Wheels for New F-150

[bajturner]

Ok, here's something fun. I have a new F-150 coming in a couple months. Carbonized grey, 4x4 Lariat, SuperCrew with 5 1/2' box, Sport package. Was supposed to be Lead Foot grey but it got discontinued before my order got in.

I'm going to jazz it up a little with a levelling kit (no lift) and aftermarket wheels and new tires. Not overly aggressive...flush or just a small amount of poke. No mods or trimming to accommodate the new wheels / tires.

Show me your favorite pickup truck wheels and tires for a daily driver!

My current thinking is:
2.25" level, maybe 2.5"
20x9 wheels, +20 to +12 offset...maybe Fuel Rebels
295/60R20 tires...Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, Toyo Open Country A/T III, or BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2

Something like this:

Looking at other ideas.

 

[Stee6043]

I went through a phase of bigger tires, wheels and suspension lifts. I'm now too old for the rougher ride, road noise and warranty implications!

I'm not a Ford guy but do they all still come with solid front axles? I know those leveling kits are very popular but the reviews on the GM truck forums are mixed on whether or not they destroy the CV axles/joints relatively quickly.

 

[bbwhitejr]

As Stee6043 alludes to above, be cautious raising one end too far. Generally, a leveling kit raises only the front end. Chevrolets are notorious for being low in the front. They will tell you this is because you will be level when hauling a trailer. I have put two leveling kits(1.5") under the front end of two different trucks with no issues. Always do a front end alignment when you do this. Basically, they are nothing more than spacers that go under the shock mounts.

2"+ sounds like a lot to raise the front in order for the truck to be level. I always thought Fords looked almost level from the factory. I would find a good kit and installer and research any issues others have had. A good shop that does routinely can steer you in the right direction.

Bennett

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I'm with @Stee6043.... Been there, done that. Had the first set of 40's in town on an F250 back around 1980. Long before lift kits. Took the truck to a spring shop. They installed re-arched springs on it then kept adding pieces of spring to lift it until the tires cleared. How I never wrecked it is beyond me... I couldn't even get up in it now.
Anyway, hop on F150 14 gen and you'll see plenty of pictures for ideas.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Plenty of 6" lift kits out there for the 14th gen. They are all sorted out now and drive fine. A 2" level is simple.

 

[ttmott]

There is a parameter called "angle of inclination". This is the angle through the ball joints or strut (the steering pivot). The distance between where that line through the steering pivot lands on the road and the centerline of the tire at the road is called the "scrub radius". It is important that your setup remains within the OEM scrub radius. Tires that land too far from that point on the road will create a lot of steering instability especially in wet conditions; you will always be correcting the direction your truck decides to take. When you raise the front of the vehicle make darn sure the kit accounts for all of the vehicle's geometry.
So, when getting an offset in your wheels make sure it matches your OEM specifications. I found a graphic that shows what this is -

 

[quality time]

I have 35" Nitto Ridge Grapplers on my Jeep. Nice tires that are surprisingly smooth and quiet.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I have 35" Nitto Ridge Grapplers on my Jeep. Nice tires that are surprisingly smooth and quiet.

Had those, as well. They were really quiet until they got about 20,000 miles on them. By then, they got kind of noisy. Forgot about that one it was lifted 4"

 

[boatman37]

that truck does look good. Congrats!

 

[Halfhitch]

Had those, as well. They were really quiet until they got about 20,000 miles on them. By then, they got kind of noisy. Forgot about that one it was lifted 4" View attachment 119669

So, Jus Cruisin...you got more invested in the jeep or the after-market add-ons? Great lookin Rig.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

So, Jus Cruisin...you got more invested in the jeep or the after-market add-ons? Great lookin Rig.

That was my Florida beach cruiser. It's long gone now. Bayshore Automotive in Tampa did the transformation. That one was one of their milder conversions. It was fun.

 

[bajturner]

I went through a phase of bigger tires, wheels and suspension lifts. I'm now too old for the rougher ride, road noise and warranty implications!

I'm not a Ford guy but do they all still come with solid front axles? I know those leveling kits are very popular but the reviews on the GM truck forums are mixed on whether or not they destroy the CV axles/joints relatively quickly.

