RWD Tire suggestions

I've noticed one of my tires (FR) is wearing a bit... which means I may be changing tires this summer.

Currently I run Hankook Optimo's... which work, but they're not really the right tire for my application (heavy rated car tire).

So, for a stock RWD bullnose, what options are there for good tires? I don't tow often but I do have a car trailer that's more capable than the truck.

I've seen 66GTK's Goodyear Wranglers as a start. 

Your sig says "stock everything (for now)"

What size tires are you looking for?
Are RWL a must?

The current tires are P235/75R15... but considering that my odometer and speedometer are 7% low, 215/75 may be the correct actual size (I'm getting 218 for what the "ideal" size is). That said, from what I'm seeing, some truck tires (Cooper Discover HT3's and AT3 4s's for example) are only available in 235/75R15, not 225 or 215.

I currently don't have RWL's. I like them though.

I put Cooper Discoverer LT265/75 R16 AT3 LT tires on Rocky and love them. I know those sound big but they have this tread in all kinds of sizes, like https://www.performanceplustire.com/tires-for-sale/cooper-tires/discoverer-a-t3-6/ty:Tire:ts:23575-15/.

You didn't say what you wanted to get out of them. mpg vs. noise vs ride quality vs mud vs snow vs load vs lifetime.

FYI my Coopers came with white lettering on one side and black on the other, and the tire shop asked me which way I wanted them mounted.

I'm looking for a balance of things. MPG is nice (I do take it on trips a lot)... offroad performance not a concern. Being able to safely tow my truck's rating is up there (4900lb GVWR, 9000lb GCWR). Ride quality, noise, and longevity are in the middle.

That said, the Cooper Discoverer AT3 4s looks promising... if not likely pricey.

reading over this I think your sizing estimation is off. you said you were getting 218 as perfect but that's only by doing the wrong math. 235 is the cross sectional "width". not anything to do with how many rev per mile to adjust the speed and mileage. there are many different ways to adjust and many different combinations that are used and tire circumference is a key part. fine tuning for tire wear and air pressure too if we are getting real scientific. I don't as if I needed to be that accurate I would stop jumping train tracks  because without contact with the road , how would you know?

Missed this. (also, I am still wanting to figure out tires this summer).

I thought the circumference (or diameter, doesn't matter for ratio purposes) was width combined with aspect ratio.

Hence, if the aspect ratio of 75 is maintained, width is linearly proportional to circumference and diameter, which allows for the math I performed to work.

In further research I've found that Starfire Solarus HT's (made by Cooper) are another option. No RWL, but I don't have that now either.

(The title was not meant to be RWL... I meant RWD to mean "not offroad/4x4")

cross sectional width x aspect ratio x 2 plus wheel diameter equals total diameter.
total diameter inches x pi equals circumference in inches.
one mile in inches divided by circumference inches equals rpm
rpm x differential ratio equals shaft speed
shaft speed x final drive equals engine rpm per wheel mph
 if your truck is reading less than a measured mile then you are going further and faster than your speedometer is recording. a simple change of the cable drive gear could be all that is needed. for example, if yours is a 19tooth gear then an 18 or 17 may bring it right in.  this is simple enough to do that I would get the best tire for the job even if it's the std f150 size of 235/75/15xl. and yes, I like the cooper options.
my 83 f100 came issued with 205/75/15 and a diff gear of 2.47 with a three speed non od.
it is now 235/75/15 with a 3.31, aod (wide ratio). this setup gives a much better range of use and better tire options while pulling a trailer.

I had thought that gears weren't the issue (since it's all the stock setup)... but then again, 7% does match up roughly to being off by one tooth (1 tooth of a 20T is 5%, so less teeth bring it up; 7% per tooth happens at 14.2 teeth).

That said, I tried to pull the speedo cable/gear before dinner and came to find it frozen in the case. I'll have to pull it later to see what I have...

But that said, width is indeed linearly proportional per the math above... since the rim size is also consistent  and everything else is multiplication.

With a little wiggle from a pair of mini vice-grips, I was able to get the cable loose. I have a gray (tan?) gear marked "19R", with (obviously) 19 teeth:





Per the chart it should be tan... either way, that's clearly a type 2 gear.

