SL load range tires on a 123kWhr Flash?

[JRDM2]

When I test drove a standard range Lightning I was impressed by how the truck soaked up bumps. I opted for a Flash for reasons including larger battery. I didn't test drive the Flash before leasing it, not thinking there might be a considerable difference in the ride quality. I was disappointed in the ride and it seems to be the XL load range tires make most of the difference

I understand the XL load range is going to be more durable, but are SL tires of the same 116 load rating going to be unsafe for the Flash?

Alternatively, are there softer XL tires anyone can suggest? Do I look for a higher numbers of kevlar layers?

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[Heliian]

What were the tire types and brands? My original general grabbers were smooth as silk and efficient but not agressive enough for winter use after the first year. I switched to an at tire and they're much more durable but more noise and less range.

 

[JRDM2]

My current tires are:
Goodyear Territory HT 275/60R20 116T XL

I don't know what tires the demo Lightning had, other than they were on the 18" wheels and it was a 2025 XLT standard range. I think there's a couple different tires Ford sold on 18" Lightning wheels.

I have Hakkapaliita LT3s on a separate set of wheels for winter tires so winter traction isn't a problem for me.

 

[WildBlue]

SL tires with 116 load rating is fine for the ER trucks. I think the stock Hankooks are 115 load rating. XL would mean they have stiffer sidewalls, can run at higher air pressure and thus have a higher load capacity. That all would translate to a rougher ride.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with E-rated tires for this truck unless you're doing some serious off-roading and need that thick sidewall. Otherwise, E-rated tires have a worse ride, noise and efficiency.

 

[Space Flash]

When I test drove a standard range Lightning I was impressed by how the truck soaked up bumps. I opted for a Flash for reasons including larger battery. I didn't test drive the Flash before leasing it, not thinking there might be a considerable difference in the ride quality. I was disappointed in the ride and it seems to be the XL load range tires make most of the difference

I understand the XL load range is going to be more durable, but are SL tires of the same 116 load rating going to be unsafe for the Flash?

Alternatively, are there softer XL tires anyone can suggest? Do I look for a higher numbers of kevlar layers?

TL;DR: 18" wheels with the same diameter tire as the 20" will ride smoother. Check your tire pressure.

Had almost the exact same experience when we were shopping for a Lightning. Dealer had two used, one XLT and a Lariat. Drove the XLT and it was smooth as butter. We were sold on a Lightning. Then we drove the Lariat. Yikes! It felt like one of my old Tundras. The ride was harsh.

The XLT had 18" OEM tires and wheels and although the higher mileage Lariat had OE wheels, they were wrapped in some off-brand tires I'd never heard of. Didn't check the tire pressure, but it was probably too high as well.

At the time the price difference between used and new wasn't that much, so we ended up with a brand new '25 Flash. It has the same tires as yours, Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT 275/60R20 116T XL (Electric Drive Ready). The ride isn't quite as smooth as the XLT's, but it is very close and very good IMHO. It's certainly an order of magnitude better than the used Lariat with the lousy tires. If the Lariat had had better tires I'm certain that it would have been much smoother.

So it's down to a couple of things. By all accounts the XLT has the same suspension as all of the other trims but the XLT is going to ride smoother since the 18" tires have more sidewall to absorb impacts. The other is tire pressure. I run 41psi and although it's not quite as forgiving over bumps and pot holes as the XLT we drove, it rides very nicely - quiet and smooth. Dealers are notorious for over-inflating tires, so you might want to check the pressure and adjust accordingly.

 

[JRDM2]

The ride isn't quite as smooth as the XLT's, but it is very close and very good IMHO

The difference is night and day for me though. But the 18" tire model being compared might be different between us.

Dealers are notorious for over-inflating tires, so you might want to check the pressure and adjust accordingly.

I started at 42 PSI like the the door jamb sticker suggests but right now I'm at 40. I don't know how much lower I can go without causing uneven wear. I don't think 38 will improve the ride enough.

At what pressure will a lower than recommended pressure start causes excessive uneven tire wear?

 

[Heliian]

what pressure will a lower than recommended pressure start affecting tire wear?

Anything below 42.

The difference between 18 and 20 is night and day for me. The truck will handle better with 20s.

My current tires are Lt 20in AT and I've lost a little range but no need to swap for winter and I'm much more comfortable driving on the logging roads I'm on almost weekly.
General concensus is around 5-12% range loss going from HT to AT.

 

[Space Flash]

The difference is night and day for me though. But the 18" tire model being compared might be different between us.



I started at 42 PSI like the the door jamb sticker suggests but right now I'm at 40. I don't know how much lower I can go without causing uneven wear. I don't think 38 will improve the ride enough.

At what pressure will a lower than recommended pressure start causes excessive uneven tire wear?

Well, sounds like the PSI is good then. Not sure what to tell you. It should be riding fairly well. Not like the XLT, but close.

Agree with @Heliian, I wouldn't go much below the recommended pressure. Not a lot to gain ride-wise and more to lose with tread wear.

To improve the ride I've moved from larger to smaller rims in other vehicles. Might be a consideration. I see full sets of 18" XLT/Pro wheels and tires on eBay and FB MP. Someone might be interested in trading.

 

[DavidS]

The HT’s come with a door jamb sticker showing 42 psi tire pressure but the AT’s in 18 and 20’s have a 36 psi sticker and will feel softer as a result.
The Lightning is a heavy vehicle with high performance motors with massive torque. If you never plan on accelerating quickly or loading your bed or towing, you can probably put whatever tire you want, but otherwise I would stay with the recommended tire specs because smart people did a lot of testing to try to keep you safe.

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