Best Tires For Ford Transit: Complete Guide

8 Best Tires For Ford Transit

The Ford Transit — or Ford T-Series — is one of the world’s most popular commercial vehicles used every day in just about every industry. Over its 55+ year history, the Transit has undergone many changes in terms of appearance and performance, but some things never change.

The Ford Transit is still used as one of the most versatile vehicles in America and the rest of the world, and its tires are continuing to wear out due to the extreme mileage put on the Transit line of vans every year.

And when the tires on your Transit wear out, it’s time to get a new set to ensure your Transit is ready to go at full capacity. But how do you know which tires are best? We’re here to help with that.

To make your Ford Transit tire search easier, we’ve created this comprehensive guide that has everything you need to know about the best tire options on the market. Commercial all-seasons, touring, highway, performance, winter tires, and more. This guide has it all. So if you want to determine the best tires for your Transit, this is the guide for you.

Let’s dive right in, here are the 8 best tires on the market for a Ford Transit:

Cooper Discoverer HT3 — Best Commercial All-Season

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Coming in as our favorite commercial all-season tire on the market, the Cooper Discoverer HT3 has taken the commercial vehicle industry by storm since its inception.

Its all-season tread compound and pattern allow the Discoverer HT3 to provide reliable and consistent traction year-round, in all weather conditions. Combined with its beefed up construction, the Discoverer HT3 is the perfect tire for any Ford Transit that’s used commercially to regularly haul heavy loads.

The shoulder ribs are continuous along the whole tire, which promotes even tire wear during its commercial use including abrupt stopping, starting, and turning. Micro-Gauge siping across the tire increases the stability of the tread for enhanced steering and responsiveness.

Circumferential grooves around the tire channel water away from the contact patch of the Discoverer HT3 and resist hydroplaning in wet conditions. These grooves work in conjunction with the biting edges created by the sipes to aid traction even in snow and ice.

Offered in all common sizes used for commercial vehicles ranging from 15” through 20” wheel diameters, that, of course, includes the popular Transit size of 235/65R16. So it should be a breeze to find a set of Discoverer HT3s for your commercial Transit when the old tires wear out!

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 50,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 3,195 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 85 psi
• Tread Depth: 14.5/32”
• Tire Weight: 38 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• All-season symmetric tread design resists wear while increasing handling and control
• Offers a quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride unlike other commercial tires

FAQ

What is a commercial all-season?

A commercial all-season tire is an all-season tire that was specifically designed with commercial vehicles in mind, like a Ford Transit. These tires have extra plies and far higher load index ratings, enabling them to support the weight of a vehicle used for commercial purposes without wearing out prematurely or failing altogether.

What is the tread life warranty?

The Cooper Discoverer HT3 comes with a 50,000-mile tread life warranty from Cooper. Most commercial all-season tires don’t come with any warranty from the manufacturer, which is one of the reasons why this is our top-rated tire in its class.

Do I need a commercial tire on my Transit?

If you’re using your Ford Transit as a commercial vehicle (i.e. hauling heavy loads commonly), then you will want to use a commercial tire. Standard all-season tires will not be able to safely support the weight of a fully-loaded Transit and will wear out prematurely.

Nexen Roadian CT8 HL — Best Commercial All-Season Alternative

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Ford Transit owners in the market for commercial all-season tires have another great option besides the Cooper Discoverer HT3 — the popular Nexen Roadian CT8 HL.

The Roadian CT8 HL is designed specifically for vehicles that are used for commercial purposes to stand up to the heavy loads and prevent the accelerated wear and tear that normal tires would undergo.

The Roadian CT8 HL offers traction year-round in all weather conditions and even includes an M+S rating. This rating means that the tire is rated for performance and traction in mud and snow, insinuating it can provide traction in just about any weather.

Unfortunately, the Roadian CT8 HL does not come with a mileage warranty of any kind, but Transit owners that have used them typically expect to get around 50,000 to 55,000 miles out of them if they’re well-maintained.

All that said, it’s offered in the 235/65R16 tire size found on just about every Ford Transit out there, and it’s also provided as the OEM tires on many commercial vehicles. This makes the Roadian CT8 HL a popular choice for anyone looking to replace the worn out tires on their commercially-used Transit.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 3,197 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 83 psi
• Tread Depth: 15/32”
• Tire Weight: 35 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Commercial all-season tire that gets the job done in all weather conditions
• OEM tires on many commercial vans and light-duty trucks

FAQ

How do these compare to the Discoverer HT3?

