1997-2017 Ford F-150 Tire Options

A couple of terms to know that you will encounter you’ll want to know: sipe is the shallow grooving in a tire tread pattern that has multiple functions. Sipe helps to dissipate heat, channel water out from under the tire to help prevent hydroplaning on wet roads and can help quiet the ride. This is also sometimes referred to as kerf.  

Void refers to the deep grooves between tread blocks or lugs that gives the tire most of its bite. Wide void with tapered walls tends to allow the tire to throw off mud, snow, stones and other debris that otherwise could build up in the tread and turn the tire from a mud monster into a spinning slick.

Plies refers to the layers of cord material that forms the body or husk of the tire.
We’ll group them by All-terrain, Mud-terrain and All-season tires.

All-terrain tires are built for rugged use that spans on-and-off road environments, with and without a payload.  While the tread patterns tend to be fairly aggressive for traction off-road, they are also designed to provide a quiet, confident ride on pavement. Voids tend to be moderately sized to generate less road noise on pavement but allow effective self-cleaning in off-road situations where soil is tacky. 

Some models have sidewall lugs to improve traction in soft surface conditions. 

Typically, these are available in 28” to 35” diameters and fitment for 16”, 17”, 18” and 20” wheels depending on brand and model.  Prices can range from $170 to $270 per tire.

Advantages:

• Versatility for work or play on or off-road
• Work well in snow, gravel, loose dirt and mud
• Durable; built to handle heavy duty load applications
• Paired with a lift kit, gives the vehicle aggressive look

Disadvantages:

• May have more road noise than all-season models
• Tread service life may be shortened somewhat with extensive pavement use
• Check for warranty coverage exclusions

Mud-terrain tires are designed with extremely aggressive tread patterns that can improve tractability in low-traction environments. Voids tend to be large all-round to allow effective self-cleaning in tacky surface conditions.

They may also feature sidewall lugs for added grip in deep snow and mud. Typically, these are available in 28” to 35” diameters and fitment for 16”, 17”, 18” and 20” wheels depending on brand and model.  Prices can range from $150 to $350 per tire.

Advantages:  

• Maximum traction in low traction environments such as mud, sand, loose dirt or snow
• Best option where nearly all driving is off-road in poor surface conditions
• Paired with a lift kit, gives the vehicle aggressive look

Disadvantages:

• Road noise may be noticeable at highway speed on pavement
• May be less tractable in highway driving conditions than all-terrain or all-season options
• Check for warranty coverage exclusions

All-season tires feature tread patterns with smaller voids to put more rubber on paved surfaces and channel water away from the contact surface at highway speeds.

Designed to be quiet-riding all-round tires, they will generally offer very quiet ride, excellent road-holding on the pavement year-round, long wear and excellent fuel economy.  Typically these are available in 28” to 35” diameters and fitment for 16”, 17”, 18” and 20” wheels depending on brand and model. Prices start at $140 per tire.

Advantages:

• Strongest performance option where the majority of miles are on paved surfaces
• Adaptable for a range of on-road driving conditions
• Solid handling, braking and smooth, quiet ride
• Tread patterns channel high volume water to prevent hydroplaning in the rain
• Four-season roadability in the snow belt
• Long warranty periods 

Disadvantages:

• Off-road environments are best limited to fire lanes and fairly good surface conditions

All tires require high-quality mounting and balancing for maximum tread life and performance.  On older trucks, having front end alignment checked is a good way to extend tread life, and maintaining proper inflation is a must not only for maximizing service life, but for safety, as well.

Inspect tires often for signs of damage, bulges indicating possible internal damage like ply separation, uneven wear, cuts in the tread and other potential causes of reduced service life or failure.

Let’s first establish a baseline of what can be installed on your Ford F-150 from the factory. Knowing this will save you from spending a bunch of money on a set of tires you can’t even fit in the wheel well.

1997 - 2003

• Minimum Tire: 235/70 R16
• Maximum Tire: 275/45 R20

2004 - 2008

• Minimum Tire: 235/70 R16
• Maximum Tire: 275/45 R22

2009 - 2014

• Minimum Tire: 235/70 R17
• Maximum Tire: 275/45 R22

2015-present

• Minimum Tire: 245/70 R17
• Maximum Tire: 275/55 R20

Most people upgrade wheels as they upgrade tires. Just like the tires, it’s just as important  to understand what wheels your truck can accept from the factory. 

1997-2003

• Diameter: 16 - 20 inch
• Width: 7 - 9 inch
• Offset: 44mm

2004-2008

• Diameter: 17 inch-22 inch
• Width: 7.5 inch-9 inch
• Offset: 44mm

2009-2014

• Diameter: 17 inch-22 inch
• Width: 7.5 inch-9 inch
• Offset: 34mm-44mm

2015-present

• Diameter: 17 inch-22 inch
• Width: 7.5 inch-9 inch
• Offset: 34mm-44mm