Picking the Right Tires for Your F-250

To many, a tire might just seem like a chunk of rubber that you fill with air. The reality of the matter is tire engineers dive much deeper than that to ensure a tire can perform well in specific situations.

Tires are composed of a rubber compound, and this compound makes up all of what is visible. Not all compounds are the same; some are softer, some are harder and some are in between. The compound is carefully selected to perform in different settings.

Underneath the compound lies radial plies which are put in place to keep the sidewalls rigid, while the treads are often reinforced with steel belts to help with even wear and traction. The tread design is carefully drawn up to help the tire grab the terrain. Snow, asphalt, mud, and rocks will all affect what makes the best tread choice. The contact patch can also vary depending on the terrain.

Tire anatomy isn’t the only critical part of selecting the right tire for your F-250. The tire size is important to the vehicles speed, ability to accelerate, and even traction. This is why changing tire size is so common when swapping to an aftermarket tire.

Randomly selecting tire size is no way to go about the process of buying tires. You will need to know what the factory tire size of your vehicle is to get started; then you will want to look at the biggest tire size put in place by the factory for the particular model year. If you are considering a size larger than that, you may want to consider a suspension leveling or a lift kit, to accept the tire you are considering.

2011-2016 F-250 4WD

• 245/75R17
• 265/70R17
• 275/65R18
• 275/70R18
• 275/65R20

2011-2016 F-250 2WD

• 245/75R17
• 265/70R17
• 275/65R18

2017-present 4WD

• 245/75R17
• 265/70R17
• 275/65R18
• 275/70R18
• 275/65R20

2017-present 2WD

• 245/75R17
• 265/70R17
• 275/65R18

Owners of F-250s often change the terrain type of their tire. This is done to help the truck perform in settings that differ from typical daily driving. All-terrain tires are the typical factory tire and are perfectly acceptable for most driving cases performed on the asphalt. Changes in terrain and climate can impact the tires ability to perform well. Tires for dedicated uses will have the terrain they are intended for declared as the terrain type.

Mud: Mud terrain tires separated from other tire types mainly by the tread pattern. The treads on mud tires are very deep. This type is used to dig into the mud like fingers to ensure proper grip. This tread will often stretch to the sidewall of the tire to aid with traction. The compound is also typically made of a softer material.

All-Terrain: All-terrain tires are the most common tire type for F-250’s with on-road use; even when aftermarket tires are selected, this will be the choice. These tires use a medium compound as they are intended to perform on a variety of terrain types. The treads are often fairly shallow but are coarse enough to dig into mud and dirt along with asphalt.

Sand: Sand tires are easily identified by their extremely deep and wide tread patterns. The treads on the tire will appear paddle-like. Like a mud tire, this tread pattern is used to help the tire dig into the terrain like fingers. These tires are often made of a soft compound.

Snow: For the F-250 snow tires are a lot like an all-terrain tire in nearly all aspects. The major difference is these tires will be studded. These studs are used to help the tire bite to ice and snow in order to maintain traction for safe traveling.

Knowing tread types will only get you so far. Tires should be viewed as tools in the sense they are intended to take on specific scenarios in order to perform. Sure, there is some leniency when it comes to practice versus theory, but if you are looking for serious performance enhancement, you’ll need to know a few more things.

All-terrain tires will be the best tire of choice for many F-250 owners. This is because the truck will double for daily driving, work use, and even play during the weekends. In most cases, these tires will perform well, but there are instances where you will need to swap.

In the case you are moving to heavy mud driving and little else, mud tires will need to be put on the truck to keep you from sinking into a pit and becoming stuck; the same is true for sand.

Street tires can commonly be found on F-250s, but these are intended for just that. On the street, they perform well but will have limitations when the terrain changes along with the weather. The second the snow starts, you’ll want to make sure you are moving to snow tires that will accommodate for the change in terrain. This is also true for all-terrain tires as the ice and snow are so difficult to drive through.

High tire pressure is great for street driving and little else. The tire PSI is high to help with towing, maintaining stability, and preserving tread life. Though, it will keep the tire from making full contact with anything but hard flat surfaces.

Airing down is to multiply the contact patch. It will widen the tire some allowing the treads on the sidewall to be used in many cases. This process will also help with traction as the tire can fold over an obstacle to grab it from more angles.

The F-250 is an off-road choice for many, but at heart, it’s a work truck. If you are considering off-road tires for your rig you will need to choose wisely if you intend on towing any sort of equipment. Tow ratings are critical in order to maintain safety while hauling heavy weights at high speeds, and if you exceed the rating you can get into an accident. Toys are usually exempt from towing situations, but with a work truck, your choices may be limited by this factor.