Deciding on tires for my new 2019 F150

[canmes]

I'm getting ready to order my new F150 and trying to decide between the stock 18", 20" or the LT tires. We tow our Lacrosse 327RES about 2500 to 3000 miles every year, so need something that won't kill the ride for the balance of the driving. I'm asking about stock tires offered by Ford, not aftermarket.

Any suggestions or experiences will be appreciated.

[rsdata]

I thought that Ford dealers once claimed to be tire dealers also...

I have a '14 RAM 1500 with Michelin Defender LTX M/S 20" wheel... after 40,000 miles with the measured tread depth I currently have I am looking at 80,000 miles on these tires.

[67L48]

You can search the web for myriad opinions on LT vs P tires for towing. Here is one such article that, as most do, suggest that LT is a much better platform on which to tow. You can also look at what the manufacturers do -- offer 1/2 ton trucks with tow packages and P-rated tires from the factory, seemingly endorsing the practice of towing with P-rated tires.

In the end, the differences between LT and P tires aren't fictional. Plies, belts, tread depth, sidewall stiffness, and so on are all real things and they all, to at least some degree, benefit towing. That doesn't mean you'll end up in a ditch if you tow with P-rated tires.

If I didn't need new tires and had P-rated tires, I'd simply look at the data. What are my P-rated tires' stated load capacity and does that accommodate my intended load? If they do, I'm done.

If I needed new tires, it's a no-brainer: I'm getting LT tires that are objectively better for towing. You cannot argue the converse. You can argue whether or not it is significant, but you cannot, in good faith, argue that LT tires don't have towing-related advantages.

LT tires are much heavier and stiffer. The ride is much worse and fuel economy is likely to suffer. My F150 with E-rated LT tires rides significantly rougher than F350s I've driven and I lost 1.5 mpg when I installed them. If you're not towing, I'd not get them.

[luker0]

To the above post's point, of the 51,000 km on my truck only 18,000 were while towing. None of that towing was anywhere near my payload or tow maximums. I've towed all of it with what stock P metric tires that have a higher total rating than my GAWR. If I were towing a lot more and less DD than maybe I'd move to LT tires. If I were towing near maximums well I'd probably get a 3/4 ton Suburban again.
LT tires on a half ton mean compromising ride comfort, payload and fuel mileage.

[ChooChooMan74]

I have a '15 Ram Ecodiesel, changed to 18's, and run Michelin Defender LTX LT275/65R18

[rsdata]

LT tires on a half ton mean compromising ride comfort, payload and fuel mileage.

I am sure you have read about some that pump up their P tires to tow with and lower them to drive... well that can happen also with LT so, no ride comfort compromise if you care to do that... ( unless of course you ride on those brutal Canadian roads full-time, Eh?) and fuel mileage should necessarily be better with higher pressure (harder) tires because of less rolling resistance... and finally you are saying that higher weight tires ( LT Vs P), which is maybe 40# for 4 of them... this is going to compromise your payload capability by 40#???

I think all of those supposed negative items are a stretch, and I personally like the better tracking steering I get with my LT tires with less sidewall flex... ONLY MY 2 cents worth...

[babock]

My 2018 F-150 Lariat came with 18" Michelin Primacy XC. 2756# load and it rides great when not towing. Much more load capacity than my gross axle weight rating. I have zero sway with my trailer so I will never buy LT tires.


Out of curiosity, why an F-150 and not a F-250. Not sure I would tow that trailer with a 1/2T

[rsdata]

ChooChooMan74...

I have a '15 Ram Ecodiesel, changed to 18's

would you care to share your reasoning? Did you drop down from 20's?

[luker0]

Load E range LT tires in the half tons I've driven have terrible ride quality. Load C range LT tires weren't bad.

On my colleague's truck with 20 inch rims the Load E range tires were 15lbs per tire heavier. that's only 60lbs, but still 60lbs less payload for negligible benefit for the small amount of towing we do. His measured fuel economy dropped by 1.5mpg. His wife my switch the tires back after a year.

So yes a compromise on all three areas. Only the owner can decide if those things are worth for the towing they do. With my current truck towing the car hauler i have I've not felt the need to move to LT tires. The stock P metric Goodyears have done a great job. I've towed this trailer with 4 other vehicles and have felt quite comfortable with the current setup.

[whjco]

Originally Posted by luker0

Load E range LT tires in the half tons I've driven have terrible ride quality. Load C range LT tires weren't bad.

On my colleague's truck with 20 inch rims the Load E range tires were 15lbs per tire heavier. that's only 60lbs, but still 60lbs less payload for negligible benefit for the small amount of towing we do. His measured fuel economy dropped by 1.5mpg. His wife my switch the tires back after a year.

So yes a compromise on all three areas. Only the owner can decide if those things are worth for the towing they do. With my current truck towing the car hauler i have I've not felt the need to move to LT tires. The stock P metric Goodyears have done a great job. I've towed this trailer with 4 other vehicles and have felt quite comfortable with the current setup.

How do the Load Range E tires result in 60 lbs less payload? They're on the wheels, not being carried by the truck as payload.

I drive a 3/4 ton Ram pickup with Michelin Defender Load Range E tires. I actually find them to have a better ride than the tires on my wife's Subaru.

Bill J., Lexington, KY

[67L48]

They don't. There are a few posts above that suggest that tire weight affects payload. It doesn't. The only way it would is if you swapped your spare. Only things you carry count against your payload. Tires and wheels would be classified as "unsprung weight," which doesn't do anything to affect payload.

