Tire size

[SlaughterhouseSean]

88 Ranger XLT 2.3L
Looking at 4 new tires and wondering if anyone had any opinions or advice. The tires that came on it when I purchased years ago are 255 60r15. I planned on just getting a set of the same size but they aren’t stock size I guess. Any reason not to keep this size?

 

[Danno1985]

They're close enough in diameter, but the biggest reason I can think of to go back to stock size (assuming 225/70r15 if it's a 2WD) is that there are a heck of a lot more tires available in that size.

 

[racsan]

A ‘88 2wd would be 14”s, most likely 195/75/14’s. very few choices on that size, ntb had 1 tire of that size 5 years ago. some off brand. 225/70/15’s arent easily found now either. Im currently running 215/60/16’s as my winter set with 4.10 gearing, heres the comparison on that size vs 225/70/15’s:

As long as your happy with the performance & mpg of your current size theres no reason to change anything. My “summer “ tires are 235/75/15 and quite a difference, but thats why Im running a 4:10 rear instead of the stock 3:45 the truck came with. A ‘88 could possibly have 3:73’s, pretty good balance of power/economy. I get 21 mpg with the summer tire set, can’t check the winter set cause speedometer is off, winter mpg is less regardless. But trailering isnt as easy with the bigger tires, even with 4:10’s theres just only so many squirrels under the hood and my ‘94 is over 170K now.

 

[SlaughterhouseSean]

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[SlaughterhouseSean]

Awesome, thanks for all the info!

 

[Danno1985]

But trailering isnt as easy with the bigger tires, even with 4:10’s theres just only so many squirrels under the hood and my ‘94 is over 170K now.
[/QUOTE]

I had 235/75r15s oh my 2010 with 4:10s and the newer duratec 2.3, and even that felt pretty darn sluggish with the bigger tires. I put the stock tire size on with the next set and it felt like the truck gained 20hp. You’re right though, I’ve noticed more and more tire manufacturers dropping the 225/70r15 size. I’ve always been a Michelin LTX guy, but they’ve dropped 225/70r15 and the similar diameter 215/75r15 from the lineup.

 

[tinman_72]

I put 8" wide rims and 255/60R15's on my '93 2.3L that came with 225/70R14's. I also swapped out the 3.45 gears for 3.73's. I love 'em, grips the road like nobody's business. Took a pretty good hit to MPG's, though.

 

[JohnnyO]

88 Ranger XLT 2.3L
Looking at 4 new tires and wondering if anyone had any opinions or advice. The tires that came on it when I purchased years ago are 255 60r15. I planned on just getting a set of the same size but they aren’t stock size I guess. Any reason not to keep this size?

If they're not causing issues you can keep the same size. If it rains a lot where you live (your sig doesn't say) you might want something narrower as a light truck with wide tires will want to hydroplane. 225/70-15 is about the same diameter but narrower.

 

[Danno1985]

If they're not causing issues you can keep the same size. If it rains a lot where you live (your sig doesn't say) you might want something narrower as a light truck with wide tires will want to hydroplane. 225/70-15 is about the same diameter but narrower.

Good point there as well. Seems counterintuitive - you'd think more tread contacting the road would feel more stable at highway speeds in the rain, but the wider the tread the further water has to travel to evacuate. I've never run wider tires on my trucks, but when I had a '98 Crown Vic LX, being the dumb 20-something I was, of course I had to put Bullitt rims and 255/50r17 tires on it. Felt super grippy in the corners, but on straight highway, if the road was at all imperfect (I live in Wisconsin, so... that's all of them), the tires always felt like they wanted to follow the crown, like a snowboard or something. When I put the stockers back on it felt a lot more relaxing to drive.