Most would agree with me when I say, beefy tires on almost any 4WD just look pure butch! It gives a more aggressive stance which greatly improves the aesthetics and street cred, or should I say bush cred of your 4WD. But this simple upgrade isn’t always a straightforward procedure, especially if we intend to use the vehicle for off-road applications. Dare I say, in this instance, size does matter!
So, what is the largest tire you can fit on a Ford Ranger? The largest 17-inch size tire you can fit on a stock suspension without causing body scrub is roughly 31.6. That is if you intend to venture off-road. For everyday driving, you could increase the wheel size to 18 inches and fit a 31.6 equivalent.
285/70/17 (32.7 inches) on-road only & scrubs interior wheel arch needs a lift for off-road
265/65/18 (31.6 inches) on-road only
The stock 2019 Ford Ranger tires are 255/65/R17 and 255/70/R16, which is roughly 30.1 inches. If you upgrade to a 265/70/17 it only equates to a roughly +5% difference in diameter and a 4% increase in width which is still well within the factory specifications. Your speedometer reading will still run relatively true and no additional strain will be placed on any other stock suspension and drivetrain components.
285/70/17 (32.7”) and Stock Ford Ranger Suspension
If you want to squeeze a set of 33s on the ranger without any suspension modifications there are 2 important things to consider first.
Backspacing/Wheel Offset
Crash Bars/Beams
So right off the bat, yes it can be done, but not without a few minor modifications first. The first problem you’ll have is the backspacing or lack thereof for 33s on stock rims. That is a very important factor to take into consideration with any tire upgrade, backspacing.
Simply put, It refers to the distance from the hub mounting surface to the inside lip of the wheel (measured in inches).
Watch them fit a sweet set of FOX Stage 1 suspension package on this PX2 Ford Ranger
The Second Issue is the Ford Ranger Crash Bars
The crash bars protrude and the bigger 285/70/17 tire makes contact so this will need to be removed/modified first so as not to damage the new tires.
Take note that off-road travel and trails are strictly prohibited with the 285s until you do a suspension upgrade first.
Factory Stock Suspension
All of the above-mentioned sizes are assuming you are running a factory stock suspension with no additional upgrades. If you upgrade the suspension or fit a body lift or change the rim to something with a more negative offset which affects your backspacing (you can read more about backspacing here) the figures will change allowing you to fit a bigger and wider tire like a 285 and even a 305.
Spare Tire
Always make sure you upgrade the spare wheel tire to the new size as well, since in the event of an emergency requiring you to quickly swap to the spare to get you out of a tricky situation. The smaller stock diameter tire will place enormous strain on your spider gears, which if driven for too long could result in further drivetrain damage.
It kind of stinks having to spend so much on a tire that will be hidden beneath your truck, so to keep initial costs low, perhaps consider buying a used spare tire of the same size as your upgraded tires.
So what about the Raptor? What is the largest tire size we can fit on them without any suspension upgrades?
Largest Tires on 2019 + Ford Ranger Raptor with a Stock Suspension
The stock tires on a Ranger Raptor is 32.7 inches.
Ford Ranger 2019 2.0 Raptor
Tire
285/65R17 OE
285/70R17 OE
265/60R18 110T
The wheel arches on a Raptor are bigger than a stock Ranger PX2 and allow for bigger 33” tires without much hassle. You could safely add a 305 or even a 315 tire in the Raptor with little drama.
The frame design incorporates new geometry for the large suspension, providing the Raptor DNA with increased track and wheel travel, meaning the suspension setup is highly sophisticated and can accommodate a bigger tire much easier.
The Ranger Raptor has an innovative new coil-over rear suspension that uses a Watt’s link setup with a solid rear axle. This provides superior lateral control off-road while also helping improve ride and handling.
Have a look at this engineering marvel:
2019 Ford Ranger 33 Inch Tires
So as mentioned previously, fitting 33’’ tires to the new 2019 Ford Ranger isn’t much of a big deal. Again, if you intend on venturing off-road and still want the maximum articulation the ranger has to offer then you might have to do a bit more. The stock suspension and rim combination don’t allow for a 33” to bolt straight on. You need a (3/8”) spacer, otherwise, it will rub against the spindle.
Alternatively upgrading your wheels to something with a more negative offset to improve the backspacing will help. In that instance, a 275/70/17 will fit snugly inside that wheel well.
So to make this setup work on factory stock wheels you will need the following:
The stance will look good and there will be zero body scrub.
For anything bigger than that you will need to upgrade the suspension first to increase ride height allowing taller, wider tires to fit without any dramas. Also, a rim with a more negative offset will allow you to fit 33”+ tires.
The offset of a standard Ford Ranger 2019 is 55mm. If you want to improve your wheel offset, in order to fit wider tires, you can insert a wheel spacer to improve the clearance from the steering knuckle and allow you to upgrade to 33” tire sizes.
When doing any tire upgrade it’s important to pay attention to how big you are going since it can have a negative effect on fuel economy and your speedometer reading if you go too big. You will need to upgrade your suspension if you ever want to venture off-road and I would suggest first doing a suspension upgrade before you think of bigger tires.
Remember bigger isn’t always better since heavier tires will increase the unsprung weight on your 4WD causing it to use more fuel and even decrease torque on the wheels.
4-Wheel drives and off-road driving techniques has been my passion for over 20 years. Here we strive to provide the most accurate, up-to-date, information about the functionality, common faults and latest technology built into most 4 Wheel Drives.
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