Looking to upgrade your Ford Transit stock tires for larger diameter, all-terrain tires to improve ground clearance, traction, and look? We were too! Here is the data we gathered during our research and our long term review of the BFGoodrich KO2 AT tires.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click a product link and buy anything from the merchant (Amazon, eBay, etc.) we will receive a commission fee. The price you pay remains the same, affiliate link or not.
1. Too Long Didn’t Read
(Straight To The Point)
Let’s get straight to the point.
We are running BFGoodrich KO2 LT255/70R16 E tires on both of our vans (2016 RWD Transit & 2021 AWD Transit) and we highly recommend them if you want to upgrade to all-terrain, snow-approved tires on your stock Ford Transit van (factory wheels, no body lift):
Why they’re our favorite All-Terrain tires out there:
- The traction in mud and snow is outstanding.
- It’s the largest tire size possible on the stock wheel and with no modification to the van body.
- They increase ground clearance.
- These tires make our van look badass, just like us!
BFGoodrich KO2 LT255/70R16 E Tires
2. Understanding Tire Sizes
What do all these numbers mean?
LT255/70R16 120/117 E
- LT: Light Truck metric size intended for vehicle capable of carrying heavy cargo or towing large trailers.
- 255: The first 3 digits are the tire width in millimeters (255mm tire width).
- 70: The second 2 digits are the tire aspect ratio in percentage (ratio of the sidewall height to its width; in this case, 70%).
- R16: The is the diameter of the wheel the tire is intended to fit (16″ wheel diameter).
- 120/117: Load index (this is critical, so please see next section for more info).
- E: Load Range / Ply Rating. (D = 8 plies, E = 10 plies). Check this article for more info.
3. Tire Load Index
For your safety, it is critical to understand that all tire brands/models/sizes have a different load index. The load index is the maximum weight (per tire) that your tire can support safely:
| Load Index | Load (lbs) | Load Index | Load (lbs) | Load Index | Load (lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 852 | 101 | 1819 | 126 | 3748 |
| 76 | 882 | 102 | 1874 | 127 | 3858 |
| 77 | 908 | 103 | 1929 | 128 | 3968 |
| 78 | 937 | 104 | 1984 | 129 | 4079 |
| 79 | 963 | 105 | 2039 | 130 | 4189 |
| 80 | 992 | 106 | 2094 | 131 | 4289 |
| 81 | 1019 | 107 | 2149 | 132 | 4409 |
| 82 | 1047 | 108 | 2205 | 133 | 4541 |
| 83 | 1074 | 109 | 2271 | 134 | 4674 |
| 84 | 1102 | 110 | 2337 | 135 | 4806 |
| 85 | 1135 | 111 | 2403 | 136 | 4938 |
| 86 | 1168 | 112 | 2469 | 137 | 5071 |
| 87 | 1201 | 113 | 2535 | 138 | 5203 |
| 88 | 1235 | 114 | 2601 | 139 | 5357 |
| 89 | 1279 | 115 | 2679 | 140 | 5512 |
| 90 | 1323 | 116 | 2756 | 141 | 5677 |
| 91 | 1356 | 117 | 2833 | 142 | 5842 |
| 92 | 1389 | 118 | 2910 | 143 | 6008 |
| 93 | 1433 | 119 | 2998 | 144 | 6173 |
| 94 | 1477 | 120 | 3086 | 145 | 6393 |
| 95 | 1521 | 121 | 3197 | 146 | 6614 |
| 96 | 1565 | 122 | 3307 | 147 | 6779 |
| 97 | 1609 | 123 | 3417 | 148 | 6844 |
| 98 | 1653 | 124 | 3527 | 149 | 7165 |
| 99 | 1709 | 125 | 3638 | 150 | 7385 |
| 100 | 1764 |
Remember that the weight each tire sees is subject to change with time; for example, as the payload changes (cargo) or when going up a steep incline, the rear tires support most of the weight. There are many variables to take in to account, so when in doubt, select new tires with a load index no lower than the factory tires. In fact, most tire shops will not agree to install tires with a lower load index, for liability reasons.
