XLT Sport 302a EcoBoost Looking Pretty Nifty

[NiftyF150]

Forgot to update my own thread. Ope!

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[5.0menace]

I'd like to ask for your opinion, do you think 315/70/17s with +1 offset , will fit with a 2.5" lift without any rubbing?
Or should i just go same route and put 285/75/17s?
I really want 315s to work, will put SPC UCA also.

Oh yeah absolutely the 34's will fit with the Roush/Fox 2" lift. I've seen plenty of setups on this tire size on a 2" Level. I was originally going to go with a 2" but I wanted to try 35's. I ended up chickening out and backing down to the 34x11.50's so I knew I wouldn't have to cut or trim anything. With this level the truck is within 5/8 of an inch of level. So it has such a small amount of rake that it's not really noticeable.
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I'd like to ask for your opinion, do you think 315/70/17s with +1 offset , will with a 2.5" lift without any rubbing?
Or should i just go same route and put 285/75/17s?
I really want 315s to work, will put SPC UCA also.

 

[NiftyF150]

I'd like to ask for your opinion, do you think 315/70/17s with +1 offset , will fit with a 2.5" lift without any rubbing?
Or should i just go same route and put 285/75/17s?
I really want 315s to work, will put SPC UCA also.

No, I can almost 100% say they will not fit with a 2.5" without any rubbing. So I actually just sold the 285/75/17s and bought a new set of 18x9 +18 Method 305 NV and threw on some 35x12.50 Toyo Open Country ATIII tires.

I can confirm that with a +18 offset they clear the crash bars by about 1/2 an inch or less.

I couldn't even get a finger in there. They were rubbing on the air dam.

I didn't want to cut the crash bars so I used a PortaPower to push them out. This worked awesome and I was able to gain a good 3/4 inch of clearance front and back. Now even at full articulation I have the same clearance as I had before with no articulation of the suspension.

 

[5.0menace]

No, I can almost 100% say they will not fit with a 2.5" without any rubbing. So I actually just sold the 285/75/17s and bought a new set of 18x9 +18 Method 305 NV and threw on some 35x12.50 Toyo Open Country ATIII tires.

I can confirm that with a +18 offset they clear the crash bars by about 1/2 an inch or less.

I couldn't even get a finger in there. They were rubbing on the air dam.

I didn't want to cut the crash bars so I used a PortaPower to push them out. This worked awesome and I was able to gain a good 3/4 inch of clearance front and back. Now even at full articulation I have the same clearance as I had before with no articulation of the suspension.

Wow amazing! Looks soo good.
So now you managed to squeeze 35/12.5/18s with a 2.5" lift? Or is your lift higher?
What would be the biggest area of contention - being too close to crash bars? (I dont care much about crash bars, actually though of removing the altogether , if it rubs on them). Or air dam, which also may go due to installing Tremor skid plate.
SPC UCA will allow to move teh wheel back inside the wheel well a bit.
Anywhere else would cause rubbing issues for 315/70/17s to be on with 2.5" lift 6112s?

 

[NiftyF150]

Wow amazing! Looks soo good.
So now you managed to squeeze 35/12.5/18s with a 2.5" lift? Or is your lift higher?
What would be the biggest area of contention - being too close to crash bars? (I dont care much about crash bars, actually though of removing the altogether , if it rubs on them). Or air dam, which also may go due to installing Tremor skid plate.
SPC UCA will allow to move teh wheel back inside the wheel well a bit.
Anywhere else would cause rubbing issues for 315/70/17s to be on with 2.5" lift 6112s?

Correct, I squeezed in 35/12.50R18s on a 2.5" level by going with a +18 offset. So these wheels still have 1.5 inches more poke that the factory +44 wheels.

With an offset close to zero you are going to rub pretty much everywhere; air dam, inner fender liner between the air dam and crash bars, and the crash bars themselves. That extra 3/4 inch of poke drastically increases the swing of the tire. To run a zero offset with 315/70/17s you are going to need a bigger lift, and will still have to do some trimming/cutting.

I'm glad I went the route I did with the +18 offset and the 1/2" wider wheel and 1" wider and taller tire. It still has a substantial stance that is VERY close to what the zero offset wheels on 34's looked like.

I'll post a few comparison pics.

 

[tre_77]

Watching this thread. Love this truck

 

[5.0menace]

Correct, I squeezed in 35/12.50R18s on a 2.5" level by going with a +18 offset. So these wheels still have 1.5 inches more poke that the factory +44 wheels.

With an offset close to zero you are going to rub pretty much everywhere; air dam, inner fender liner between the air dam and crash bars, and the crash bars themselves. That extra 3/4 inch of poke drastically increases the swing of the tire. To run a zero offset with 315/70/17s you are going to need a bigger lift, and will still have to do some trimming/cutting.