Mods can certainly come with trade-offs. I am keeping them pretty tame with the intention of retaining or improving handling and ride. Tire selection will dictate road noise...on-road/off-road tread won't add too much, I hope. The dealer is doing the work so I believe there won't be any impact to warranty. I will double-check that!

Pretty much all pickup trucks have independent front suspension and solid rear axle. One exception is the new Ford Lightning that will have independent rear suspension. I assume it will be similar to what my Expedition has.

 

[bajturner]

As Stee6043 alludes to above, be cautious raising one end too far. Generally, a leveling kit raises only the front end. Chevrolets are notorious for being low in the front. They will tell you this is because you will be level when hauling a trailer. I have put two leveling kits(1.5") under the front end of two different trucks with no issues. Always do a front end alignment when you do this. Basically, they are nothing more than spacers that go under the shock mounts.

2"+ sounds like a lot to raise the front in order for the truck to be level. I always thought Fords looked almost level from the factory. I would find a good kit and installer and research any issues others have had. A good shop that does routinely can steer you in the right direction.

Bennett

Thanks for the advice. As you say, I am only raising the front to get it level. General consensus is 2 to 2.5" is the range to accomplish this. There are various kits ranging from complete new coil over assemblies to simple strut spacers. I am going with the latter.

The dealer I am buying from has done a lot of these so my understanding is they will do all the necessary adjustments including alignment, recalibrations, etc.

Experience from others like those here is invaluable.

 

[bajturner]

I'm with @Stee6043.... Been there, done that. Had the first set of 40's in town on an F250 back around 1980. Long before lift kits. Took the truck to a spring shop. They installed re-arched springs on it then kept adding pieces of spring to lift it until the tires cleared. How I never wrecked it is beyond me... I couldn't even get up in it now.
Anyway, hop on F150 14 gen and you'll see plenty of pictures for ideas.

40s...wow! I'm aiming for 33s or 34s!

F150 14Gen is a great resource...

 

[bajturner]

There is a parameter called "angle of inclination". This is the angle through the ball joints or strut (the steering pivot). The distance between where that line through the steering pivot lands on the road and the centerline of the tire at the road is called the "scrub radius". It is important that your setup remains within the OEM scrub radius. Tires that land too far from that point on the road will create a lot of steering instability especially in wet conditions; you will always be correcting the direction your truck decides to take. When you raise the front of the vehicle make darn sure the kit accounts for all of the vehicle's geometry.
So, when getting an offset in your wheels make sure it matches your OEM specifications. I found a graphic that shows what this is -

Cool, thank you.

 

[bajturner]

Had those, as well. They were really quiet until they got about 20,000 miles on them. By then, they got kind of noisy. Forgot about that one it was lifted 4" View attachment 119669

Very nice!

 

[quality time]

Had those, as well. They were really quiet until they got about 20,000 miles on them. By then, they got kind of noisy.

Mine have 14,000 miles on them so I should know in the next year.

 

[Shoyrtt]

I suggest Method Wheels for your F150: https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/all
I think with a 20" wheel you end up with a rough ride. The extra rubber with a 17 or 18" wheel is noticeable.
My Super Duty came stock with 20s and I went to an 18" wheel and 35" tires when the stock tires were done. I noticed a nice difference in the ride.
This is a friend's F150 on Methods.

 

[bajturner]

I suggest Method Wheels for your F150: https://www.methodracewheels.com/collections/all
I think with a 20" wheel you end up with a rough ride. The extra rubber with a 17 or 18" wheel is noticeable.
My Super Duty came stock with 20s and I went to an 18" wheel and 35" tires when the stock tires were done. I noticed a nice difference in the ride.
This is a friend's F150 on Methods.
View attachment 119782

Look great! I'll check them out, and thanks for the tip regarding the smoother ride with a higher profile tire.

 

[copb8tx]

I have a little experience here. My '11 F150 Limited had 22's on it. Looked good but the unsprung weight was very noticeable compared to my previous truck with 18's creating big impacts on harsh surfaces. I currently have an '18 Raptor with 17's and the ride is Lincoln Continental smooth (well, almost) but honestly, I like the looks of the bigger wheels and less sidewall better. I have a set of 20's on a '16 F150 and I think that's the perfect compromise between looks and ride. The 20's are stock wheels but I much prefer the looks on the ones on your first picture.

Just my $.02s