Choosing Tires

When it comes to selecting the right tire there's a lot to consider, tread pattern is one thing, but one thing to definitely not overlook is load range. Load range indicates how many plies the tire has. More plies equals heavier and stiffer sidewalls that are able to carry more weight. They are also more puncture resistant on account of having more plies.

What's Stock?

The stock tires on the gen 3 Raptor are BFG KO2's in either 315/70/17 or 37x12.5xR17 depending on your truck. The load range for both sizes is C. This load range means a compliant, light weight, tire that rides well and accelerates well even in larger sizes at the expense of how much load you can carry. Carrying heavy things isn't what the Raptor is designed for, though. Everyone has their opinions on tire, but the stock KO2 is not a bad tire by any means. It might not be perfect for absolutely everyone, but there are worse choices.

Tire Recommendations

When it comes to choosing a new tire, go with whatever tread patter you think suits you best. We won't tell you you're right or wrong because we don't drive the exact roads you do every day. The one thing we will say, is if you want your truck to ride as nice as possible and still have snappy acceleration, try to keep the load range to C or D. Load range E tires are stiff and just plain don't ride well unless you get some weight behind them. Beyond just looking at load range, tire weight is important as well. A light load range D might be similar to a heavy load range C, which puts them in a similar realm when it comes to acceleration. The stock 37s are around 68 lbs per tire. Use that as a baseline.

At the end of the day, this is an off-road truck so a heavier tire isn't necessarily the end of the world when it comes to performance and a more durable tire can save you from some, but not all, flats. If you go significantly heavier and plan to hammer on the truck, keep in mind this can be harder on the suspension. That's more mass that the shocks have to control at top out. With limit straps it doesn't matter, but without limit straps, it can be another factor that's harder on the truck.