Along with the Cooper, these are two of the most popular commercial all-season tires on the market. Both perform well, offer traction in all seasons, and last around 50,000 miles or so. The only downside to these is that they don’t have a mileage warranty like the Cooper HT3 does.

How long will these last?

The Nexen Roadian CT8 HL does not come with a mileage warranty from the factory, unfortunately. However, since they’re so popular it’s easy to see what others get out of them. On average, you can expect to get around 50,000 to 55,000 miles out of these tires.

What size do I need for my Transit?

More of then than not — unless your Transit is a dually — you’ll need a 235/65R16 Nexen Roadian CT8. That’s actually the only size used on the Ford Transit in the past few years for all single-wheel rears.

Michelin Premier A/S — Best Touring

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For any Ford Transit owners that don’t use their Transit commercially who are looking for a touring tire, look no further than the Michelin Premier A/S.

Designed for passenger cars, crossovers, and SUVs, the Michelin Premier A/S is a top-tier all-season tire that offers the best combination of performance, comfort, treadlife, and reliability of any other all-season tire on the market.

One of the major keys to the exceptional performance of the Michelin Premier A/S is the EverGrip tread compound that’s used in the rubber. This tread compound was designed to provide reliable traction in all weather conditions during its entire life, even after it’s worn out.

The Premier A/S is a Michelin Total Performance tire, meaning that it was designed to do pretty much everything well. They will reduce stopping distance, enhance control and handling, offer extreme comfort, and even increase the fuel efficiency of the Ford Transit.

Offered in all major tire sizes ranging from 15” through 19” wheel diameters, the Premier A/S is an easy tire to find to replace those worn out stock ones on your Ford Transit.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 60,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,929lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi
• Tread Depth: 8.5/32”
• Tire Weight: 27 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 640
• UTQG Traction: A
• UTQG Temperature: A
• EverGrip tread technology ensures traction even after tires are wearing down
• All-season tread design delivers consistent performance all year long

FAQ

Is this a commercial tire?

No, the Michelin Premier A/S is not a commercial tire. So if you are using your Ford Transit as a commercial vehicle and you’re hauling a lot of weight, stick to one of the commercial tires recommended in this guide. These may not have the load capacity for your use.

What sizes are offered?

The Michelin Premier A/S is offered in all the major tire sizes from 15” through 19” wheel diameters. That said, it includes the 235/65R16 tire size found on the vast majority of all Ford Transit models.

Why are these better than the Michelin Defender?

The Michelin Defender T+H is a great tire, and we aren’t necessarily saying that these are better. These just have a bit more to offer in terms of comfort and safety features, but the Defender lasts longer and has a few other benefits of its own.

Michelin Defender T+H — Best Highway

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Coming in as our top-rated highway tire for the Ford Transit — and also our second rated all-season touring tire just behind the Premier A/S — is another option from Michelin: the Defender T+H.

The first thing most people notice about the Defender T+H is the class-leading 80,000-mile tread life warranty. Not only was it designed to last long, but this tire was also engineered with a new tread compound to enhance comfort and durability.

Further helping to increase the longevity of the Defender T+H, steel belts in the interior of the tire are reinforced with a ply of polyamide. This combination adds stability, enhances steering response, and, of course, helps the tire last longer.

The asymmetric tread pattern offers all-season performance to provide traction and reliability throughout the year. This works alongside Michelin’s IntelliSipe technology to channel water away from the center of the tire to ensure traction in all weather conditions.

The Michelin Defender T+H is offered in most major tire sizes from 14” through 18” wheel diameters. This includes the 235/65R16 tire that comes on just about every Ford Transit out there.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 80,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,929 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi
• Tread Depth: 10/32”
• Tire Weight: 27 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 820
• UTQG Traction: A
• UTQG Temperature: B
• Class-leading tread life warranty ensures a long life out of these tires
• IntelliSipe technology directs water away from the tire to enhance wet traction

FAQ

Can I use these on my Transit work van?

The Defender T+H from Michelin was designed for use as a passenger car, crossover, and small SUV touring tire. If you’re using your Ford Transit commercially as your work van, we strongly suggest checking out one of the four commercial tires on this list instead.

What is the tread life warranty?

