On the fence about tires (yep, another tire thread)

[chillman88]

245/75/16 is both slightly smaller than 235/85/16 and honestly a little bit more common. 245/75/16 is also offered in C and D load ratings whereas 235/85/16 is only offered in E rating. E rating is a higher load capacity so it has to have more plies adding to the cost.

33x12.5 should fit the truck itself but it depends on your wheels. Are they 16s? I don't know if they even offer a set of 15" wheels that fit our trucks.

 

[Jason1377]

245/75/16 is both slightly smaller than 235/85/16 and honestly a little bit more common. 245/75/16 is also offered in C and D load ratings whereas 235/85/16 is only offered in E rating. E rating is a higher load capacity so it has to have more plies adding to the cost.

33x12.5 should fit the truck itself but it depends on your wheels. Are they 16s? I don't know if they even offer a set of 15" wheels that fit our trucks.

Looked to be 16's and thanks for the explanation of 245 n 235 I been looking at tire buyer n stumbled on the 245 from ur Ironman post

 

[chillman88]

Looked to be 16's and thanks for the explanation of 245 n 235 I been looking at tire buyer n stumbled on the 245 from ur Ironman post

The first number is width in millimeters, the second number is a height ratio.

235/85/16 == 235mm wide, the height of the sidewall is 85% of 235, and the 16 is the rim size.

245/75/16 == 245mm wide, the sidewall height is 75% of 245, and the 16 is the rim size.

That's why 265/75/16 and 235/85/16 are both about the same outside diameter, the 265 is wider but 75% is about 199mm sidewall height whereas 235 is narrower but 85% is about 200mm sidewall height.

Clear as mud yet?

 

[Jason1377]

The first number is width in millimeters, the second number is a height ratio.

235/85/16 == 235mm wide, the height of the sidewall is 85% of 235, and the 16 is the rim size.

245/75/16 == 245mm wide, the sidewall height is 75% of 245, and the 16 is the rim size.

That's why 265/75/16 and 235/85/16 are both about the same outside diameter, the 265 is wider but 75% is about 199mm sidewall height whereas 235 is narrower but 85% is about 200mm sidewall height.

Clear as mud yet?

Hey hey now lesson learned for me 19 hour work day is interwebs = not so good,and I'm ordering a set of those Ironman tires so I can just change out three of my 4 yr old tires.

 

[Eli]

I believe the LT265/75R16 is the common replacement for older LT235/85R16 'singley' applications - they're the same height and for the 6.5" and 7" rims - but make sure you get LT and not P-metric! A lot of tire store guys aren't too bright and will install P-metric (passenger car) tires on 1-ton trucks! Duallies usually came with LT215/85R16 tires, these can usually be replaced with LT235/85R16 tires. No real reason to stay with LT235/85R16 tires on a 'singley' unless you're feeling nostalgic for pizza cutters.

Eli

 

[BeastMaster]

I'm going to try these:

https://www.tirebuyer.com/tirebuyer/tires/RB LT/p/TV153000587

1994 E350 7.3L IDI.

I think they oughta fit...

I'm in a quandary about the next wider size...265,. Any of you guys having height clearance problems with these Ford vans in parking structures?

 

[chillman88]

I'm going to try these:

https://www.tirebuyer.com/tirebuyer/tires/RB LT/p/TV153000587

1994 E350 7.3L IDI.

I think they oughta fit...

I'm in a quandary about the next wider size...265,. Any of you guys having height clearance problems with these Ford vans in parking structures?

You're talking about approximately another inch. I'm guessing if you're fine now you should be fine with the 265s.

I ruled out the Ironman tires for me because a few reviews say they suck in the snow. That's not an area I can afford to compromise on sadly.

 

[BeastMaster]

Yeh, one look at that tread pattern, won't be much good in snow. The ones that will be good in snow are gonna be noisy as all get out and wear more rapidly on dry road.

I already make more than my share of noise. I fool my neighbors into thinking its the fire truck.

Like Eli mentioned, my alignment guy earned a lot of my trust by steering me onto those ironman LT tires and warned me not to put P tires on this old beast.

"E" load rated. 10 ply. I run mine about 80 psi. Or the sheer weight of this old beast flattens them right out.

 

[chillman88]

Yeh, one look at that tread pattern, won't be much good in snow. The ones that will be good in snow are gonna be noisy as all get out and wear more rapidly on dry road.

It's not just tread pattern. Those tires appear to be a firmer rubber compound from the reviews. That's great for wear and treadlife, but not so much for traction. I'm sure they're great on dry highway but cold temperatures make a hard tread compound even worse.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

and I'm ordering a set of those Ironman tires so I can just change out three of my 4 yr old tires.

PLEASE let us know how you like them and how they seem to perform. Even though it will take several thousand miles for you to get a good idea. I'd be happy with a 1500 mile update.

 

[BeastMaster]

PLEASE let us know how you like them and how they seem to perform. Even though it will take several thousand miles for you to get a good idea. I'd be happy with a 1500 mile update.

Will do

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Will do

If you're anything like me, it could take some time to get even the 1500 miles on them. I live two blocks from work and walk. I have another truck to drive and I don't do a lot of extra driving, usually. I also have a motorcycle to ride. It could take me some time to get that 1500 miles on my new tires.

 

[Jason1377]

Ugh my local guy just screwed me blew his shoulder and knew out this morning doing well not so smart stuff so now I have to find another smart idi owner to do tires an laugh at me when I ask random stuff since im a novice at working on these trucks/ordering parts as well. 1500 miles would be a challenge I've owned the truck 5 yrs and only put 25k miles on it, n thanks @chillman88 forgot Arkansas snow/rain/ roads suck

 

[BeastMaster]

It'll take me 6 months to a year to put on 1500 miles. Old retired coot. I don't drive that much anymore. But I love the idea I can have my stuff with me, and this beast is big enough to hide me when I gotta go ***.

And I am fed up with constantly being goaded to keep up with the latest high performance little rocket cars....by golly if I drove like that, I'd be in an accident within minutes.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

And I am fed up with constantly being goaded to keep up with the latest high performance little rocket cars....by golly if I drove like that, I'd be in an accident within minutes.

That's why I have so many people go around me when I'm unlucky enough to be in a bigger city. If someone cuts in front of me, I'll back off a little to put some space between us. Of course this invites someone else to do the same. It's frustrating, but I just figure that I'll be out of there soon and just keep going.