Tires

haligen

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I need some new front tires and have been looking at michelin LTX A/S 2. Any experience with said tires or better tires to suggest? Oh one other thing the dealer is showing two tire sizes as stock 215/85/16 and 235/85/16. Any advantage to going with the wider tire? I have 215/85/16's on it now. The truck is a 2wd and used 90% on paved road.
 

fields_mj

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FWIW - I can't comment on tire size because I can't remember what's on my truck right now. I know that I went back to the "stock" size that it was supposed to come with. I'm running Michilen A/T II tires on the front and I really like them. They have given me great traction on wet pavement, they are quiet, and they gave me good traction on snow and ice this past winter. They are supposed to wear like iron too. I had them on the front of my 94 F150 2wd also, and I was happy with them there too.

Mark
 

Shadetreemechanic

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I have had a set of michelin ltx's on one of my trucks for over 12 years now (I don't drive it much) They are great for everything but off road. Quiet with good treadwear. If you get off road the sidewalls are very thin. I have tubes in two of mine now because of sidewall punctures.
If you are on road all the time I would go for the narrower tire. It will have less rolling resistance and should be better on the mileage.
 

itsacrazyasian

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my last 3 OBS fords have always run 235/85/16. the 215 is just too skinny. The michelin ltx a/s2 is a great long wearing tire. they tend to dry rot quickly in warmer sunny climates.
 

FORDF250HDXLT

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215's are stock for your 2wd dually because the outset of the rims will not be enough and the 235's will likely rub together when loaded up.this could lead to blow out,which also takes out them stock pricey dually flares fyi.
however rear spacers can be purchased to provide more space between the rims,so 235's can be safely installed.

there are also more advantages to keeping the stock 215's.
the more tire width=the less the traction.
the more tire width=the more rolling resistance and wind drag (lower fuel economy.)
the smaller the tire= the less weight the tire weighs (less force the engine needs to use just to get your truck going.)
the 215's are shorter than 235's.
there are advantages to shorter tires as well.
the lower the truck sits,the easier it is to load up by hand.
the lower the truck sits,the less wind resistance there is.
the shorter the tire,the lower the effective gear ratio which is commonly thought of as "off the line" grunt only,which is simply not true,but the torque is multiplied through the entire power band,and why lower gears are performance gears,and taller gears are economy/cruising gears.

tire size is very important actually,and because we all use our trucks so differently no one can tell you which size will fit your needs better than you can.:)
good luck!
 

IDIDieselJohn

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I'm running 6 Michelin LTX M/S2 on my motorhome, 215/85R16 and love 'em. There pretty quiet, and I did 16,000km (11k miles) in 8 weeks this summer with it and they show 0 wear all around! Front are at 75psi, outside rears are at 75psi and inners are 73 psi.


Last year it had 2 front Michelin LTX M/S dating from 1996 and had well over 100k miles on them. They were both pretty bald and badly cracked.
 

haligen

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Well looks like 215/85/16's it is. I called a local shop and they have the LTX A/T 2's in stock for $175 a piece mounted, balanced, and filled with nitrogen.
 
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