LT tires (light truck) have two load index numbers. The first load index is for single tires. The second load index is for dual tires. The reason the capacity for two tires is lower than a single tire is to make sure that the vehicle can continue to carry the load should one tire fail.
4. Tire Pressure
“What PSI do you run your tires at?”
Short answer:
Run your tires per the sticker located in the driver-side door jamb:
Long answer:
Generally speaking, the ideal pressure depends on the weight that the tire is carrying. More weight = more pressure required.
The pressure indicated on the door sticker is for the case of Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR); that’s the total weight your van should NEVER exceed. By running your tires at the pressure indicated on the door sticker, you are always in the “safe zone”. Safety first! That being said, if your van is empty, it is acceptable to lower the rear tires pressure a bit to get a smoother ride. You can use this chart* as a guideline (you want to select the “LT-Metric” Chart): tirepressure.com/charts
*The weight indicated in the chart is the weight seen by a single tire. That’s not exactly easy to figure out, we’re in advanced territory here! In doubt, just run your tires per door sticker.
You might be interested in:
5. Ford Transit Factory Tires
Our 2016 and 2021 Ford Transit came equipped with Continental 235/65/R16 121C.
They are 28″ diameter.
Don’t be fooled by the “Four Seasons” or “All Seasons” appellation. They’re simply not made for snow! For example, driving with these in Quebec (Canada) during winter is illegal! They are also useless in mud or on wet grass…
Note the “121” load index.
6. Ford Transit Compatible Tires
We can’t possibly go through all the different brands/models on the market, so we’ll stick to what we know for now:
| Tire Model | Tire Size, Load Index & Speed Rating | Rim Width Range (Min/Max) | Section Width on Measuring Rim Width | Overall Diameter | Max Load, Single (lb @ PSI) | Tire Weight | Fit on Factory Wheels? | Modification to Van Body Required? | Fit in Spare Tire Carrier? | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KO2 | LT255/70R16/E 120 S | 6.5″ – 8″ | 10.2″ on 7.5″ | 30″ | 3085@80 | 47.7 | Yes | No | See 3 | Tire Rack |
| KO2 | LT245/75R16/E 120 S | 6.5″ – 8″ | 9.8″ on 7″ | 30.4″ | 3042@80 | 48.9 | Yes | Yes2 | See 3 | Tire Rack |
| Falken WildPeak A/T3W | LT245/75R16/E 120 | 6.5″ – 8″ | 9.5″ on 7″ | 30.5″ | 3042@80 | 46.0 | Yes | Yes2 | See 3 | Tire Rack |
Notes:
1 LT225/75R16/E 115 S: Take note of the “115” load index… this is much lower than the factory tires. We DID run these tires at first for a few years without issues, but because the load index is so low, we do NOT recommend them.
2 The pinch weld may have to be trimmed. Check out Morey’s in Transit instructions.
3 Fit in the spare tire carrier of the Ford Transit 148″ Extended-Length only. You can still fit it in the non-extended length by following Morey’s in Transit instructions.
7. Clearance
FRONT:
(Note that minimum clearance is achieved when wheels are fully turned. The clearance shown is for straight wheels)
REAR:
8. Durability
- 1ST SET: We got 45k miles out of them, that’s including the spare in the rotation (so 5 tires). It’s not a lot, but keep in mind they’re made for traction not for wear life!
- 2ND SET: We got 32K miles out of them, which is less than our previous tires. But this time, we did NOT include the spare tire in the rotation (so less mileage was expected). In addition, we could have kept them longer, but we wanted new tires for the start of our skiing season. Driving in snow/ice with worn out tires isn’t ideal for safety…
9. Good To Know
9.1. LARGER TIRES AFFECT SPEEDOMETER & Odometer
Larger tires will decrease the speedometer reading by about 3-4 mph (depending). For example, if the speedometer reads 55 mph, our true speed is 58-59 mph. We have to keep that in mind to avoid speeding tickets!