The Michelin Defender T+H offers a class-leading 80,000-mile tread life warranty. For anyone looking for a comfortable highway tire that offers excellent performance and lasts a long time, the Defender T+H is the best option on the market.

Can I drive on these tires in the snow?

Yes, you can use the Defender T+H year-round, even in light snow. If you are planning on driving your Transit regularly in the snow, however, we always recommend getting a dedicated winter tire such as the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 that you’ll read about in this guide.

Yokohama Tornante — Best Performance Street

Ford Transit owners that are looking to get a little more performance out of their tires should look no further than the Yokohama Tornante. Sort of a hybrid all-season tire, the Tornante was designed to provide high-performance capabilities alongside a spirited touring tire.

The Tornante was designed using a compound that utilizes orange oil and silica to come up with the most durable high-performance tread compound that Yokohama has ever released. What this means for Transit owners is that they get a whopping 75,000-mile warranty alongside the additional performance.

With 3D adaptive sipes, the Tornante effectively directs water away from the center of the tire while maintaining their biting edges even when the tire is wearing down. This enables the Tornante to provide reliable traction in wet and snowy conditions.

As a high-performance tire, the Tornante also offers exceptional dry traction due to center ribs and specially-designed tread blocks that keep the tire glued to the road even during aggressive driving and cornering.

While a high-performance tire might not be necessary for many Transit owners, the 75,000-mile warranty makes it a more attractive option than most other performance tires.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 75,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 1,929 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi
• Tread Depth: 12/32”
• Tire Weight: 28 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: 740
• UTQG Traction: A
• UTQG Temperature: A
• Made out of Yokohama’s most durable high-performance tread compound
• The high-performance all-season tire with added features of a comfortable touring tire

FAQ

Do I need a high-performance tire on my Transit?

This comes down to you and what you’re looking to get out of your transit. These offer a bit more in the way of performance, but they’re also built using Yokohama’s most durable high-performance tread compound and they come with a 75,000-mile warranty. For a high-performance tire, that is unheard of.

Are these commercial tires?

The Yokohama Tornante tire is not a commercial tire, which is reflected in its max load capacity of 1,929 pounds (compared to the load capacities of the Nexen and Cooper above). So if you use your Transit commercially, we don’t recommend getting these tires.

Are these tires noisy to drive on?

Being designed with a nudge towards high-performance rather than comfort, the Yokohama Tornante can be a little louder than other tires at highway speeds. It isn’t too loud, but you would likely notice a difference the first couple of times you hit the highway on them.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 — Best Winter

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The Bridgestone Blizzak is by far the biggest name in the industry when it comes to winter tires. Walk into any reputable tire shop you know and ask for a winter tire, and chances are high that they’ll recommend the Blizzak. The Ford Transit is no exception, and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is the best winter tire on the market for Transit owners.

The real genius of the Blizzak WS90 is the multicell technology that’s built-in that draws the top layer of water off of ice and snow. This allows the thousands of biting edges of the WS90 to really dig into the ice and snow underneath and provide industry-leading traction.

The Blizzak WS90 comes with a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, meaning that it has met (and exceeded) industry standards for providing traction during the most severe weather conditions, including ice and snow.

As a studless winter tire, the Blizzak WS90 is incredibly easy to use and requires no more effort to use than any other tire. Gone are the days of having to manually install metal studs in the tires to get traction. These will propel your Transit through the snow on their own.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 1,939 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi
• Tread Depth: 12/32”
• Tire Weight: 28 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Studless design makes them easier to use than studdable winter tires
• Provides industry-leading traction and grip even in the most severe weather

FAQ

Can I leave these on my Transit all year?

You don’t want to ever leave a winter tire on your vehicle year-round, and that’s no different for a Ford Transit and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90s. They are designed for cold weather use to provide traction in snow and ice and they’ll wear out very quickly if used during warmer months.

What is the max load capacity?

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 in the size needed for a Ford Transit — 235/65R16 — has a max load capacity of 1,929 pounds per tire. So if you use your Transit for commercial purposes and hauling heavy loads, it’s important to keep your loaded weight in mind.

Should I swap out my commercial tires for these during the winter?

That really depends on what you’re hauling in your van and how much it typically weighs when it’s fully loaded. As mentioned above, these winter tires do not offer the same load capacity that commercial tires provide. So if you use your van to haul heavy loads, you might not want to put a winter tire on if they would be unable to support the full weight of the van safely.

