OT HELP!!! New knobby tires on a Ford

Dan T in MO · Aug 1, 2014

I bought new rear tires for my '02 F-250 today. I'm tired of getting stuck any time the grass is wet, so I got some very aggressive tread. The old highway tires went on the front. Now, when I take it out on the highway, it feels like I'm driving on ice. Anything above about 55-60 mph is a white knuckle ride. On gravel, it's fine, but then, I'm only doing about 30 to 35 max.

Before I bought them, the fella at the tire shop said some of the knobby tires make Fords squirrelly, but not always. So I ask, is this something I just got to get used too? Or will it go away? Or is there a troubleshooting list I should go through?

Anonymous-0 · Aug 1, 2014

Check your tire pressure. An unloaded 3/4 ton pickup with 75 pounds of pressure in the rear tires will feel squirrely.

ss55 · Aug 1, 2014

Mud & snow tires always worked well for me on 4WD pickups. They wear faster but they grip well.

What kind of "knobby" tires did you put on?

howdy1960 · Aug 2, 2014

Had a old chevy 3/4 ton 4X4 with 'E' range tires (and split rims). When I got it I dropped pressure from 70 to 40 in rears and 50 in fronts. It improved the handling a lot. When came plowing time upped fronts to 60 and rears to 50. Wasn't a daily driver.

504 · Aug 2, 2014

Yes check the PSI, and drive them,when you get the tread scuffed some they will drive fine. (13yr at the tire store)

JD Seller · Aug 2, 2014

Some tires will act "squirmy" when they have full lug type tread. Usually they will settle down after they have some wear on them.

Just watch it as you weave around on them. I had a pair that where that way. I was stopped twice by the cops thinking I was drinking.

MarkB_MI · Aug 2, 2014

Locking rear differential? You might try changing out the fluid. Not sure about Fords of that vintage, but GM spec calls for synthetic fluid in the rear. Usually there's an additive you need to add as well.

Tx Jim · Aug 2, 2014

As previously stated true mudgrips need to be WORN IN(have a few miles put on them) to drive good.

showcrop · Aug 2, 2014

I bought a pair of snow tires for my Ford Econoline around 1985 that had me all over the road. I turned around and took them back. For most of my life I have bought Firestones, but I believe that at that time I was using Goodyears and that set of snows were Firestone Town and Country.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 2, 2014

Years ago, with rear wheel drive cars, we had to put snow tires on or go no where in snow.

Snow tires cut gas mileage, noisy, and almost wrecked when back wheels lost traction on a wet road.

What you have is good for off roading only. Be careful on wet roads.

My 2 wheeldrive GMC has a limited slip diff which helps with snow. However on wet grass, little mud, I can't pull a trailer without getting stuck. I've had to unhood trailer many times and then I can get out of the mess with just regular tires. Then pull trail out with tractor.
George

Prawn Farmer · Aug 2, 2014

I also have a 2002 F-250 super duty 2WD that came with Firestone HT tires on all 4's. Same experience, wet grass was a challenge and any snow/ice was a plain no-go. I had some Firestone Transforce AT load range E tires installed back in the spring after my tire dealer talked me out of the mud grip tires I had planned on using. His thought was the weight of the V-10 engine in an empty truck might make the truck a handful on pavement and also be too loud. Years ago, before 4WD became common, everyone around here ran mud-grip tires on their trucks. Back then they were either bias ply or bias-belted tires and not radials. Maybe that made a difference . . .

cjunrau · Aug 2, 2014

I put on good year authority or territory from Wall-Mart and Canadian tire. Best all around tire you will find for a pickup. Handel snow ,mud ice great and no issue on dry pavement. They are a softer tire and do NOT wear off fast on gravel. on pavement they might. I put 100,000 on each and every tire like that I have owned so far. I have been told they are not making them anymore which really sucks Because I need a new set for this winter.

showcrop · Aug 2, 2014

(quoted from post at 07:09:08 08/02/14) I put on good year authority or territory from Wall-Mart and Canadian tire. Best all around tire you will find for a pickup. Handel snow ,mud ice great and no issue on dry pavement. They are a softer tire and do NOT wear off fast on gravel. on pavement they might. I put 100,000 on each and every tire like that I have owned so far. I have been told they are not making them anymore which really sucks Because I need a new set for this winter.

If you need good winter tires you can't do better than Nokian Hakkapeliittas if you can find them. They are from Finland and that's what we used to get on both the car and truck, when we had to go in the snow.

T in NE · Aug 3, 2014

I started checking my tires before I leave with new ones. Had a couple tire shops try killing me. Told them 65 front, 45 rear. Somehow get home, to find 70 one side, 75 in the other.

Bret4207 · Aug 3, 2014

We run or ran snows on our rear wheel drive cars and trucks, Firestone Town and Countries and Goodyear F32's. Ran them on our Troop cars too at speeds up over 125 mph. Never ahd a problem with them, they weren't all that noisy and wet roads never bothered them. These were bias ply and later radials. I don't know why some people have so much problems with tires, maybe we were just lucky.

OT HELP!!! New knobby tires on a Ford

Dan T in MO

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Anonymous-0

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ss55

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howdy1960

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504

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