2008 Lincoln navigator tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2008 Lincoln Navigator, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 255/70R18 OEM | R18 | 6x135 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 275/55R20 OEM | R20 | 6x135 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2008 Lincoln navigator wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 6x135 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M14x2.0 |
| Center bore | 87.0 mm |
| Source | adaptitusa-reference |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
See the best tires for the Lincoln Navigator, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Lincoln Navigator →
Compatible alternative sizes for 255/70R18
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
225/85R17 |
0.01% | winter narrower | Safe |
255/75R17 |
0.01% | alternative | Safe |
255/65R19 |
-0.01% | plus 1 | Safe |
255/80R16 |
0.02% | alternative | Safe |
255/60R20 |
-0.02% | plus 2 | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 255/70R18 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 255/70R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 255/65R19; one rim size up, -0.01% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 255/60R20; two rim sizes up, -0.02% 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 2008 lincoln navigator l-4wd
The 2008 Lincoln Navigator L-4wd ships from the factory on 255/70R18 tires mounted on R18 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 Lincoln Navigator 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 2008 Lincoln Navigator L-4wd 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 2008 Lincoln Navigator L-4wd, 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 2008 lincoln navigator
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (1) · TPMS (1)
Reported across: 2008 – 2008 (1 year)
What owners described
Tread or belt separation appears in 21% of these reports; about 1.6× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 113 reports covering every model year of the Lincoln Navigator 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tread or belt separation | 21% | 13% | 1.6× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 20% | 20% | 1.0× |
| Sidewall failure | 17% | 15% | 1.1× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 10% | 8% | 1.2× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 4% | 9% | 0.5× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 3% | 6% | 0.4× |
Mileage at failure
30 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 22,500 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 12,000 and 88,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Lincoln Navigator. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR EQUIPPED WITH NATIONAL A/S COMMANDO TIRES, SIZE: 245/75/16 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS 6,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 NORTHBOUND AROUND WOOLBRIGHT ROAD, I RAN OVER TIRE DEBRIS AND CAUSED PART OF MY TIRE TO COME OFF. THE TIRE DID NOT GO FLAT AMAZINGLY, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY NEED A NEW TIRE. I HAVE A NAVIGATOR, SO LUCKILY IT DIDN'T CAUSE ANY MORE DAMAGE LIKE AN ACCIDENT.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND EXHIBITED NUMEROUS OTHER MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE BALD, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES, TIRES, AND PARTS OF THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED 4 BLOW OUTS WITH ALL 4 TIRES, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE 5TH BLOWOUT OFTHE TIRE, CAUSED THE HUB AND TIRE TO FALL OUT, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TIRE DEALER CLAIMS THAT IT IS THE WRONG TIRE SIZE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURERCLAIMS ITS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE OTHER DETAILS.
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 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
Where can I buy tires for my 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2008 Lincoln Navigator?
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 Lincoln Navigator is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2008 Lincoln Navigator.
- 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 2026-09-02.