Sponsored

KO3 tires not recommended for 2023 Lightning Lariat???

BradBennett

Member
First Name
Brad
Joined
Dec 2, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
11
Reaction score
21
Location
Gig harbor, WA
Vehicles
F-150 Lightning Lariat
Occupation
Realtor
I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?
Sponsored

 

MeanGeneO

Member
First Name
Gene
Joined
Aug 19, 2024
Threads
1
Messages
10
Reaction score
12
Location
Springfield IL
Vehicles
2023 F150 Lightning Lariat
23 Lariat Owner here. Just bought the Toyo Open Country A/T 3 EV tires. Decent amount of beef and really enjoy them overall. 500 miles or so in. No complaints.
 

vvgogh

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2023
Threads
25
Messages
170
Reaction score
194
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
'23 F-150 Lightning ER
My Lariat ER has a gross vehicle weight of 8,400 lbs. It came with load index 116 (2,756 lbs) speed rating T (118 mph) tires.

They may not install lesser load index. I've had these tires, #2 and 3 purchased and installed by Costco:
1. OEM General Grabber HTS60 275 60 R20 116T. 34.3 lbs, 33" OD​
OEM tires were not durable and tore on a bumpy forest road, first few miles of Lincoln Gulch near Aspen.
2. Blizzak LT265 60 R20 121R. 49.3 lbs, 32.5" OD (-1.5%)​
3. BF Goodrich T/A KO2 LT275 60 R20 119S. 55.5 lbs, 33" OD​

I see KO3s with 119S like my KO2 on the Costco website. Truck weight and tire load index shouldn't be an issue: 119 is good for 9% more weight than my OEM 116 tires and 43% more weight than the gross vehicle weight.
 

WXman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2025
Threads
21
Messages
485
Reaction score
565
Location
Central Kentucky
Vehicles
2025 F-150 Lightning Flash
Occupation
Meteorology/Transportation
I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?
Sigh.....

This whole thing with tires is way out of control. There is NOTHING special about these trucks. My loaded up Flash is still only 6,500 lbs. ANY tire that is LT rated (and almost all BFG KO3 tires are) is going to work great and will actually be overkill for the needs of the truck.

The stock OE tires are flimsy garbage with a 116T load index. It is hilarious that actual tire shops are telling people a heavier-duty LT tire isn't going to work.
 

Heliian

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Threads
5
Messages
2,082
Reaction score
2,417
Location
Canada
Vehicles
2023 LR Lariat, code name "Boogaloo"
The load rating is 119 for single wheel. More than enough for the truck

Costco sells tires cheap and their service speaks to it. I've heard lots of wonderful stories about how stupid they can be.
 

Sponsored

Randys Lightning

Well-known member
First Name
Randy
Joined
Feb 8, 2025
Threads
4
Messages
81
Reaction score
101
Vehicles
24 Lightning, 20, Road Glide, 23 Kaw H2 SX SE, 24 Yamaha FX HO Waverunner, +
Occupation
Ret. US Army Nuclear Artillery and Ret. P&G Mechanical Engineer
I went to Costco today to order the KO3 tires but they said they wouldn’t install them because of the truck weight… what gives? Lots of you seem to like these tires. Is it just the person I talked to, or are they truly not recommended for my ‘23 Lariat ER?
Would eventually consider a leveling kit as well, but currently looking for a beefier tire.
Any recs?
Go to Discount Tire, My KO3s are great 9000 Miles on them so far

Ford F-150 Lightning KO3 tires not recommended for 2023 Lightning Lariat??? New K03s 2
 

Randys Lightning

Well-known member
First Name
Randy
Joined
Feb 8, 2025
Threads
4
Messages
81
Reaction score
101
Vehicles
24 Lightning, 20, Road Glide, 23 Kaw H2 SX SE, 24 Yamaha FX HO Waverunner, +
Occupation
Ret. US Army Nuclear Artillery and Ret. P&G Mechanical Engineer
They are Load 119 or 2998 Lbs each. They don't hire the brightest there.
 

RickLightning

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Threads
116
Messages
7,418
Reaction score
10,196
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
'22 Lightning ER Lariat,'22 Mach-E Premium 4X
Costco employees aren't the issue. They put in the vehicle, it tells them what tires they can put on it. No discussion possible.
 

WXman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2025
Threads
21
Messages
485
Reaction score
565
Location
Central Kentucky
Vehicles
2025 F-150 Lightning Flash
Occupation
Meteorology/Transportation
Go to Discount Tire, My KO3s are great 9000 Miles on them so far

New K03s 2.webp
Do you have any vibration issues? That's the only main complaint people have with BFG tires; they are notoriously difficult to balance. One tire shop manager told me last summer that he has stopped recommending BFG tires to people because, in his words, "they are squares".
 

cowboys1870

Active member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Mar 28, 2023
Threads
5
Messages
35
Reaction score
39
Location
Oklahoma
Vehicles
‘22 Lightning SR XLT
Occupation
Engineer
23 Lariat Owner here. Just bought the Toyo Open Country A/T 3 EV tires. Decent amount of beef and really enjoy them overall. 500 miles or so in. No complaints.
Same. I’m not sure why anyone buys a different AT tire for an EV truck.
 

Sponsored

Randys Lightning

Well-known member
First Name
Randy
Joined
Feb 8, 2025
Threads
4
Messages
81
Reaction score
101
Vehicles
24 Lightning, 20, Road Glide, 23 Kaw H2 SX SE, 24 Yamaha FX HO Waverunner, +
Occupation
Ret. US Army Nuclear Artillery and Ret. P&G Mechanical Engineer
Do you have any vibration issues? That's the only main complaint people have with BFG tires; they are notoriously difficult to balance. One tire shop manager told me last summer that he has stopped recommending BFG tires to people because, in his words, "they are squares".
No Issue, The KO2s had a different manufacturing method and were harder to balance the Discount Tire guy said. They actually had training on them.
 

Randys Lightning

Well-known member
First Name
Randy
Joined
Feb 8, 2025
Threads
4
Messages
81
Reaction score
101
Vehicles
24 Lightning, 20, Road Glide, 23 Kaw H2 SX SE, 24 Yamaha FX HO Waverunner, +
Occupation
Ret. US Army Nuclear Artillery and Ret. P&G Mechanical Engineer
UPDATE: Went to Discount Tire today and got the K03s put on. Incredibly fast service and the tires look great. Thanks for everyone's feedback!
Pics please
 
 







Top