Want 35s on your F-150? Here's exactly what you need.
Two paths to fit 35x12.50 tires. Pick the one that matches your budget and your tolerance for cutting metal.
Open to alternatives? A 33" tire (LT305/65R18) gets you 90% of the look without the fitment headache. Read on for the full breakdown.
Before we get into why you should probably go with just about any other tire size than a 35x12.50", there are a few ways to get a 35x12.50" onto your F150, all of which require some effort especially if you're trying to clear upper control arms, remote-mounted reservoirs, knuckles from lifts, or whatever else. The main thing you need to clear a 35x12.50" tire is lift. An F150 at factory ride height is not going to clear a 35x12.50" without seriously chopping up your F150's front end. The quickest way to clear 35x12.50" tire is by jumping up to a 4" lift kit. 4" Lifts provide enough ride height and wheel well clearance to clear a 35" tall tire without issues. However, the whole "12.50" thing is still an issue and you can't clear a 35x12.50" on the factory wheels due to the backspacing required to clear your average lift kit's knuckles. Thus, if you want to clear a 35x12.50" tire, you'd still need a set of aftermarket wheels with less backspacing and offset, which drives your cost up immensely. While a 4" lift is effective, it's still only a half-measure, and a pricey one at that.
As we've demonstrated, squeezing 35x12.50" tires onto the F150s is either a pain in the ass and/or gets expensive in a hurry. So what's the alternative? Well, there's plenty of other tire size options out there that cause less of a headache while still giving your F150 a great look and some extra ground clearance. Sure, you may not get quite the ground clearance, wheel well fill, or ground spread as a true 35x12.50", but how much difference does that extra half to inch and a half worth of tire actually make out in the real world? Here's a little quiz for you: which of the trucks in the images on this page are running a 35x12.50"? If you said zero, you'd be correct. Even our 2015 F150 Desert Runner build with its 4" BDS Coilover Lift didn't run a true 35x12.50". We used a Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ LT305/70R18 so that we could keep the Method wheels which didn't have the offset and backspacing to clear the lift kit with a 35x12.50". Did that 1/5" of an inch in height or half and inch in width make a difference in how that truck performed? Absolutely not.
Build Your F-150's Tire & Lift Setup
Whether you're going with true 35s or stepping up to 33s, get the lift, wheels, and tires that match. Browse the complete F-150 wheels and tires catalog, plus lift and leveling kits sized for every generation.
Shop F-150 Wheels & Tires Shop F-150 Lift KitsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I fit 35 tires on a stock F-150?
No. Stock F-150 ride height won't clear 35x12.50 tires without significant trimming and sacrificing turning radius. You'll need at minimum a 2.5-inch leveling kit plus aftermarket wheels and trimming, or step up to a 4-inch lift kit for the cleaner solution.
What size lift do I need to fit 35x12.50 tires?
A 4-inch suspension lift kit is the cleanest path to fitting 35x12.50 tires on an F-150 with minimal or no trimming. With a 4-inch lift, you'll still need aftermarket wheels with appropriate backspacing (typically wheels with -12 to -25 mm offset) to clear lift knuckles and align the tire properly under the fender.
Will a 2.5-inch leveling kit clear 35s?
A 2.5-inch leveling kit can fit 35x12.50 tires, but only with trimming. Expect to trim the front wheel well liner and front valance. On 2015-2019 F-150s, you'll also need to trim the front crash bars. You'll also need aftermarket wheels with low offset. This is the budget path but requires real cutting work.
What wheel offset do I need for 35s on an F-150?
For 35x12.50 tires on an F-150 with a lift kit, you'll typically need wheels with -12 to -25 mm offset (roughly 4.5 to 5.5 inches of backspacing) to clear lift knuckles and provide proper fender alignment. Stock F-150 wheels (around +44 mm offset) won't clear 35s on most lift setups. The exact offset depends on your lift kit, so check your kit's specifications.
Do I need to trim my F-150 to fit 35s?
Trimming is usually required unless you go with a full 4-inch suspension lift kit AND aftermarket wheels with the correct offset. If you're running a 2.5-inch leveling kit, plan to trim the wheel well liner, front valance, and on 2015-2019 F-150s, the front crash bars. With a properly-matched 4-inch lift and wheels, trimming is often minimal or unnecessary.
Are 33-inch tires a better choice than 35s for an F-150?
For most F-150 owners, yes. A 33-inch tire like the LT305/65R18 (which measures approximately 33.6 by 12 inches) delivers 90 percent of the look and ground clearance of a 35x12.50, with far easier fitment, no required trimming on most setups, and lower overall cost. You can run 33s on a 2 to 2.5-inch leveling kit without major trimming, on near-stock wheel offsets, and with minimal compromise to ride quality.
0 Comments
Ryan DeVita
You make a really good point about 35x12.5 not being the only tire option that one should consider. However, when I checked out the selection of 35" tires on the Stage 3 website, you also said this: "Any truck that's being built for rugged off-road use or a truck that just needs a much more aggressive look should have a set of 35" tires." Thoughts?
Jason@Stage3
Considering that you can buy a 35" tire for a Raptor, Super Dutys (and you only need a 2" level to clear them on most F250s and F350s), other 3/4 ton trucks, Jeeps, and anything else there's nothing really inconsistent here. In the case of the F150s, 35x12.50" tires are generally more trouble than they're worth, though they're still an excellent option if you're willing to trim, spend a lot on a lift and wheels, or just don't care about rub in the first place.
