Which 19.5" tire to choose
I posted for the first time on here clear back in November of 2018. I was asking about upgrading to 19.5” wheels and tires for a 2000 Ford F350 SRW. I got a lot of good info from others here. I heard ...
Forum Discussion
I found the specifications for multiple components in my previous truck and also cross matched which parts were used on heavier class trucks. This gave me the confidence in upgrading the weakest components to get the capacity I wanted. You will have to spend considerable time doing the research and it is not for everyone. I've always been good at these types of tasks and enjoy tracking the parts chain down to the sources. In the process I found a number of inaccuracies in published documents, so cross checking multiple sources is a given.
In my case, case I went to a Class 5 from a Class 2b because I wanted to carry a heavy camper and tow a heavy trailer at the time. My 4-ton trailer behind and 2-ton truck camper on my Class 2b with 19.5's worked well, but I was not going to put my 3-ton truck camper on it (not on a Class 3 or 4 either).
I did have a steep learning curve on commercial 19.5" tires and my only regret was not choosing a steer front tire in hindsight. My plan was to continue 4-wheel tire rotations which drove my decision for identical tires on all four corners. With the amount of weight I carry on the rear axle of both trucks, traction tires are only need on the rear with my usage. I rarely drive a truck empty or over 65 mph, so hydroplaning is not really a worry for me. I chose a higher rated tire than I needed so I would not have use the maximum sidewall pressure plus it gave me a stiffer sidewall that aided in carrying a heavy load at the expense of unloaded ride.
Between selling my half used Michelin tires and 18" rims and buying 19.5" tires and rims, the upgrade cost me $1500 in 2012. I considered that a good value for my needs and the change never created problems for me so had little downside.
In my case, case I went to a Class 5 from a Class 2b because I wanted to carry a heavy camper and tow a heavy trailer at the time. My 4-ton trailer behind and 2-ton truck camper on my Class 2b with 19.5's worked well, but I was not going to put my 3-ton truck camper on it (not on a Class 3 or 4 either).
I did have a steep learning curve on commercial 19.5" tires and my only regret was not choosing a steer front tire in hindsight. My plan was to continue 4-wheel tire rotations which drove my decision for identical tires on all four corners. With the amount of weight I carry on the rear axle of both trucks, traction tires are only need on the rear with my usage. I rarely drive a truck empty or over 65 mph, so hydroplaning is not really a worry for me. I chose a higher rated tire than I needed so I would not have use the maximum sidewall pressure plus it gave me a stiffer sidewall that aided in carrying a heavy load at the expense of unloaded ride.
Between selling my half used Michelin tires and 18" rims and buying 19.5" tires and rims, the upgrade cost me $1500 in 2012. I considered that a good value for my needs and the change never created problems for me so had little downside.