Per my math, factoring in a 7% error (too slow), I need a 17.8 tooth gear... aka 18 tooth. Will see about obtaining and swapping.

Edit- Per the chart I need part C7SZ-17271-B... which shows up for sale nowhere. But elsewhere in the table, I do see the C7SP-17271-B engineering number of that gear cross-referenced to a C7SZ-17271-C, which I find lots of places and comes up as a gray 18 tooth gear that sure looks like a type 2:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142715478630



Looks like another "replaced by" note may need added to the chart then... or Ford made a typo. Yay... at least I have a gear to buy (and at a decent price too!)

if that brings it into range then it simple enough and affordable too. then it's just getting the best tire for the job.
I sold my 92 4wd to my son in law and said, 'leave the factory tires on it". no good. he went immediately and bought 32x11.5s and new 10' wheels. it looks great!  but then he asked why the gas mileage sucked and he felt like it didn't have the power it always had before.  CLASS TIME!!!!!

Off topic:

If anything I need smaller wheels or taller gears. Big hills are a nightmare... as I have to floor it or manually shift to make it shift down (and going any tighter on the TV cable results in it not automatically shifting back up after recovery at cruise speeds). Don't shift down, and trying to do anything at 1000-1400RPM results in a lot of lugging and shanking/missing. But once geared down, it wants to launch itself to space, which on a 20mph windy hill, is less than fun to control. Even after an engine rebuild and a controls overhaul, it's always done that. Valve body issue perhaps?  Or just normal behavior (and this is why high-altitude 300's with AODs had 3.55 gears from the factory?)

If not mistaken my original size should be 215/75 R15 and running a BFGoodrich 235/70 R15 which should about a 1/4" difference.

Yep. Forgot that door tags are a thing, and upon looking at a picture of mine, the stock tire size listed is P215/75R155L... so technically passenger car tires are stock???

Done some more research...

Opinions are like butts... we all have them, and they all stink.

Seems on a lot of 1/2 ton trucks (even today!) P-tires are indeed stock... and it sounds like since I don't tow often, "extra load" P-tires are probably OK.

So other than my FR tire going bald on the outer edge (despite getting it aligned when I had new front tires installed last year), no issue?

One other thing I'm noting: Since the tire size is confirmed to be wrong (235 instead of 215), I decided to calculate the error using an online calculator... and somehow, yep, two different calculators agree that there is a 4.2% error in diameter/circumference.

So, I had previously measured a 7% error in speed/odometer readings. And the gear swap will correct things by 5.3%... which my math shows an ultimate correction of 9.1%, or 2.1% too far. I guess the gear swap still makes sense once I have the right tires (2% too far/fast vs 3% to slow/short)... or I swap gears back when the tire swap eventually happens?

Lovely...

the tire wear is certainly an indicator of bad alignment. regardless of having paid for an alignment. "Within spec" is something we hear but does NOT mean properly aligned. wear on the outside shoulder only typically means toe in too far in or too much camber. or you are on the nascar circuit going hard into the corners always turning left.

Got a quote on some Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires (in the stock size no less)... and ouch, the quote came back for more than I originally paid for the truck. Around $800-$850 with the alignment.

So that's more than I'd like to spend... and I'm back to square one. Although honestly from what I'm seeing that may be the cost of admission. Unless I cheap out and put a pair of new Hankooks (same as what I already have) on the front and leave the back as-is. As blasphemous as it feels continuing to run such .

Are you looking for M-S, MT or AT tires?
215 or 235? (75 R15)
Also, a P tire or LT?

What would you feel is reasonable (per tire) given you'd also need mount, balance & fix that alignment?
$125 a piece?

I'm not a fan of Michelin tires.  I bought a brand new set in the 80's and had fits with them.  As it turned out the belts were moving and changing the balance on the tires.  The shop finally replaced them - all 4 of them as at least 2 were doing it.  Since then I've not had their tires.

But that price does seem to be about right for those tires.  Tire Rack has them at $180.99/ea, which is $723.96 for four.  So you'll be right there at the price you mentioned with mounting, balancing, and alignment.

Maybe stay with the Hankook's?