1987 Ford F-350 Tire Size & Bolt Pattern

Q: Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1987 Ford F-350?

Yes — the standard winter-tire fitment pattern is one width step narrower than OEM (e.g. 225 → 215) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter. Narrower tires increase contact pressure on snow for better traction. The Compatible alternative sizes table includes any winter-friendly options that fall within ±3% OD for this vehicle.

Approved fitments

Tire size	Rim size	PCD (bolt pattern)	Offset	Load index	Speed rating
215/85R16	7x16	8x165.1	0mm	N/A	N/A
235/85R16	7.5x16	8x165.1	0mm	N/A	N/A

1987 Ford F-350 wheel bolt pattern & specs

Bolt pattern (PCD)	8x165.1
Center bore	124.9 mm
Source	bolt-pattern.com

The 1987 Ford F-350 uses a 8x165.1 bolt pattern, and a 124.9 mm center bore. Bolt pattern and hub specs are stable across a model generation; always confirm against your vehicle's existing wheel before buying aftermarket wheels, spacers, or adapters. Source: community wheel-fitment reference data.

Best by use case

Four tires, four jobs

Best all-season

Michelin

Xps rib

all-season touring

Best budget

Toyo

Open country H/T II

Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 740

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 1987 ford F-350

The 1987 Ford F-350 ships from the factory on 215/85R16 tires mounted on 7x16 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-350 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 1987 Ford F-350 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 1987 Ford F-350, 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 1987 ford F-350

443

Complaints

24

Crashes

29

Injuries

5

Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (222) · Tread / Belt (155) · Sidewall (42) · Valve (12) · Spare Tire (7)

Reported across: 1991 – 2021 (25 years)

What owners described

Blowout or sudden deflation appears in 35% of these reports; about 1.7× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 287 reports covering every model year of the Ford F-350 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	35%	20%	1.7×
Tread or belt separation	25%	13%	1.9×
Sidewall failure	17%	15%	1.2×
Loss of control, rollover or collision	8%	8%	1.0×
Bubble or bulge in the tire	8%	6%	1.3×
Cracking or dry rot	7%	9%	0.7×

Mileage at failure

100 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 25,498 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 4,000 and 132,500 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Ford F-350. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-350 EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN TIRES, TIRE LINE: X RADIAL LT, AND TIRE SIZE: 265/75/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS 220,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 1155092 · 1999 vehicle

IN MARCH OF 2014 I PURCHASED A SET OF TIRES FROM TREADWRIGHT TIRES WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME I NOTICED THE SIDE WALLS CRACKING, BEFORE I COULD GET ANY RESPONSE I HAD A BLOW OUT ON MY RIGHT FROM TIRE AT 60 MPH, I WENT THROUGH TWO MORE SETS WITH THE SAME RESULTS OF SIDE WALL CRACKING BUT NO BLOW OUTS I AM NOW ON MY FOURTH SET, THEY ARE A DIFFERENT MODEL TIRE BUT I AM NOW HAVING A BAD VIBRATION SOME WHAT LIKE I HAD JUST BEFORE THE BLOW OUT ON THE FIRST TIRE SET. TREADWRIGHT IS BEING UNRESPONSIVE NOW TO MY WARRANTY CLAIM AND NOT REFUNDING ME THE COST AND SHIPPING OF THE TIRES.

NHTSA complaint 1183111 · 1994 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-350 EQUIPPED WITH BF GOODRICH RUGGED TERRAIN T/A TIRES, SIZE: LT285/75R16 (NA). WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT A SHUDDER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FELT A BUMP, HEARD AN EXPLODING NOISE, AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONTACT PLANNED ON GIVING THE TIRE TO THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,500 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,500.

NHTSA complaint 1369397 · 2002 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD F-350 EQUIPPED WITH SIX BF GOODRICH COMMERCIAL T/A ALL SEASON TIRES, SIZE: LT235/85/R16 /LRE MPLUS (NA). AFTER APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES OF USE, A BUBBLE WAS PRESENT ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE OUTER REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150. THE VIN AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint 1626701 · 2000 vehicle

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 1987 Ford F-350?

The OEM tire size for the 1987 Ford F-350 is 215/85R16 mounted on 7x16 wheels.. Trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment; confirm against your specific vehicle's driver-door placard before purchase.

What is the bolt pattern of a 1987 Ford F-350?

The 1987 Ford F-350 has a 8x165.1 bolt pattern with a 124.9 mm center bore. Bolt pattern is consistent across the model generation; confirm against your existing wheel before fitting aftermarket wheels or adapters.

Can I run a different tire size on my 1987 Ford F-350?

Plus-sizing (larger rim, lower aspect) is possible within ±3% of the OEM overall diameter per the ETRTO safe-fit standard. The Compatible alternative sizes table on this page lists every safe option for the OEM size. Always confirm with the manufacturer or a qualified tire shop before deviating from the placard.

Where can I buy tires for my 1987 Ford F-350?

Online tire retailers in our affiliate network carry every size documented for this vehicle. Use the Shop online buttons above to compare prices across them; variance of $20–$40 per tire is common between merchants. The <a href="/tools/tire-install-cost-calculator/">install cost calculator</a> estimates the out-the-door including mount, balance, TPMS, and disposal by state.

What is the recommended tire pressure for the 1987 Ford F-350?

The cold-inflation pressure is printed on the driver-door placard of your specific vehicle and varies by trim, tire size, and loaded vs unloaded condition. Typical OEM front and rear pressures fall between 30 and 36 psi for passenger trims and 32–40 psi for SUV/truck variants, but the placard is the authoritative source.

Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 1987 Ford F-350?

Yes; the standard winter-tire fitment pattern is one width step narrower than OEM (e.g. 225 → 215) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter. Narrower tires increase contact pressure on snow for better traction. The Compatible alternative sizes table includes any winter-friendly options that fall within ±3% OD for this vehicle.

How often should I rotate the tires on my 1987 Ford F-350?

Every 5,000–7,500 miles is the typical OEM recommendation for passenger vehicles. AWD vehicles and high-torque trucks benefit from the shorter interval. Documented rotation history is also a tire-warranty prerequisite; most manufacturer treadwear claims require rotation receipts at the warranty inspection.

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-350 is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 1987 Ford F-350.
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.