nerdydan

I am about to take the plunge and order a new 2016 F-150 Lariat, but I could use some assistance fine tuning some details.

What are the benefits and detriments of 18" vs. 20" wheels concerning ride quality, fuel economy, usefulness and upgradeability?

I searched through the web and forums, but I could not find a good answer.

Thanks !

15guardxlt

iTrader: (1)

I had 18" chrome pvd rims and then bought a set of the 20" chrome pvd rims. Personally i didnt notice any difference in the way my truck drove. I had the 18" for 4500 miles and have had my 20"s for about 12,000 miles. Thats just my opinion. To me the 20" look better on the trucks but everyone has different opinions. I have a 4x4 Screw with a 6.5" bed

techrep

iTrader: (1)

detriments ? 20" tires cost more... besides that it would be looks.

11screw50

There are a lot fewer options for tires with the 20's unless you want to stick with P-rated tires. And they cost quite a bit more too.

I like the look of my wheels, I just dont like being handcuffed to only a few options for LT tires.

SwedishSTile

Does your wife drive your truck?

A 20" wheel with a OEM sized tire does not have enough sidewall for the rim to clear normal to tall curbs. Meaning it is possible to curb a 20" wheel while not really possible to curb the 18's. Dont get me wrong, its hard to do, but generally my wife will find a way to curb the wheels on my vehicles (mind you she has never curbed one of hers )

Aesthetically the 20's really need a taller sidewall tire 275/65 or bigger than they come with stock (275/55). But that is just my personal opinion.

Limited tire choices that are more expensive with the 20's.

None of the factory wheels are light but in theory a 20" wheel tire combination will be lighter than an 18". This leads to better acceleration, fuel economy, reduced pad wear etc.

My preference if ordering a vehicle is to get the cheapest factory wheels I can and then buy a nice set of aftermarket rims that meet my personal taste and use.

I have the 20" PVD wheels on my truck which I dont like (I did not order the truck and the wheels were the only concession). When the tires are done I will probably sell the 20's and switch to an aftermarket 18 for the better aspect ratio and tire selection. Oh, and curb invincibility

2WheelDave

I have 20's on my '13 FX4. They "tram-line" badly when on roads that are rutted from heavy trucks. By that I mean that the truck is always trying to climb up out of the rut, then when you steer it back to the centre of the lane, it tries to climb the other side. I the truck does not do that with my narrower, winter tires on smaller rims (17" I think). I have a '16 Lariat on it's way to me and I specifically avoided 20" rims for this reason and for the reason that come time to replace them, there are fewer options and they are all substantially more expensive than the 18" version of the same tire.

SwedishSTile

Typically Tram-lining has a lot more to do with the tread pattern and section width (sidewall stiffness plays a small role) than the diameter of the wheel. The reason your winters dont do it is likely section width related.

My cayman with the stock Potenzas would follow ANYTHING, even rain grooves, road stripes, you name it. It was terrible. When I switched to Pilot SS's it completely went away. I have had similar experiences in a number of my wife's small SUV's and I never change tire size on her cars, only brand and model.

2WheelDave

That's what I was getting at, the stock 20's are quite a bit wider than the stock 18's.

My wife has a '14 Audi S4, the tires are 35 series 355s (I think) with the stock Continentals, the thing is handful on rutted roads. I think we'll switch that car to Pilots when the stockers wear out. Running Pilot Alpin 4s on it for the winter and they are very nice.

truckerhat

Assuming you plan on using the stock tires/rims, the choice is between 20s with low profile tires and 18s with higher profile tires. You can google the benefits of low-profile tires, but in summary they are better for on-road cornering and performance. Higher-profile tires are better for off-road. There's a reason Raptors come with stock 17s.