1980 Ford F-250 tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 1980 Ford F-250, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 215/85R16 OEM | 6x16 | 8x165.1 | 13mm | N/A | N/A |
| 235/85R16 OEM | 6x16 | 8x165.1 | 13mm | N/A | N/A |
1980 Ford F-250 wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 8x165.1 |
|---|---|
| Center bore | 124.9 mm |
| Source | bolt-pattern.com |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Ford F-250, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Ford F-250 →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Ford F-250 factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 215/85R16
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
185/85R18 |
-0.03% | plus 2 | Safe |
245/85R14 |
0.03% | alternative | Safe |
225/70R18 |
0.04% | plus 2 | Safe |
245/80R15 |
0.14% | alternative | Safe |
245/75R16 |
0.26% | wider | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 215/85R16 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 215/85R16 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 225/75R17; one rim size up, -0.34% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 185/85R18; two rim sizes up, -0.03% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 1980 ford F-250
The 1980 Ford F-250 ships from the factory on 215/85R16 tires mounted on 6x16 wheels. 2 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Ford F-250 comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 1980 Ford F-250 owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 1980 Ford F-250, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 1980 ford F-250
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (292) · Tread / Belt (157) · Sidewall (61) · Spare Tire (13) · Bead (5)
Reported across: 1979 – 2022 (29 years)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 24% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 339 reports covering every model year of the Ford F-250 that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 24% | 20% | 1.2× |
| Tread or belt separation | 23% | 13% | 1.7× |
| Sidewall failure | 19% | 15% | 1.3× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 8% | 6% | 1.3× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 7% | 9% | 0.8× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 7% | 8% | 0.8× |
Mileage at failure
138 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 24,777 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 7,548 and 132,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Ford F-250. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F250 WITH MICHELIN A/T TIRES SIZE LT275/65/R20. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD F-250. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTI TRAC TIRES, TIRE SIZE 275/70/18. THE DOT NUMBER WAS A31546U00909. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH UP AN INCLINE, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE SIDEWALL EXHIBITED CRACKS AND THE INNER WIRE BELTS WERE VISIBLE. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,548.
2009 FORD F-250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TIRES ISSUE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, AS HE WAS DRIVING 60 MPH. A PIECE OF THE TREAD ACTUALLY CAME OFF THE TIRE AND THE REMAINING TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TRUCKS FRONT BUMPER, PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD AND WHEEL COVER IN ADDITION TO OTHER DAMAGE. ON JULY 5, 2014 A SECOND TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 70 MPH AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HIS TRUCK, AGAIN.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED AND WENT UNDER THE TRAILER THAT WAS BEING HAULED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 1980 Ford F-250?
What is the bolt pattern of a 1980 Ford F-250?
Can I run a different tire size on my 1980 Ford F-250?
Where can I buy tires for my 1980 Ford F-250?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1980 Ford F-250?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1980 Ford F-250?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 1980 Ford F-250?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Ford F-250 is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1980 Ford F-250.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-10-07.