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Originally Posted by steves67
Now with 2k miles on it..I'm finding the stock continental A/T's really stink in the dirt.. so I need tires...Since I'm there, maybe I should lift it 4.5" too , go with 18" chrome and 37" MTZ's.
Sooooo... will this set up hurt any towing or load capabilities for the truck?
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Of course. Depending on which tires came on your truck, the taller tires will in effect change your final drive ratio to longer legs. So if you have 3.55 ratio with LT265/75R17 tires, then changing tires to BFGoodrich AllTerrain T/A KO 37x12.50R17D will give you an effective 3.17 ratio. That will kill your towing capability unless you change the ring gear and pinion in both axles to about a 4.10 ratio to give you close to stock performance, or a 4.30 ratio to give you better towing capability.
The weight capacity change will depend on the quality of your lift. High quality lifts are not cheap. Cheap lifts will reduce your weight-hauling capability.
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How does the speedo get recalibrated ?
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With an expensive scanner or diag system that can access the ABS module in your truck. Your Ford dealer will charge you about one hour labor rate to do the deed. Or with a speedo calibrator you can buy for a street price of about $200, then DIY. The most popular calibrator is the SuperLift TruSpeed.
TruSpeed™ Speed Sensor Recalibrator · Superlift · www.superlift.com
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What about warranty? Will any of the proposed parts void my warranty?
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Of course. Any mods that are don't meet Ford specs for your truck can void the warranty. The oversize tires can void the drivetrain warranty. The lift can void the warranty on the suspension any anything else the service manager decides might have gone south because of your mods.
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This is a driver / tow rig, that will never be off-roaded ( on purpose )
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Then why ruin it with a lift? Go with the biggest tires and wheels that were available for your truck, then you won't have to worry about voiding the warranty. LT275/65R20 tires on 8x20 rims. Those tires are about the same diameter as the old 35s. Check out the Michelin LTX A/T 2 in that size.
Michelin LTX A/T 2
Also, Goodyear makes three different tread patterns in that size, including ATS, DuraTrac and MT/R.
And if you buy new rims, your best bet is to buy only "take offs" for Ford pickups. Or if you insist on something different, then be certain that the new rims are "hub centric" with a pilot bore of 125.22 mm (4.93 inches). Most aftermarket rims are lug centric with a pilot bore of more than 5 inches, and that is not only dangerous for you and yours, but will also void the warranty. Notice when you remove a stock wheel from the hub, the center hole fits tight around the hub. That's hub centric. Very few manufacturers make hub centric wheels for our trucks. One is Ultra. Check out their Predator 8.
http://www.ultrawheel.com/pdf/rims/286.pdf
You'll still need to calibrate the speedo for those 35s, but you probably won't need to change out the ring and pinion gears if you can live with a little less towing capability than stock.
