It makes no sense to ride an F150 if you aren’t pushing it to the limits. And as a starter, nothing will make this truck look better than the biggest tires on stock F150 18-inch rims.
What are those?
The BIGGEST tires you can fit on an 18-inch rim F150 would be 285/65 tires. But a few exceptions apply…
And what’s even more important – this may also change depending on what accessories and parts of the truck you’re using or removing.
Either way, we’ve brought the most comprehensive guide on tires for your 18-inch rim F150, what models to pick, and a bit more.
Care to learn? Then give it a go below!
Contents
Benefits of Installing the Biggest Tires on Stock F150 R18
Let’s be honest – you want to install the biggest tires possible, but you don’t know what benefits this truly offers. Below are some benefits that’ll teach you:
Aesthetics and Style
Nothing is more critical than aesthetics nowadays, right?
Driving the biggest, wider, lower, and most aggressive F150 is a dream for some. If you have that chance, you won’t waste it.
Why? Because F150s are just phenomenal trucks that catch everyone’s attention at first sight.
They’re not Ferraris, but big-enough tires can make even the newest sports car look weak.
More Ground Clearance
This would be the obvious benefit: you can go over more obstacles because the truck sits higher.
It’s as simple as it sounds. A taller truck won’t have problems driving over rocks, mounds, sidewalks, potholes, speed humps, or whatever.
High-enough tires will prevent damage to your chassis, engine, and other components under the truck, including the wheels themselves.
And what’s even better – YOU GET BETTER SUSPENSION. Bigger tires mean more air in the wheels and more rubber that reduce the roughness of the road.
Traction and Bite
People overlook the ability of wider tires to increase traction. It seems obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t even know.
At first, this happens because more rubber to bite the road means your truck will have a bigger footprint.
And more footprint means more area to grab the street from.
Then you can consider that the wider the footprint, the better weight distribution.
This means your truck will not feel as heavy to the tires, so they will grab the floor more effectively.
Higher Durability
Given the tire is also wider, the amount of rubber that touches the floor is higher.
As a consequence, wear slows down as the heat-absorbing surface tends to have more space to dissipate.
Plus, the rubber tends to be a bit thicker, so the tire ends up lasting a bit more just because of more rubber.
Superior Handling
Wide tires also offer the chance to self-center more effectively. This means the wider footprint allows the tires to move faster into a straight position, aiding in steering on any road.
This also increases feedback, making the bigger tires ideal for places where it’s difficult to know where you’re driving.
There’s also the advantage of increased track width. This refers to the outside of the wheel and how it touches the street.
Enough of this outside portion will improve the feel of the road, allowing you to have easier and more accurate driving.
More importantly, it increases the amount of space each wheel takes – so handling becomes a lot easier overall.
Better Performance on Wet
Wet roads are among the most dangerous. Luckily, a wider footprint increases the grip regardless of the state of the road.
Even an all-season tire for a truck will have superior traction on wet than small versions.
And if you consider snow or mud tires – the performance is exponentially better.
What are the Biggest 18-inch Rim Tires for a Stock F150?
This depends on what you’re looking for EXACTLY.
For example, a set of 32.5-inch tires at 12 inches of width (285/65) would fit perfectly on the 18-inch rims of a stock F150.
But does that mean you can’t install bigger tires? Exactly right, you can’t.
The solution to bigger tires would be lifting the truck, which is not always an ideal solution given how expensive it can be.
Plus, not everyone needs to lift their truck – it’s often unnecessary.
But if you feel like it and have the money, then you’ll be able to fit 33 tires on stock F150 at 18 inches. That means you can get 295/65/18 tires effortlessly.
What’s even more critical is that lifting the truck will eliminate any type of rubbing, scrubbing, or weird sounds coming off the wheel.
Why Can’t You Install Bigger Tires on a Stock F150 18 Inch Rims?
The fact is, you can install them. But the experience driving the truck won’t be too pleasant.
For example, each F150 has crash bars on the driver’s and passenger’s sides. These pieces change in curvature depending on what side it is.
If you swap them out, there’s supposed to be a slight difference in design that allows for extra leeway. This could be used to install bigger tires on your front.
The result? You won’t be bothered by weird sounds.
But swapping these is not only problematic and expensive, but it’s also unsafe.
The crash bars are designed to add an extra safety rating to the truck to meet with regulations.
Taking them out would decrease the safety rating and thus your ability to enjoy the truck to the max.
Can you install bigger tires without swapping crash bars?
Yes, you can install them, but the noise and wear will be impossible to withstand. And if you install big-enough tires, riding will be troublesome – to say the least.
Sure enough, some tires will just be too big to fit on the F150. In that case, you’ll be better off lifting the truck.
Top 3 Best Big Tires for Stock F150 18 Inch Rims
01. Nitto Trail Grappler M/T All-Terrain Tire
Highlighted Features
- Z-groove treads
- 3-ply construction
- 3,640 pounds load capacity
The biggest tires on stock F150 4×4 would be the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T – BY FAR.
Not only do they fit without any modification, but they offer a surprising array of features, starting with dual sidewalls.