[luker0]

Uhm...payload = GVWR - weight of truck. Weight of truck includes everything on and in the truck. It's that simple.

[67L48]

I guess I'll have to reconcile how weight that isn't supported by the truck's frame, suspension components, or axle could somehow reduce the amount of weight that can be carried.

[luker0]

Originally Posted by 67L48

I guess I'll have to reconcile how weight that isn't supported by the truck's frame, suspension components, or axle could somehow reduce the amount of weight that can be carried.

If you take a truck to a scale do you think that somehow magically wheels, tires, axles and springs get subtracted from the TOTAL weight of truck?

Payload = GVWR - total weight of truck.

So if my truck has a GVWR of 7200 and it weighs 5800 lbs on a scale in have 1400 lbs of payload.

Now if my truck now weighs 5860 (new heavier tires) I have 1340 lbs of payload left. It is just that simple.

That is why the value of the yellow sticker on each truck is different, it is weighed as it comes off the factory floor with all its own options vs another truck with different options.

[phfkef]

Originally Posted by luker0

If you take a truck to a scale do you think that somehow magically wheels, tires, axles and springs get subtracted from the TOTAL weight of truck?

Payload = GVWR - total weight of truck.

So if my truck has a GVWR of 7200 and it weighs 5800 lbs on a scale in have 1400 lbs of payload.

Now if my truck now weighs 5860 (new heavier tires) I have 1340 lbs of payload left. It is just that simple.

That is why the value of the yellow sticker on each truck is different, it is weighed as it comes off the factory floor with all its own options vs another truck with different options.

Luker0. A vehicle's GVWR is not a measurement of how much a vehicle actually weighs. A vehicle's actual weight is the gross vehicle weight, or GVW. The two numbers should not be confused -- the GVW of a vehicle is constantly changing (by the weight of passengers, trailer tongue weight ...) but the GVWR will always remain a constant ( it is set by the manufacturer and is a safety limit).

[luker0]

Originally Posted by phfkef

Luker0. A vehicle's GVWR is not a measurement of how much a vehicle actually weighs. A vehicle's actual weight is the gross vehicle weight, or GVW. The two numbers should not be confused -- the GVW of a vehicle is constantly changing (by the weight of passengers, trailer tongue weight ...) but the GVWR will always remain a constant ( it is set by the manufacturer and is a safety limit).

I never said GVWR was the weight of the truck.

[phfkef]

Originally Posted by luker0

I never said GVWR was the weight of the truck.

sorry. my mistake.

[67L48]

Originally Posted by luker0

If you take a truck to a scale do you think that somehow magically wheels, tires, axles and springs get subtracted from the TOTAL weight of truck?

Payload = GVWR - total weight of truck. [...]

I understand the equation and I didn't say you were wrong. So, yes, we can apply a dogmatic devotion to the equation. Doing so simply answers the question of why tires count against payload as, "Because they do." That appears enough for you, which is fine. I'm wrestling a bit more with the question, though.

As I said, I just need to reconcile why an object that has no interaction with the truck's suspension, frame, axles, or anything else would somehow interact with the load capacity of that truck. I don't know why the truck's tires would affect payload, but the trailer's tires don't. Each set of tires has the same amount of interaction with the material items and mechanisms that bear a truck's payload.

[luker0]

Originally Posted by 67L48

I understand the equation and I didn't say you were wrong. So, yes, we can apply a dogmatic devotion to the equation. Doing so simply answers the question of why tires count against payload as, "Because they do." That appears enough for you, which is fine. I'm wrestling a bit more with the question, though.

As I said, I just need to reconcile why an object that has no interaction with the truck's suspension, frame, axles, or anything else would somehow interact with the load capacity of that truck. I don't know why the truck's tires would affect payload, but the trailer's tires don't. Each set of tires has the same amount of interaction with the material items and mechanisms that bear a truck's payload.

The truck's tires are part of the truck and part of the total weight/curb weight/gross vehicle weight. If you put the truck on a scale the tires are part of what is measured.

Since payload equals the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) minus the actual weight of the truck then a heavier tire WILL affect the payload rating of the truck. GVWR never changes but weight of truck does as you add or remove items.

For example in another thread a poster has a very similar truck to mine but his payload rating sticker is higher than mine by about 39 lbs. I would bet money that mine 20" rims and tires compared to his 17" rims and tires make up the majority of that 39 lbs difference. My ACTUAL truck weight is higher than my curb weight because I have a spray on bedliner and tonneau cover.

The trailer tires only affect the weight of the trailer. They may affect the tongue weight applied to the truck but likely not very much. The tongue weight applied to a truck is part of what gets deducted from the payload rating which is why you need to know your ACTUAL weight and calculated remaining payload capacity. Anything you add or remove on your truck will affect how much weight you can carry to the maximum as defined by GVWR.

[LarryBoy]

Originally Posted by canmes

I'm getting ready to order my new F150 and trying to decide between the stock 18", 20" or the LT tires. We tow our Lacrosse 327RES about 2500 to 3000 miles every year, so need something that won't kill the ride for the balance of the driving. I'm asking about stock tires offered by Ford, not aftermarket.



Any suggestions or experiences will be appreciated.

One thing to keep in mind if you are trying to get max tow / payload on a 3.5 eco. If you get the max tow package and The factory 20” wheels they come equipped with max springs, steering gear and upgraded stabilizer bar. That is why you will notice the payload sticker in the door is always higher than the 18” version.