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Best Tires for a Ford F-150: Sizes & Top Picks by Use
June 24, 2026
The Best Tires for a Ford F-150: Sizes, Types, and Top Picks by How You Drive
Updated June 2026 · Originally published Oct 2023The best F-150 tire depends on the job. For daily driving and towing, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S is the benchmark. For mixed street and trail, the BFGoodrich KO3 (or KO2 while sizes last) leads the all-terrains. For mud and maximum attitude, the Nitto Ridge Grappler. For real winters, a dedicated Bridgestone Blizzak or Michelin X-Ice. Stock sizes run 265/70R17 to 275/60R20 depending on trim, 33s fit stock-height 2021+ trucks, and 35s want a lift.
“Best tires for an F-150” is really two questions wearing one hat: what physically fits your truck, and which tire suits your driving. Most guides answer neither with numbers. This one answers both, starting with the sizes, because a perfect tire in the wrong size is just an expensive mistake with a warranty.
What's In This Guide
- What Sizes Fit Your F-150
- Load Range: SL vs LT/E
- Top Picks by Category
- Comparison Table
- Raptor, Lightning & PowerBoost
- FAQ
First, What Actually Fits: Sizes by Generation
Factory sizes are your baseline. Here's what each recent F-150 generation wears from the plant:
| Trim (typical) | 2009–2014 | 2015–2020 | 2021+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| XL / STX | 235/75R17 | 265/70R17 | 265/70R17 |
| XLT | 275/65R18 | 265/60R18 | 275/65R18 |
| Lariat / King Ranch / Platinum | 275/55R20 | 275/55R20 | 275/60R20 |
| Limited | 275/45R22 | 275/45R22 | 275/50R22 |
| Raptor | 315/70R17 | 315/70R17 | 315/70R17 (37s optional) |
And the question behind the question: how big can you go?
| Suspension | 2009–2020 Trucks | 2021+ Trucks |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | 32″ clean, 33″ with offset care | 33″ clean (33x12.5R20) |
| 2–2.5″ level | 33″ clean, 34″ with care | 34″ (295/60R20) |
| 3″+ lift | 35″ with minor trimming | 34–35″ |
| 4–6″ lift | 35″ clean | 35″ clean |
Full wheel-and-tire math for your exact truck lives in our fitment guides: 2009-2014, 2015-2020, and 2021+.
Load Range: The Spec Towing Owners Skip at Their Peril
Two tires in the same size can carry very different loads. P-metric and SL (Standard Load) tires are what most F-150s wear from the factory: lighter, smoother-riding, better fuel economy. LT tires in load range C, D, or E carry stiffer construction and higher load capacity, which is what you want if the truck regularly tows near its rating, hauls heavy in the bed, or airs down off-road. The trade: E-rated tires ride firmer and weigh more, which you'll feel every unloaded mile. Our plain advice: commuters and light towers stay P-metric or SL, and anyone working the truck weekly steps up to LT. When in doubt, match or exceed the load index on your door jamb sticker.
The Top Picks by Category
Michelin Defender LTX M/S · runner-up: Firestone Destination LE3
The Defender LTX is the highway benchmark for a reason: quiet, composed under a trailer, excellent in rain, and backed by a 70,000 mile warranty that makes the premium price into good math. The Destination LE3 plays the same position for less money with its own 70,000 mile warranty. If your F-150 is a family hauler that tows on weekends, this category is your answer, not the aggressive stuff.
BFGoodrich KO3 (or KO2) · runner-up: Toyo Open Country A/T III
The all-terrain class is where most F-150s land, and BFG owns the benchmark. The new KO3 is replacing the legendary KO2 size by size, keeping the 50,000 mile warranty and the severe-snow 3PMSF rating while updating the compound. If your size exists in KO3, buy it; if not, KO2 phase-out pricing is a bargain. The Toyo A/T III counters with a smoother ride and up to a 65,000 mile warranty on P-metric sizes, plus 3PMSF on most fitments.
Nitto Ridge Grappler · runner-up: Toyo Open Country R/T
The look of a mud tire with the manners of an all-terrain. The Ridge Grappler is the tire we mount on more lifted F-150s than any other, with deep shoulder lugs, dual sidewall designs, and surprising highway civility. Know its trade-offs: no mileage warranty and no severe-snow rating. We put it head to head with the BFG in our Ridge Grappler vs KO2 comparison if you're torn between the two.