I'm glad I went the route I did with the +18 offset and the 1/2" wider wheel and 1" wider and taller tire. It still has a substantial stance that is VERY close to what the zero offset wheels on 34's looked like.

I'll post a few comparison pics.

This is gold!. Thank you for such detailed explanation. Since the near 0 offset is the culprit of all problems (rubbing, cutting etc), i will switch to a different wheel . Unfortunately all Fuel 17" wheels i like come with 0/+1 offset (or even much more negative), BUT 18" wheels have +20mm offset available. Its definitely enough poke for me , approx 1 1/2" .
Also the Nokian tire I am going with, has 35/12.50R18s available. Which is great.
I could not even dream to be able to have a true 35" tire with Bilsteins 6112s.
Now it all comes true, all thanks to your highly detailed and educational thread!.
Many thanks @NiftyF150 !

Please take a look at my build list, and let me know if you see any issues with it working together:
1. Bilstein 6112 coilovers set at max 2.5" height
2. SPC UCAs
3. Fuel wheels 18x9 +20mm offset
4. 35x12.5r18 Tires

 

[5.0menace]

No, I can almost 100% say they will not fit with a 2.5" without any rubbing. So I actually just sold the 285/75/17s and bought a new set of 18x9 +18 Method 305 NV and threw on some 35x12.50 Toyo Open Country ATIII tires.

I can confirm that with a +18 offset they clear the crash bars by about 1/2 an inch or less.

I couldn't even get a finger in there. They were rubbing on the air dam.

I didn't want to cut the crash bars so I used a PortaPower to push them out. This worked awesome and I was able to gain a good 3/4 inch of clearance front and back. Now even at full articulation I have the same clearance as I had before with no articulation of the suspension.

Another question , what was the process when using PortaPower on crash bars.
Im basically trying to recreate your exact setup
Did you loosen the crash bars first? Or what did you use to push them against?
Can you push them out even further still?
And im assuming no rubbing at all , even at full lock and reverse etc?

 

[NiftyF150]

This is gold!. Thank you for such detailed explanation. Since the near 0 offset is the culprit of all problems (rubbing, cutting etc), i will switch to a different wheel . Unfortunately all Fuel 17" wheels i like come with 0/+1 offset (or even much more negative), BUT 18" wheels have +20mm offset available. Its definitely enough poke for me , approx 1 1/2" .
Also the Nokian tire I am going with, has 35/12.50R18s available. Which is great.
I could not even dream to be able to have a true 35" tire with Bilsteins 6112s.
Now it all comes true, all thanks to your highly detailed and educational thread!.
Many thanks @NiftyF150 !

Please take a look at my build list, and let me know if you see any issues with it working together:
1. Bilstein 6112 coilovers set at max 2.5" height
2. SPC UCAs
3. Fuel wheels 18x9 +20mm offset
4. 35x12.5r18 Tires

Correct. Offset is the problem, but also the solution. That's what drives me nuts when people post their setups and don't include the offset, because you can make factory sized tires not fit with the wrong offset. The +18 to+20 seems to be the sweet spot for running 35's on these trucks without a lot of work.

That build list should work well as it's nearly identical to mine.

Another question , what was the process when using PortaPower on crash bars.
Im basically trying to recreate your exact setup
Did you loosen the crash bars first? Or what did you use to push them against?
Can you push them out even further still?
And im assuming no rubbing at all , even at full lock and reverse etc?

There are a few videos on Youtube on how to push the crash bars out with a PortaPower. It's easiest with two people. I removed the wheel and then I sat in the wheel well holding it in place while another person pumped/extended it.

I placed the ends roughly 1.5-2" from the end of the crash bars and then pressed them out until I had an extra 2.5" inches of clearance or so. Once you release the pressure the crash bars will retract a bit so I ended up with roughly 2 extra inches of clearance, or 1 inch in front & 1 inch in back.

I did not loosen the bars. You want them tight so they bend when you press them out so loosening them would not be helpful. I might be able to get another 1/2" of clearance if I pressed some more but there is a wire in front of the passenger side for the fog lights that I didn't want to pinch and still wanted clearance to perform maintenance if needed.

I tested the clearances by backing into a ditch at full lock. I had the truck teeter-totting so I know I had maximum articulation of the suspension and I still had a good 1/2 inch of clearance. Maybe if I hit full articulation at full lock with some speed it would contact, but usually you're moving pretty slow while off-roading so I think I would likely have bigger problems if I were able to get it to make contact.

Hope this all helps!

