Defender+LTX+M/S&partnum=375TR5DLTXOWLXL