Best Tires for F-150 Trucks: A Sacramento Tech's Real Guide
The Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck in America, and Sacramento reflects that - you see them everywhere, from the Valley Hi neighborhood to Natomas, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, and out on I-5 and Highway 99. We mount and balance F-150 tires at Tire Geeks multiple times every single week. The problem is the F-150 spans so many generations, trim levels, and use cases that "what tire fits my F-150" is never a one-answer question. This guide covers popular tire sizes by generation, the best tire brands for the F-150, wheel specs and bolt pattern, leveling kit combos, and the builds we see most here in Sacramento. Whether you are daily driving Florin Road, hauling gear out to the Delta, or planning a Tahoe run up I-80, there is a tire setup here for you.
F-150 Tire Sizes by Generation and Trim
Ford has run multiple factory tire sizes across F-150 generations, and the generation you have matters as much as the trim. Here is a breakdown of the most common setups we see come through the shop, along with popular upgrade sizes:
| Generation / Trim | Factory Size | Popular Upgrade | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13th Gen (2015-2020) XLT / Lariat 20" | 275/55R20 | 295/55R20 or 285/60R20 | Fits stock with minor rubbing on 295s at full lock |
| 13th Gen (2015-2020) XL / XLT 17" | 265/70R17 | 285/70R17 or 305/65R17 | 285/70R17 is a clean bolt-on; 305s may need a level |
| 13th Gen Raptor (2017-2020) | 315/70R17 | 35x12.50R17 | Raptor already has clearance; direct swap on 35s |
| 14th Gen (2021+) XLT / Lariat 20" | 275/60R20 | 295/60R20 or 285/65R20 | 2021+ front suspension is tighter; test at full lock |
| 14th Gen (2021+) XL 17" | 265/70R17 | 285/70R17 | Clean fit; 305/65R17 works with a 2" level |
| Any Gen with 2-2.5" Leveling Kit | Stock | 33" (285/70R17) to 35" (315/70R17 or 35x12.50R17) | See leveling kit section below for details |
The 285/70R17 is the sweet spot for most Sacramento F-150 owners on 17-inch wheels. It is a true 33-inch tire, it fits most configurations with little or no modification, and the sidewall is tall enough to absorb the railroad crossings on Florin Road and the rough patches on Business 80 without beating you up. On the 20-inch side, the 275/55R20 stock size rolls fine, but a lot of our customers upgrade to 295/55R20 for more shoulder and a slightly more aggressive look - that is still a factory-compatible size on most 13th-gen trucks. Read our guide to reading tire sizes if the number format is confusing - it explains exactly what each number means.
Best Tire Brands for the F-150: What We Actually Recommend
We stock and install all the major brands, and after doing this every day we have clear opinions on what works best for F-150 owners in the Sacramento area. Summer heat over 100 degrees, Delta breeze dust, Tule fog and winter rain, and Tahoe snow runs all matter here.
Nitto Ridge Grappler - Top Pick for Most F-150 Owners
The Nitto Ridge Grappler is our single most popular F-150 tire. It hits the middle ground between all-terrain and mud-terrain perfectly. The shoulder is aggressive enough that it looks great on any build - leveled, lifted, or stock - and the road manners are genuinely impressive. We run customers from Elk Grove who want something that looks tough but is not going to drone on the Capital City Freeway. The Ridge Grappler delivers. Common F-150 sizes run about $200-$280 per tire in 285/70R17, and $220-$300 in 295/55R20. Treadwear is good - most customers get 50,000-60,000 miles in normal Sacramento conditions.
Toyo Open Country A/T III - Best All-Season All-Terrain
If you make regular Tahoe trips up I-80 or Highway 50 and deal with chain control, the Toyo Open Country A/T III is your tire. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, meaning it meets severe snow traction standards - and that matters when CalTrans calls for chains on I-80 at Donner Summit. The A/T III is also very quiet and smooth for daily driving on Howe Ave or Watt Ave. It runs $180-$260 per tire in common F-150 sizes. This is the tire we recommend to Rancho Cordova and Fair Oaks customers who want one tire that handles everything.
BFGoodrich KO2 - The Proven Off-Road Standard
The BFG KO2 is the benchmark all-terrain for a reason. It has been on more overlander builds and work trucks than any other tire we can name. If you are heading out to the Rubicon Trail or running ranch roads near Stockton, the KO2's sidewall protection and durability are hard to beat. It is not the cheapest option - figure $220-$290 per tire - but treadlife is exceptional and we rarely see premature failures. The KO2 also holds up well to the heat Sacramento summers throw at tires, which matters when you are sitting in stop-and-go on I-5 in July with pavement temps over 130 degrees.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S - Best Highway Tire for F-150
Not every F-150 owner wants an aggressive tire. If you are driving a Lariat or Platinum and you want maximum comfort, fuel economy, and tread life without any off-road pretense, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S is the call. It is exceptionally quiet, rides smoothly even on the rough patches of Freeport Blvd and Arden Way, and Michelin's treadwear warranty backs it up. Budget $230-$310 per tire. These are popular with Campus Commons and Land Park owners who use their F-150 as a daily driver and occasional tow vehicle.