Milestar MS597S SteelPro — Best Temporary Spare

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Any Ford Transit owners that use their Transits commercially — or even those that don’t — should strongly consider getting a temporary spare for when things don’t go as planned. The best option on the market is the Milestar MS597S SteelPro.

The MS597S SteelPro is a commercial all-season tire, which makes it a versatile and reliable spare. Even Transit owners that don’t use their Transit for commercial purposes right now should consider getting the MS597S SteelPro as their temporary spare just to be safe.

As a commercial tire, the MS597S SteelPro can be put in place of another failed commercial all-season easily. But it can also be used to replace a standard tire as well for those who don’t use their Transits commercially. That doesn’t work the other way around, which is why we strongly recommend a commercial tire as a backup.

The MS597S SteelPro is an affordable option that provides reliable traction and performance in all weather conditions year-round. It’s also one of the most comfortable commercial tires on the market, which is a huge bonus despite its affordable pricing.

The MS597S SteelPro is offered in tire sizes ranging from 15” through 17” wheel diameters, of course including the popular 235/65R16 size found on most Ford Transits.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: 40,000 miles
• Max Load Capacity: 3,195  lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 83 psi
• Tread Depth: 11 /32”
• Tire Weight: 37 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Affordable commercial all-season tire that’s perfect for use as a spare
• All-season design ensures consistent traction and performance in all conditions

FAQ

Why is this a good spare?

When it comes to a spare for a Ford Transit, it’s important that the tire is affordable and also capable of handling whatever is going to be thrown at the Transit. Oftentimes, that involves commercial work and hauling heavy loads, so it’s necessary for the spare tire to be able to stand up to that abuse when called upon.

Is this a commercial tire?

Yes, the Milestar MS597S SteelPro is a commercial all-season tire. This is one of the reasons we suggest it as a great temporary spare as alluded to above.

Can I use these tires year-round?

If you were to buy a full set of Milestar MS597S SteelPros for your Transit, you’d have no problem using them year-round. They are a commercial all-season tire that will offer performance and consistent traction in all weather conditions, including light snow. That said, the Nexen and Cooper suggested above are far superior options overall.

Continental VancoFourSeason — OEM Tire

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The OEM tire that comes on the Ford Transits straight from the factory is actually a solid commercial all-season tire — the Continental VancoFourSeason.

As the name suggests, the VancoFourSeasons were designed specifically for use on commercial vans and other vehicles that haul and transport heavier loads than a standard car. Not only that, but they were also engineered to provide traction and control all year long, hence “FourSeasons”.

The symmetric tread design of the VancoFourSeason uses a robust combination of tread blocks and ribs to enhance steering response, handling, and comfort all at once. The interior of the tire also utilizes an optimized belt contour that enhances stability and resists uneven treadwear.

Multiple grooves run the entire circumference and work in conjunction with lateral grooves and sipes to efficiently and effectively channel water away from the center of the tire where the contact patch is. This reduces the risk of hydroplaning and helps increase traction and control in wet conditions.

As the OEM tire on the Ford Transit, you will of course have no trouble whatsoever finding a set of VancoFourSeason tires if you liked how they performed so well. They’re offered in all major commercial vehicle tire sizes from 15” through 17”, including all that come on the Transit.

Specifications

Some specifications may vary based on the exact tire size selected.

• Warranty: None
• Max Load Capacity: 2,335 lbs
• Max Inflation Pressure: 70 psi
• Tread Depth: 13/32”
• Tire Weight: 31 lbs
• UTQG Treadwear: N/A
• UTQG Traction: N/A
• UTQG Temperature: N/A
• Developed especially for commercial vans and light trucks
• Optimized belt contour provides even treadwear and a consistent ride

FAQ

Should I put these back on my Transit?

The Continental VancoFourSeason is actually one of the highest-rated commercial all-season tires on the market. Ford Transit owners that use their vans commercially for work would be fine putting these back on if they really liked how the tires performed, but we still recommend the Nexen or Cooper suggested in this guide.

Are these as good as the Cooper Discoverer HT3?

In our opinion, the Cooper Discoverer HT3 is the best commercial tire on the market for Ford Transit vans that are used for work or to haul. The VancoFourSeasons are great tires in their own right, but even just the fact that the HT3 has a 50,000-mile warranty compared to these having no warranty should make you lean towards the Coopers.

How long will these last from the factory?