It also impacts the odometer, so some things like the oil change warning might be off.
Ford dealers can’t fix that, and there’s no “unofficial” fix that we know of. Edit: there might be ways to do it: Speedometer calibration on FordTransitUSAforum.com
9.2. ALL-TERRAIN TIRES ARE MORE NOISY
Aggressive threads are more noisy. We don’t mind that at all, but some people are more sensitive to noise…
9.3. ALL-TERRAIN TIRES = Compromises
Road tires are optimized for the road and performs poorly off-road. Off-road tires are optimized for off-roads and are not great on highways. All-Terrain tires offer a compromise between road/off-road tires.
If going off-road is not in your plans, there’s probably no needs for all-terrain tires. But if, like us, you plan on using your van to travel (i.e. highways) and then to get to the trailhead (i.e. off-road), all-terrain tires will do great for that application 🙂
10. Snow Chains & Winter
Snow chains are sometimes mandatory. We don’t like missing a powder day, so we carry a pair with us at all times!
Be aware that Ford doesn’t allow the use of snow chains on the Transit. However, many people, including us, do it. Your call!
Thule/Konig XG-12 Pro Snow CHains
Winter VanLife Guide
11. Aftermarket Wheel Upgrade
We didn’t mind the look of our factory wheels on our 2016 RWD Transit, but something was off on our 2021 AWD Transit… So we went ahead with paired our KO2 tires with Method MR703 wheels:
Fabulous site! Wondering if you have any advice for tire spacing between duallies. I put new rims and Falcon Wildpeak 245s on my Transit and now have 2”+ gap between the tires at max recommended pressure of 50 psi. Is there a rule of thumb as to what the space between the duallies should be?
I don’t know about that, sorry!
just wondering if the back inside of the larger front tires will rub on the where the shocks bracket is not much room there
Bonjour Antoine, thanks for all your analysis. From your suggestions i’ve pick the latest Falken WILDPEAK A/T4W
LT235/65R16 – 121/119R as it comes exactly with the Transit size. For the last 6000 km, I have not encountered snow yet but for the other conditions they are very good. Comments :
– we can smell rubber inside when driving on highways in hot conditions (got us worried for a while)
– The pressure raises quite a lot when driving so i set it 10pounds below the suggested 59/80 pounds and when driving i gain the 10 pounds back
– The average consumption has raised by 1.5L/100Km
Thanks for the report.
DID you remove the plastic covers from the D-Pillar cutout by any chance? I noticed that when they are removed, smell from the exhaust can get inside the van (especially noticeable when going UP an incline).
The recommended pressure is for when the tires are cold specifically (it is specified on the driver side sticker I believe), so a pressure gain is expected I would say. But don’t quote me on this haha, not an expert!
antoine
Didn’t remove the plastic cover but thanks I will look into this in upon our return in September. I reduced the cold pressure cause it was going over 90pounds when hot and was bouncing like air balloons! With reduced pressure we re back as we were originally.
Salut!
Hi again, forget the rubber smell, didn’t come from the tires, the fuse holder i installed to send current to the rear was slowly melting. If it ain t expensive on amazon, it probably not meets it s own spec!
Hi there –
Any comments on these tires for wet conditions? Any issues with increased stopping distances or breaking loose when they shouldn’t?
Thx heaps!
I have a 2018 Transit 150, low roof, 130″WB. It has Continental 235/65 R16 C tires on it. Is there any reason you know of that would make it a bad idea to put the BF Goodrich KO2 LT255/70R16 120/117 E tires that you suggest on this version of the Transit? Thank you for your very helpful and specific information on camper van builds.