F-150 Wheel Specs: Bolt Pattern, Offset, and What Aftermarket Wheels Do
Understanding the F-150's wheel specs saves you from buying wheels that do not fit or cause rubbing. Here are the numbers that matter:
- Bolt Pattern: 6x135 - this is unique to Ford trucks (F-150, Expedition, Navigator) and is NOT the same as the 6x139.7 pattern used on GM and Toyota trucks. Make sure any aftermarket wheel is specifically listed for 6x135.
- Center Bore: 87.1mm factory. Aftermarket wheels need hub-centric rings if their center bore is larger, which is common.
- Factory Offset Range: Generally +44mm on 17-inch XL/XLT trucks, around +44mm on 20-inch Lariat trucks, though this varies by year. The Raptor runs a lower offset for its wider stance.
- Common Aftermarket Offsets: +18mm to +25mm for a flush or slight poke look; 0mm or negative offset (-12mm to -24mm) for an aggressive stance with significant wheel poke.
Here is what offset actually does to your truck: factory offset (around +44mm) keeps the wheel tucked inside the fender. When you move to a +18mm or 0mm offset wheel, the face of the wheel comes out roughly 25-44mm further from the hub. That wider stance looks great and fills out the fenders, but it means more stress on wheel bearings and potentially more rubbing at full steering lock, especially if you are running wider tires. Go to a negative offset and you are running a true "stance" look with wheels poked beyond the fenders - these builds usually require a leveling kit and fender trimming to avoid rubbing on the inner liner.
Our recommendation for most Sacramento F-150 owners: a +18mm to +25mm offset gives you a noticeable stance improvement over factory without causing mechanical problems. Pair that with a 285/70R17 or 295/55R20 and you have a truck that looks great and drives clean. Check out our detailed guide to wheel offset and our best wheels for Sacramento trucks article for more.
Popular Aftermarket Wheel Brands for the F-150
We stock and install these brands regularly on F-150 builds: Fuel Off-Road, Method Race Wheels, Black Rhino, Hostile, XD Series, and American Force forged wheels for serious builds. Fuel and Method are the most popular - Fuel for their aggressive styling and reasonable price point ($250-$450 per wheel), Method for their proven off-road durability. If you are doing a budget build, XD Series gives you a solid cast wheel in the $180-$300 range. American Force forged wheels start around $500 per wheel but are essentially indestructible - they are what we put on work trucks and serious off-road builds.
Leveling Kit and Tire Combos: What Actually Fits
A 2 to 2.5-inch leveling kit is the single most popular F-150 modification we do at Tire Geeks. It eliminates the nose-down rake from the factory, levels the stance, and creates enough front-end clearance to run significantly larger tires without rubbing. Here is what fits after a proper level install:
| Level Height | Wheel Size | Max Tire Size | Rubbing Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock (no level) | 17" | 285/70R17 (33") | Low - check at full lock |
| Stock (no level) | 20" | 295/55R20 or 285/60R20 | Low to moderate |
| 2" Level | 17" | 305/65R17 or 33x12.50R17 | Low with stock offset wheels |
| 2.5" Level | 17" | 315/70R17 or 35x12.50R17 (35") | Low to moderate; may need minor trimming |
| 2.5" Level | 20" | 295/65R20 or 305/55R20 | Low with factory-range offset |
The most popular leveling kit we install on F-150s is the Rough Country 2-inch strut spacer level - it comes in around $60-$100 for the kit and takes our techs about 2 to 3 hours to install. We always recommend a full alignment after any level install, because changing the front ride height changes your caster and alignment angles. Running an F-150 out of alignment after a level will eat through your new tires fast and create a pull on Arden Way that drives you crazy. Read more about why alignment matters in our Sacramento leveling kit guide.
After a 2.5-inch level, the 315/70R17 (35-inch) tire is achievable on most 13th-gen F-150s with stock-offset or slightly lower offset wheels. The 2021+ 14th-gen front suspension is a little tighter and we typically keep those builds to a 33-inch max unless the customer wants to trim the inner liner - which we can do. We always test lock-to-lock before signing off on any build.
