Biggest Tires To Fit a Stock Ford Ranger Raptor: PERFECT FIT
This article discusses the biggest tires to fit a stock Ford Ranger Raptor Gen 1, Gen2, and F150 Raptor. These are outstanding machines and real engineering marvels with few competitors in their class. Needless to say, these trucks have the go to match their styling presence. Fitting bigger tires will, however, improve their ascetics and make them even more capable on and off-road.
The Biggest tire you can fit on a stock Gen 1 and Gen 2 Ford Ranger Raptor without a lift is 34 inches or 295/70/17. If you fit an aftermarket rim with a +20 offset it allows you enough clearance to fit a 35” tire without a lift.
It is important to remember that before fitting larger tires on your vehicle, there are several factors to consider. First, larger tires may require modifications to the suspension, fender flares, and potentially the gearing of the vehicle to accommodate the increased size. Second, larger tires can affect the overall performance and handling of the vehicle, including acceleration, braking, and fuel efficiency.
Let’s look at the tire options now in a bit more detail.
Table of Contents
Biggest Tires To Fit a Stock Ford Ranger Raptor (Gen 1)
Recommended Tire Size
The Ford Ranger Raptor Gen1 comes with a standard tire size of 285/70/17, which roughly translates to a 33-inch tire. You can read more about 33” vs. 285/70/17 here.
When upgrading the tires, the size that works well is the 315/70R17. This is the recommended size when fitting 35s. 315 x 12.5 is the ideal height and width to really fill out those Raptors wheel guards nicely. There isn’t any wheel poke to be concerned about so your truck will remain street-legal, thanks to the wider Raptor Guards. The 35s look fantastic and give the truck a really tough stance.
Mud Guards & Clearance With 35s
When fitting 35s in the form of 315×12.5, there is enough clearance to accommodate the mud flaps/guards. No need to remove them in the front or rear since the Raptor has a rather tall stance in stock form with its trick Fox 2.0 suspension which means it’s basically a case of fitting the rim on the correct offset aftermarket rim/wheel and you’re good to go. Positive +20 being the go.
A 35-inch tire offers approximately 1 inch more clearance at the axle compared to a 33-inch tire. So, you score with some added ground clearance which is perfect for tackling those tough tracks with confidence.
Aftermarket Wheels
Aftermarket wheels are an excellent upgrade when fitting bigger tires since they are available in a host of different offsets and wheel widths to suit everyone’s taste. Backspacing is one of the most important factors since you need to ensure there is sufficient clearance from suspension components, especially up front.
…upgrading to a positive +20 or even a 0 offset will give your truck a really good stance without aggressive wheel poke.
The stock Gen 1 Raptor wheel offset is a positive 55 offset. So upgrading to a positive +20 or even a 0 offset will give your truck a really good stance without aggressive wheel poke. Fortunately, the Raptor models have quite wide fender flairs so if you want your wheels to poke you’ll need to opt for a more negative offset rim/wheel.
The stock Ranger Raptor wheel PCD is 6×139 which is excellent since it is a very popular wheel PCD and you have a million wheel options available. You will, however, need a center ring to fit the wheel perfectly. Wheel manufacturers design these rims/wheels to accommodate a wide variety of makes and models as possible, so they don’t always have the center wheel nut size perfect. Here a simple wheel ring will center the rim properly and avoid any wheel wobble.
WATCH – Fitting 35” Tires To A Gen 1 Ranger Raptor (VIDEO)
Spare Wheel Space
Spare wheel space is not a problem for the 35s on the Gen 1 Ranger Raptor. There is just enough clearance to be able to squeeze those fat 35s in under there. The exhaust pipe is rather close but it isn’t a problem.
Biggest Tires To Fit On Stock Ford Ranger Raptor (Gen 2)
Wheel Fender Trim
You will need to get out your Dremel and do some minor trim on your wheel inner guard liner and fenders. When fitting oversized tires like a 35-inch tire there is some scrubbing at the bottom of the wheel guard which will need to be trimmed away neatly. There is also a metallic guard bracket that needs to be bent up and out of the way for proper clearance. If you decide to fit an aftermarket spring kit then this will negate the need to do any trimming.
For this job, you will need a decent heat gun and Dremel Cutting tool. If you don’t already own one then I would recommend you check out this Top-Selling Infrared Thermo gun on Amazon with almost 17000 good ratings. Also, for trimming fender liners I recommend investing in this Dremel Variable Speed Cutting Tool (Amazon) It will give you better control than an aggressive grinder leaving your trimming looking a lot more professional and neat.
So, the only additional work you need to do is to trim the bottom of the inside guard. Just the bottom plastic corner needs to be removed so the tires do not scrub at full lock.
Mud Guards
The Mudguards definitely need to be removed for extra clearance and no scrubbing at full lock. It’s a simple bolt-off process that takes a few minutes. The last thing you want is to have your mudguards ripped off.
35s on Aftermarket Wheels
The wheel size that works is 35-inch rims in the form of a 305 with a wheel/rim width of 8.5. Rim offset is Positive twenty-five (+25). Tire Width is 35×12.5 R17.
Ranger Raptor Spare Wheel Space
For the spare wheel on the Ranger Raptor Gen 2, there is Just enough space to accommodate the 35s. There is only a few cm of clearance underneath there, however, it does clear the exhaust by a few cm. Fortunately, Ford where smart enough to fit the v6 twin exhaust with a heat shield that protects the tire. The other factor to consider on the Raptors is the clearance from the Watts link arms. This isn’t much of a problem since it only moves up and down and clears the tire comfortably. The trailing arms are also clear with 35s. Anything bigger and you’ll run into all sorts of problems.
Watch – Fitting 35s on a Gen 2 Ranger Raptor (VIDEO)
Speedometer Reading Between 33” And 35” Tires
The Below Table Will Give You An Indication Of How The Speedometer Reading Is Affected Between A 33” And A 35”.
| 33” Speedo Reading | 20mph | 30mph | 40mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph | 80mph | 90mph |
| 35” Speedo Reading | 21.3mph | 32mph | 42.7mph | 53.4mph | 64mph | 74.7mph | 85.4mph | 96mph |
User Experience And Feedback
User 1
One of the Aussie YouTubers said that 35’s would fit with no lift, BUT he used different rims with different offset. It’s a question I’m interested in myself…
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/maximum-tyre-size-on-ranger-raptor-with-standard-rims.8554/
Saying that a 50mm spring lift via Kings is a pretty cheap way to get a bit more height. Not sure anyone offers complete lift kits yet; just springs.
Resources
- Huge Thank you to Ty Fenwick on YouTube – So much valuable info there!
- https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/maximum-tyre-size-on-ranger-raptor-with-standard-rims.8554/
FINAL THOUGHTS
It is always recommended to consult with a professional or a reputable dealer who specializes in off-road modifications to ensure proper fitment and to determine the maximum tire size that can be safely installed on your Ford Ranger Raptor model.