No worries with that version of the Transit, the chassis is the same 🙂
Hello! How have the k02s affected miles per gallon!?
c’mon Brayden let this master engineer focus on the real stuff. my ko2’s maybe cost like 1mpg but without them I would have a totalled or at least half totalled van by now 10x over. I am no fanboy or shill, all big companies suck…but the ko2s are a real upgrade from mid or low end tires especially a/t tires. ko3’s will be here in a year they should be better, until then just get ko2s and move on. the transit steering / suspension sucks imo and I’m on my second steering rack already at 40k. Ko2’s then an alignment (and free realignment within 30 days at most places) and you will be ok. side note my van is way better with sumo spring coil spring polyurethane things up front (get the knock offs for $100 instead of $200, same exact thing) but put those on before the alignments.
On your RWD did you have any rubbing issues with the KO2s? And did you have any modifications like suspension, lift, trimmed pinch welds, etc? I’m about to put these on factory wheels on my 2019 250 130WB and I’m a bit nervous.
Hi!
No rubbing and no issues on our RWD, without any mods (no lift, no pinch welds trim, factory wheels).
All the best,
Antoine
Hey I’m here in southern Oregon and I keep getting told I need studded tires when I tell them I want the ATs. Do you feel the studded tires are necessary?
Thanks!
Winter tires will perform better in extreme conditions (cold, snow, etc.), yes. And studded tires will perform better on icy surface (how often do you drive on ice, it totally depends where you live?).
Best case scenario would be to run winter tires in winter, and A/T tires in summer.
But MANY of us just run A/T tires all year long, it works.
Cheers,
Antoine
I tried to check the comments and the article but didn’t find the answer yet.
Do you know what is the maximum tire that will fit the stock rims in dual rear wheel transit without modifications?
Or would you be able to point me where to find this info online
Many thanks
Thanks you for sharing this information with transit enthusiasts : )
I decided to go with the Method MR701 & on road terrain tires
by Continental https://continentaltire.com/tires/terraincontact-at
Size LT245 / 75 / R16 & they fit like a glove… without modifications for most people…
I did need to trim a few inches of the inner plastic wheel well liner for the front wheel well & I also needed to trim a few inches of the tow hitch so that the spare tire fits correctly underneath… “I did need to hired a welder to for the tow hitch”
A professional welder mechanic should be able to do this and not lose any structural integrity for the tow hitch…
My spare new tire is on the original wheel that came with the transit…
Ps: if your transit doesn’t have the inner liner for the front wheel well you shouldn’t need any modification… same with the no hitch…
These tires and new wheels look amazing… I can notice the extra height & they ride on the road amazingly… very quiet on the highway… and light vibration… I got them from tires discount!
Did you find other engineering related remote work?
What tire pressure are you running?
Per driver door sticker 🙂
Hi, is it possible to have bigger wheels and tires without put lifting kit?
Yes as described in this article 😉
I bought the BF Goodrich tires that you recommended but they do rub on the inside when front tires are turned all the way. What if any lift kits do you recommend? I have a 2018 mid height 250.
Thank you.
Hi,
I didn’t personally installed a lift kit, so I can’t really advise sorry. I’m sure someone would know on the Ford Transit Forum (https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/forums/camper-vans-and-conversions.114/) or the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/472339682915770).
All the best,
Antoine
any recommendations on psi for these tires for a ford transit 2018 148″ wheel base, high roof?
Hello,
I have a 2020 350 AWD high roof, short body. Tire rack is saying they can’t sell me the BFG KO2 AT LT255 70 R16 based on the GAWR. Did you run into this issue at all?
Thanks!
That’s not unusual. You will have to try different tire shops until one accepts to do it…
Thanks for the reply. I will look into other options. You mention that the load rating on the 225s is less than the stock tires. This is true on the 255s as well (they are about 110 less than stock), but sounds like you haven’t had issues. For reference, the 2020 350 AWD non eco boost, high roof short body
Front GAWR 4630lbs
Rear GAWR 5750lbs
Which looks the same as the long body in the specs.
Thanks again for all the great info.