When my Sprinter needed tires there wasn't all that much choice out there, and the forum users were pretty unanimous in recommending the newest Michelins available. My Hankooks have done ok, but with over 40,000 miles on them I want to start thinking about replacement.
Reading the tire sub forum I see lots of stuff but am wondering in this weird size range if one specific regular/normal model stands out.
Or are there all kinds of opinions?
We went with the Cooper Discoverer A/TW, which is very similar to the A/T3 but is severe weather rated whereas the A/T3 is not. We put on 245/75R16 on our Quigley 4x4. There is at least one more forum member with this same setup.
There will never be a consensus on the best, but I am thrilled with my larger Cooper Adventurer H/T 245/75R16 tires. I feel they look way better than the stock size, and subjectively they seem to be quieter and smoother riding than the stock tires they replaced. I have the more aggressive Discoverer ATP ones (real similar to AT3) on my Super Duty truck and love them too.
Michelin LTS2 line is the gold standard as far as I know. Others may be better handling, traction, load-bearing or looking but none have the same combination as the LTS2. I had a set of Toyo HT M&S that would have lasted 100k if not for scalloping on one front tire. I had them aftermarket siped when I got them, and they were VERY grippy on snow and ice.
I have read on the forum that you can cut away parts of the trim and body and put larger diameter tires on the Transit, but forget about having any clearance for mud or ice, so better left to the pavement queens.
With my LT225/75R16 E rated Nokian Rotiiva AT+ there is a 3.3 MPH difference at 60 MPH. No clearance problems at all. Engine RPM is also reduced.
T150 3.31LS MR 3.5EB
They have the formula to help you figure out the true ratio you have and what needs to be doe to correct for the difference.
I am going to get the Quad Van lift in a couple weeks and has the 2 inch lift. So I will be doing an increase in overall tire diameter for better ground clearance ( hitch has ground too many times on loading docks and steep entrances let alone out i the mountains to play). I have the 3:31 gearing and so to keep near stock I will likely be swapping out the gears once I decide tire size.
For example:
Stock my 28" tires with 3:31 gears I am at 2582
If you went to 31.5" tires (not saying we can even though some have as no room for chains even lifted TBD as I will likely do 30.5") with 3.73 gears would be 2,586.13 thus, virtually the same and your speedometer will be correct.
At 30" tires closest gear choice would be the 3.55 and a close match again of 2584
We also have to remember that E or 10 ply vs D or 8 ply does not mean the load rating is high enough for a 250 let alone a 350. Many E ply do not have weight ratings over 2200. Staying with a skinny tall tire will keep the rating up and going wide and lower profile usually but not always lowers the load rating for each tire.
DO NOT TRUST YOUR LOCAL CHAIN TO KNOW THIS......... DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND VALIDATION ......................a large chain out my way that I had used for years sold our 1 ton rigs Toyo MTR and RT tires with the popular truck size of 35 x 12.5 x 20. The load ratings were low and when we had multiple flat spot issues Toyo would not warranty as they were on rigs that were to heavy for the load ratings f the tires..... The shop took care of it thus I still shop with them as they did right to fix it at no charge to us ( great customer Service). They sold 10's of thousands of sets to end users all over the west and never knew they were putting their customers at risk.
Hope more wheel manufacturers start making other styles and back spacing.
I installed the Goodyear Duratrac 225 75 R16E, supposed to be better in snow that KO2. Does have some road noise hum. Haven't put chains on it yet, but visually has enough room for chains. No rubbing.
For a given tire, say the Michelin LTS2, ignoring visual appeal, speedometer error, and assuming no clearance problems, what are the other advantages and drawbacks to going larger than stock?
I would assume worse fuel economy and decreased cornering abilty?
Are there any advantages other than looks?
Fuel economy may not be worse. I changed from 245 to 265 tires on my 08 Sprinter. Expected lower fuel economy but got 1/2 mpg better fuel economy. Recorded fuel economy for the 10,000 miles before the change and 10,000 mile after the change. Corrected for diameter change.