The addition of V-shaped slugs adds up an outstanding beauty, so everyone will love how your truck looks.
But there’s a lot more… The shoulder grooves increase all-terrain drive performance considerably.
This pairs well with the Z-groove that increases stability as well as traction in wet/muddy environments.
Alongside the deep treads, you can enjoy almost no puncture – regardless of where you drive.
And the stone ejector increases tread protection, so they last longer and prevent unwanted noises later on.
Don’t want to change your tires too fast? The thick rubber makes this possible, so you can ride off-road for years before needing any change.
Also, this fits well with the wide steel belts, adding tread strength, so you get traction and quietness for a long time.
“Despite its ability to last long in off-road drives, the treads tend to wear down quickly on streets. While they will still last over 30K miles, you need to not push them if you want them last longer.”
What We Liked
- Surprisingly quiet on any road
- Great puncture resistance
- Comfortable handling despite the size
- Fantastic for wet and muddy roads
What We Didn’t Like
- The treads wear down FAST on asphalt
02. BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Car Tire
Highlighted Features
- CoreGuard technology
- 3,640 pounds load capacity
- 50,000 mileage warranty
Few companies deliver quality mud tires on stock F150 rims like BFGoodrich. And the KO2 All-Terrain is the perfect example.
BFGoodrich created a tire with incredible tread resilience thanks to the CoreGuard Technology.
This adds a tremendous amount of toughness to the sidewalls, so you worry about lost grip in the first 50,000 miles of use.
And even after that, the tires still offer incredible performance.
As for traction, you can enjoy the serrated shoulder design. It lets you enjoy the muddiest and snowiest of terrains without worries.
You still drive well, but even the rockiest rocks will fail to make these tires slip.
To add up, the tread design is 3D-designed to perfection with sipes that increase stability and bite, so driving on the trickiest of roads is a lot more pleasant.
And last but not least, you get a Q speed rating – enough to get to 100 MPH without getting deaf with the noise.
“Having said that, the tires are loud when you get past that speed. If you’re looking for tires that don’t make much of a fuss in the highway, these are probably not ideal.”
What We Liked
- Incredible traction in any terrain
- Ideal for snowy and muddy roads
- Long-lasting tread in every way
- Superb bite on obstacles
What We Didn’t Like
- The noise is high when you get past its speed rating
03. Venom Power Terra Hunter X/T All-Terrain Radial Tire
Highlighted Features
- R speed rating
- 3,307 pounds load capacity
- Multi-terrain capacity
The biggest tires for stock F150 still give decent speed ratings: like the Terra Hunter from Venom Power.
These surprisingly good-looking and traction-oriented tires give a speed rating of R. That’s enough to get you over 106 MPH without breaking your ears.
This pairs up with the staggered tread blocks. A combination of depth and pristinely designed tread adds the quality necessary to ensure traction on any road.
The tread makes it possible to drive even in tricky roads worry-free (the snow/water channeling ability is other-worldly).
To make the tires even better, you get a sturdy ply construction that prevents any type of unwanted wear.
Supported by 50,000-mile insurance and a 3,307-pound load capacity, there’s enough about this tire to enjoy for years to come.
“The ride is not as comfortable as other tires, so you may get a bit more noise and instability than expected. This may affect handling a little, which is something you may not appreciate.”
What We Liked
- Work well on almost any terrain
- Increase traction from stock tires
- Provide decent stability at all times
- Decently long-lasting for the price
What We Didn’t Like
- The comfort level is not as high as expected
What to Consider When Looking for F150 18-inch Tires
You don’t want low-quality tires, right? Then nothing better than knowing what you’re getting. Here’s where checking these factors will help you:
Intended Use
Most tires have specific uses. Some will say All-Terrain, while others will have a C or P for commercial and passenger, accordingly.
If you want the best experience with your tires, make sure they match your driving needs (All-Terrain tires tend to be the best as big tires).
Tread Quality
The tread will change many things about the tires, going from how much traction you get to how much noise they make, their ability to avoid punctures, and much more.
You’ll want to go for tread patterns that make everything above possible.
That means to ride well on any road, don’t make much noise, prevent rocks from getting in, and still keep you attached to any route.
Load Capacity
Most big tires tend to have load capacities over 3,300 pounds. That would be an excellent rating for an F150 with 18-inch rims.
Having said that, you can still get a lot more load capacity.
For example, some tires offer up to 4,000 load capacity, which would be incredibly high – but ideal for load-bearing trucks.
Speed Rating
You don’t want a tire that makes an incredible amount of noise on the road, right? Then choose something that reaches your desired speed levels.
These ratings are typically Q (99 MPH), R (106 MPH), S (112 MPH), and T (118 MPH).
Tires for other vehicles may get higher than this, but for F150s, these would be the ones to consider.
Conclusion
So, are you ready to use the biggest tires on stock F150 18 inch rims?
We gave you the ins and outs of these tires, how to pick the right ones, and a bunch of options to choose from.
Regardless of what you go for, remember these tires will make your drive better, make your truck more off-road friendly, and the entire vehicle a lot more attractive.
So tell me, are you ready to boost your truck’s appeal? Then don’t hesitate and get one of these tires now!