Toyo Open Country M/T · runner-up: Nitto Mud Grappler
For trucks that earn their mud. The Open Country M/T has carried desert racers and swamp trucks for two decades, and the Mud Grappler is the louder, prouder alternative. Full honesty: both hum on the highway, wear faster than everything above, and are overkill for a truck that sees pavement 95% of the time. For the other 5% of trucks, nothing else works.
Bridgestone Blizzak (DM series) · runner-up: Michelin X-Ice Snow
If your winter involves months of snow rather than occasional flurries, no all-terrain matches a dedicated winter tire. Bridgestone's truck-sized Blizzak line and Michelin's X-Ice Snow are the class leaders, and mounting them on a spare set of wheels turns the seasonal swap into a 30 minute job instead of a shop appointment. Your summer tires last longer as a bonus.
The Picks at a Glance
| Tire | Category | Snow Rated (3PMSF) | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Highway / all-season | No | 70,000 mi |
| Firestone Destination LE3 | Highway / all-season | No | 70,000 mi |
| BFGoodrich KO3 / KO2 | All-terrain | Yes | 50,000 mi |
| Toyo Open Country A/T III | All-terrain | Yes (most sizes) | Up to 65,000 mi |
| Nitto Ridge Grappler | Hybrid terrain | No | None (40k–60k typical) |
| Toyo Open Country M/T | Mud-terrain | No | None |
| Bridgestone Blizzak / Michelin X-Ice | Winter | Yes | None (winter tires) |
Raptor, Lightning and PowerBoost Notes
Three F-150s bend the rules. The Raptor ships on 315/70R17s (37s optionally) and wants LT-rated rubber that matches its suspension travel, so shop its stock sizes rather than downsizing. The Lightning weighs well over 6,000 pounds, which makes load rating non-negotiable and rewards efficiency-focused tires, since aggressive tread visibly eats range. The PowerBoost hybrid fits everything a gas truck fits, though its extra weight makes the LT-versus-SL question worth asking a size earlier. All three are trucks our fitment team specs daily, so call with the VIN if you're unsure.
Why Buy the Package From SD Wheel
Tires from one site, wheels from another, and a mounting bill at the local shop is the expensive way to do this twice. Build tires and wheels in one cart and everything arrives mounted, balanced, and shipped free, verified against your exact year and trim, with the Perfect Drive 30-day fitment guarantee behind it. Financing through Affirm splits the total if the truck's appetite outruns the budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size tires fit a Ford F-150?
Factory sizes run from 235/75R17 on older work trucks to 275/50R22 on new Limiteds, with 265/70R17, 275/65R18, and 275/60R20 covering most trims. Aftermarket, a 33 fits a stock 2021+ truck, a leveled truck of any recent generation takes 33s to 34s, and 35s want a 3 inch lift or taller. The generation tables above have the full breakdown.
What's the best all-around tire for an F-150?
For most owners, honestly, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S: it does the daily-plus-towing job better than anything and lasts 70,000 warrantied miles. If your truck splits time between pavement and trail, the BFGoodrich KO3 is the do-everything pick with a severe-snow rating included.
Do I need E-rated tires for towing?
Not automatically. The rule is meeting or exceeding your door jamb's load index, which many P-metric and SL tires do for typical towing. Step up to LT load range C or E when you tow near max rating regularly, haul heavy payloads, or air down off-road. Expect a firmer ride as the cost.
Will 35s fit my F-150?
With a 3 inch or taller lift, yes, with minor trimming on 2009-2020 trucks and cleanly on most setups at 4 inches and up. At stock height, 33s are the smart ceiling (easiest on 2021+ trucks). The per-generation details live in our three F-150 fitment guides linked above.
Are all-terrains good enough for winter?
Depends on your winter. A 3PMSF-rated all-terrain like the KO3 or Open Country A/T III handles moderate snow genuinely well. For months of packed snow and ice, a dedicated winter tire like a Blizzak stops meaningfully shorter, and no tread symbol changes that physics.
Picks and specs verified June 2026, including the KO2 to KO3 transition. Warranties are manufacturer terms and vary by size, so confirm your fitment on the product page.