If you do not change the tire contact patch width, I would not expect any noticeable change in cornering ability.
I will change to Cooper 245/70/16 tires after I wear out the Hankooks. About same contact width. Reason: Looks.
I got my 245/75R16 tires (Cooper Discoverer A/TW) primarily for these benefits: increasing clearance by 1", and much better for snow as well as off-road. I was pleasantly surprised that it handles better on pavement. Not sure about mileage yet. Hoping at some point to re flash for correct odometer/speedometer and shift points.
More clearance is the bonus for those of us who are not trying to make a visual statement. I'd LOVE 2" more clearance, but it would require modification to fit a 4" taller tire on a Transit and have it be functional. As mentioned before, a larger diameter tire changes the effective gear ratio results, and can provide better mpg over time. Some tire shops WILL NOT install tire sizes other than recommended by the manufacturer due to possible lawsuits or something, so find one that doesn't give a ****. For my purposes, I'd like a taller skinnier tire for better mpg and traction. Wide tires are flotation devices, distributing the load over a larger contact patch, good for sand and deep mud. I don't drive on those.
The 225/75/16 on my T1N Sprinter were plentiful in E load rating. Going to that size doesn't seem to be too much of an issue with the Transit. I'd like a 215/85/16 for it's narrower contact patch.
Atoine are you guys still happy with your choice of Tires? I'm considering shelling out the $$ but reading some reviews on the BFG site leads me to believe they wear fairly quickly... I'm interested in your experience using them on highways too. Thanks!
I've tried the Hankook, Firestone, Cooper and just put on the Nokian wrc3 on. The Nokian so far has has THE BEST traction yet! The Cooper is second best I'm not sure how long they will last but I need traction and in my test spot, all the others spun. They also had the best "feel" at speed on the freeway. https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-wr-c3/
I really want to try these also but I'll wait until I get spare wheels for it. https://www.nokiantires.com/winter-tires/nokian-hakkapeliitta-r2/
If Michelin ever makes one in the right size I'll try that, they tend to run larger than comparable in the same size though. That said, the Michelin's have been the best for my trucks.
I am just going by the vehicle selection tools on the Nokian website. For the tire you selected the WR C3 does not show as a
compatible tire for the Transit. Could be a website error and most likely is but it still is not listed as a tire for the Transit for
some reason. I guess calling Nokian is the only way to be sure it is direct replacement for the Transit factory tires.
Well I just called Nokian and after 20 minutes on the phone they found in an internal tire selection book that the WRC3 and CR3
are compatible with the Transit series. Obviously the website is in error.
I have not installed the Coopers yet. They were bought from another Transit owner with 8000 miles on them. Do not know if chains will work. Suspect that will not be a problem because rear wheel wells are not a tight fit.
Has anyone used chains on the 245/70/16 on a Transit?[/QUOTE]
I have not installed the Coopers yet. They were bought from another Transit owner with 8000 miles on them. Do not know if chains will work. Suspect that will not be a problem because rear wheel wells are not a tight fit.
Has anyone used chains on the 245/70/16 on a Transit?
Put a pair of these on steel wheels on the rear today
Nokian WR C3 235/65 R 16 C 121/119 R Tires
Sold by Tires-Easy
Qty: 2
$157.54/ea
4" tonight so We'll see, Put in 60PSI may be dropping htat the van is never loaded usually very empty. Gotta be much better than the Vancos that got stuck on my lawn.
Stayed with the stock size cause I'm leaving Vancos on the front for now.
I have ran through 2 sets of the Nokian wr2’s . They are awesome in the snow but wear fast in summer. My van just sails through snow. The hancooks were horrible.
The load rating is the same as stock and the size is also. On their web site the link doesn't show the tire size but just type it in and it'll spec the right one for you.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Ford Transit USA Forum
422.4K posts
43.8K members
Since 2012
A forum community dedicated to Ford Transit owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, troubleshooting, storage capacity, maintenance, and more!