on- and off-road wheel-and-tire combinations

[samcc]

For non-extreme use, mostly in Northern California and the Southwest, both on- and off-road;

where 7 inches of aired-down, laden ground clearance (which I guess amounts to 8 inches of nominal ground clearance?) is needed;

with limited-slip, but no lockers, to help the 4x4 in muddy places;

which wheel-and tire combinations would be the best compromise for both the interstates and the trails?

Please don't hesitate to suggest a larger combination than the Explorer Sport Trac can accomodate because I could get an F-150 crew cab ("Supercrew") instead.

Thanks.

 

[jimbo74]

i would go with bfg all terrains or mud terrains maybe a size or two larger than stock

 

[tdavis]

For offroad, a good MT tread like the Goodyear MT/R, Goodrich MT, and others, esp. if your going to play in mud. AT/ko's do pretty good, but they do fill up with mud won't let it go.. (been there, done that!)

You might also be able to fit bigger tires than stock on it too.. if it's a 2001, torsion twist and shackles in the rear should let you fit 31's, which would give you more ground clearance.

 

[samcc]

The stock wheels on the Sport Trac are 16", and the stock tires are P255/70R16 all-terrain tires. Tires that size are given as 30" in the Diameter Comparison of Tire Sizes table on the Tire Rack's site.

The next size up, but in the LT column, is LT245/75R16, which they give as 30 1/2 inches. The next size up from there is LT265/75R16 or LT235/85/16, both of which they give as 31.5 inches. Which should increase ground clearance by about 3/4 = 0.75 of an inch.

Ford doesn't say what the Sport Trac's ground clearance is, neither on their web site nor in their SUV brochure. But I think they give a stock ground clearance for the other Explorers of 6.7 inches. 6.7 + 0.75 = 7.45". Which leaves at least some allowance for airing down - unless the Sport Trac has less ground clearance than the other Explorers.

Thanks to jimabena74 and tdavis for their help with this.

Sam