 

[5.0menace]

Correct. Offset is the problem, but also the solution. That's what drives me nuts when people post their setups and don't include the offset, because you can make factory sized tires not fit with the wrong offset. The +18 to+20 seems to be the sweet spot for running 35's on these trucks without a lot of work.

That build list should work well as it's nearly identical to mine.



There are a few videos on Youtube on how to push the crash bars out with a PortaPower. It's easiest with two people. I removed the wheel and then I sat in the wheel well holding it in place while another person pumped/extended it.

I placed the ends roughly 1.5-2" from the end of the crash bars and then pressed them out until I had an extra 2.5" inches of clearance or so. Once you release the pressure the crash bars will retract a bit so I ended up with roughly 2 extra inches of clearance, or 1 inch in front & 1 inch in back.

I did not loosen the bars. You want them tight so they bend when you press them out so loosening them would not be helpful. I might be able to get another 1/2" of clearance if I pressed some more but there is a wire in front of the passenger side for the fog lights that I didn't want to pinch and still wanted clearance to perform maintenance if needed.

I tested the clearances by backing into a ditch at full lock. I had the truck teeter-totting so I know I had maximum articulation of the suspension and I still had a good 1/2 inch of clearance. Maybe if I hit full articulation at full lock with some speed it would contact, but usually you're moving pretty slow while off-roading so I think I would likely have bigger problems if I were able to get it to make contact.

Hope this all helps!

Great. Much obliged.

 

[Mbaz]

Hey everyone,

I finally feel like I have a truck worthy of posting in the Show and Tell section! Though I can’t really call it a “build”. Just a level and wheels & tires. Still, it’s looking pretty good and I’m excited. So without further a do...

Mods:

• Removed Sport 4x4 sticker
• RhinoPro Spray in bed liner
• Armorflex Tonneau Cover
• OEM Box Links Bed Divider
• Roush Cold Air Intake
• Husky Wheel Well Liners
• Rydonair 13" Antenna
• Supreme Suspensions 2.5” Leveling Kit
• 17x8.5” ET0 Fifteen52 Turbomac HD wheels
• 285/75R17 Nitto Ridge Grappler Load E Tires

Fantastic! Very nicely done.

 

[HammaMan]

Stock could certainly use a little bit more tire -- always torn between looks and drivability. Perhaps there's a good 34" that'd preserve the caddy ride while also providing a wee bit more tire. Need a tire rental system -- Hard to justify dropping $2k on new shoes without first knowing how bad the ride will suffer.

 

[NiftyF150]

Stock could certainly use a little bit more tire -- always torn between looks and drivability. Perhaps there's a good 34" that'd preserve the caddy ride while also providing a wee bit more tire. Need a tire rental system -- Hard to justify dropping $2k on new shoes without first knowing how bad the ride will suffer.

I can honestly say these 35x12.50 Toyo ATIII ride way better than the 34x11.50 Ridge Grapplers I had. They are an 8 ply load D tire though vs the 10 ply load E Ridge Grapplers. So I guess my suggestion if you want a more compliant ride is to go with a lower load range / less ply tire. These Toyo's still have a higher load rating than the factory tires so no issues with towing or hauling. The E load tires just aren't necessary for a 1/2 ton truck.

I am really loving this setup currently. The truck rides better and well the looks speak for themselves! MPG's may have gone down a bit though, but who the heck cares about MPG's anyways?

 

[Blue22]

Stock could certainly use a little bit more tire -- always torn between looks and drivability. Perhaps there's a good 34" that'd preserve the caddy ride while also providing a wee bit more tire. Need a tire rental system -- Hard to justify dropping $2k on new shoes without first knowing how bad the ride will suffer.

Check out Nitto Recon Grapplers in 275/65R20 116T load range SL. They are a 34" tire and weigh less than 48 pounds. I am in the same boat as you. I am looking for a bigger more aggressive tire with a similar stock weight so that performance and economy aren't sacrificed. I am planning on having them installed in the next week or two after I install Bilstein leveling struts, not that you will need a level to run them.

 

[Dnpbakon]

I can honestly say these 35x12.50 Toyo ATIII ride way better than the 34x11.50 Ridge Grapplers I had. They are an 8 ply load D tire though vs the 10 ply load E Ridge Grapplers. So I guess my suggestion if you want a more compliant ride is to go with a lower load range / less ply tire. These Toyo's still have a higher load rating than the factory tires so no issues with towing or hauling. The E load tires just aren't necessary for a 1/2 ton truck.

I am really loving this setup currently. The truck rides better and well the looks speak for themselves! MPG's may have gone down a bit though, but who the heck cares about MPG's anyways?

Man only thing stopping me from taking the plunge into a level and 35’s like this is the MPG. I travel a lot for cycling and get about 22-23mpg doing 78mph here in Florida.
What do you average MPG wise?

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