Popular F-150 Builds We Do in Sacramento
Here are the three builds we complete most often on F-150s coming through both our Florin Road and Arden Way locations:
The "Weekend Ready" Build
2" Rough Country level, 18x9 Fuel Rebel wheels at +1mm offset, 285/65R18 Nitto Ridge Grapplers. Total installed cost typically runs $1,800-$2,400 depending on the year of the truck and whether the customer goes with our financing. This setup fills out the fenders perfectly, clears without any trimming on 13th-gen trucks, and works equally well running the Capital City Freeway to work or heading out toward the Delta on a Saturday.
The "Clean Daily" Build
No level, 20x9 Black Rhino Warlord wheels at +18mm offset, 275/55R20 or 295/55R20 Toyo Open Country A/T III. This is our Lariat and King Ranch customer build. They want a refined look with better tires than stock, nothing too aggressive. The slightly lower offset than factory fills out the fender without poke. Installed around $1,600-$2,200.
The "35s" Build
2.5" Rough Country level, 17x9 Method Race 305 wheels at -12mm offset, 35x12.50R17 BFGoodrich KO2s. This is the build Citrus Heights and North Highlands customers ask for when they want a truck that can genuinely handle off-road terrain - whether that is the Rubicon Trail or just the rocky fire roads in the foothills. It runs $2,400-$3,200 installed and always needs an alignment after. Full lock-to-lock inspection included before the truck leaves the shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best tire size for a stock F-150 on 17-inch wheels?
The 285/70R17 is our top recommendation for stock 17-inch F-150s. It is a true 33-inch tire that fits without modification on most configurations, adds noticeable visual presence over the factory 265/70R17, and is available in every major brand from BFGoodrich to Nitto to Toyo. It is the size we sell more of than any other on F-150s in the shop.
Will 33-inch tires fit on my F-150 without a lift or level?
Yes, on most years. A 285/70R17 is a 33-inch tire and fits a stock-height F-150 on 17-inch wheels with little to no rubbing. On 20-inch trucks, a 295/55R20 is close to 33 inches and fits stock. We always test at full steering lock before the truck leaves the shop. The 2021+ generation can be a little tighter, so we check those case by case.
What bolt pattern does the F-150 use?
The Ford F-150 uses a 6x135 bolt pattern, which is unique to Ford's full-size truck and SUV lineup (F-150, Expedition, Navigator). It is not the same as the 6x139.7 used by Chevy, GMC, Toyota, and Nissan trucks, so you cannot swap wheels across those brands without an adapter. Make sure any aftermarket wheel is specifically listed for 6x135 Ford applications.
What is the best tire for an F-150 that drives to Tahoe in winter?
The Toyo Open Country A/T III is our top pick for F-150 owners who run I-80 or Highway 50 to Tahoe in winter. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe snow traction, which means it meets the same performance standard as a dedicated snow tire. You may still need chains during active chain control on I-80, but the A/T III gives you the best all-season grip available in a truck all-terrain tire.
How much does it cost to put 35s on an F-150 in Sacramento?
A complete 35-inch build including a 2.5-inch leveling kit, four 35x12.50R17 tires, aftermarket wheels, mounting, balancing, and alignment typically runs $2,400-$3,200 at Tire Geeks. The leveling kit installation and alignment together add about $400-$600 to the cost of the tires and wheels themselves. We also offer financing through Acima - no traditional credit check, about 60 seconds to apply - so you can get the full build done at once.
Do I need an alignment after putting bigger tires on my F-150?
If you install a leveling kit, yes - you absolutely need an alignment, and we will not skip it. The level changes your caster angle and without alignment correction you will have a pull and you will wear through your new tires in 20,000 miles instead of 50,000. If you are swapping tire sizes without any suspension change, alignment is not strictly required but we recommend checking it - Sacramento roads are rough enough that many trucks come in already out of spec. Check our Sacramento truck tire guide for more on maintaining your setup.
Get Your F-150 Dialed In at Tire Geeks
Whether you are building out a full 35-inch setup or just need to upgrade from the stock 275/55R20s to something that fills the fenders better, we have the tires, wheels, leveling kits, and install capability to get it done right. Both Tire Geeks locations carry a large F-150 inventory and our techs work on these trucks every day. Visit us at 3020 Florin Rd, (916) 800-8786 in South Sacramento or 2245 Arden Way, (916) 913-8786 in the Arden area. We are open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 7 PM. Walk in today - no appointment needed. If you want to spread out the cost of your build, check out our Acima lease-to-own financing - no traditional credit check and the application takes about 60 seconds. See all of our tire and wheel services or find your nearest shop at our Sacramento locations page. Questions about your specific year and trim before you come in? Give us a call or contact us online and we will tell you exactly what fits.