Although they don’t have a mileage warranty from Continental, Ford Transit owners commonly get around 45,000 to 50,000 miles out of the stock VancoFourSeasons before they wear out enough to need replacing.

Ford Transit Tire Sizes

A design that hasn’t changed too much in recent years, the Ford Transit is a fairly easy vehicle to figure out the correct tire size for. The Ford Transit has only had three different OEM tire sizes over the past five years:

• 195/75R16
• 205/75R16
• 235/65R16

Before we dive into the tire and wheel sizes for each model of Ford Transit, keep in mind that the Connect models are excluded from the table since we have an entire guide dedicated to the Connect as well! That said, let’s take a look at the various Ford Transit models available (other than the Connect) over the past five years.

If your Transit falls into that category and you know the year and model, use this table to quickly and easily get your tire size. A simple rule of thumb on the Ford Transit is that if it’s a dually, it gets 195/75R16 tires; single-wheel rear, 235/65R16.

Ford Transit Tire Buyer’s Guide

Do I Need to Get Commercial Tires on my Ford Transit?

The Ford Transit was designed as a commercial vehicle used to haul heavy loads. That said, it comes with commercial tires from the factory which have a much higher load rating than standard tires. These commercial tires are also far more durable than regular touring tires so that they can resist heavy loads. When you get new tires on your Transit, do you need to get commercial tires?

Not necessarily. Commercial tires are really only necessary if you are planning on using your Transit to haul heavy loads like a commercial vehicle would be. Some people buy Ford Transits because they are incredibly spacious, and use them as a personal vehicle for a big family. In that case, you wouldn’t need commercial tires as regular tires would be more than capable of handling the load. Just make sure you correlate the air pressure in the tires to the type of tire you’re using so you don’t dangerously overinflate a regular tire!

If you want to be safe or you think there’s a chance that you might use it as a commercial vehicle again, you could always just put commercial tires on it no matter what. That’s because commercial tires can handle heavy loads but also be used for personal driving. It doesn’t work the other way around — you can’t put regular tires on it for normal driving and then expect them to handle the additional load and stress of commercial use.

Does the Dually Have Different Size Tires Than the Single-Wheel Rear Transit?

A dually is a vehicle — usually a truck or a commercial van — that has four wheels on the rear and two wheels on the front. The Ford Transit is one such commercial van that offers a dually option. One of the peculiar things about duallies is that they will often come with different sized tires than their single-rear wheel counterparts. What about the Ford Transit?

Yes, the Ford Transit dually does come with different sized tires than the single-rear wheel models. The dually comes with 195/75R16 tires whereas the non-dually models all come with 235/65R16 tires. In many cases, including with some models of the Transit, the smaller tire sizes will only be in the rear. The front tires will typically be the same across dually and non-dually models. In this case, the front tires would be 235/65R16.

This size difference is done because the rear of the dually Transits have four tires to distribute the load across, not just two. This means that a more narrow tire can be used and still effectively distribute the load. The front tires typically stay the same size because they still need to support the same load of the front of the van.

What is the Proper Rotation Procedure for the Dually Ford Transit?

Rotating tires on any vehicle is one of the best ways to ensure you get the most life out of them. This is because front tires will typically wear out more quickly than rear tires since they are turning and taking on much of the extra force. But with a dually Ford Transit, a rotation is much more difficult to visualize, so how should you do it?

The first thing to check is if all six wheels are the same. If they are all steel, it’s easiest. If some are steel and some are aluminum, it can get tricky. Let’s assume all six are steel. If that’s the case, you want to do the following: move the outside rear wheels to the front wheels on the opposite side. Move the front wheels straight back to become new rear inner wheels. And lastly, flip the inner rear wheels inside out and make them the outer rear wheels on the same side.

This rotation pattern will make each tire take on a new position as well as go on the other side of the Transit once they go to the front. This will then ensure the most even wear. Sometimes the inner wheels in the back will be steel, and the other four will be aluminum. In that case, do the same thing except just swap the inners from one side to the other. You will then need to scrub the new front wheels like crazy because being on the outer rear, they will be filthy and covered in brake dust.

Note: if the dually has different sized tires on the front and rear, do not rotate them front to back! This will lead to two different sizes being on the rear which will be very bad!

How Much Air Should I Put in my Tires on my Ford Transit?

Ensuring that your Transit tires are properly aired up to the correct pressure will go a long way towards getting the maximum life out of your tires. If you keep the air pressure too high, they will prematurely wear along the center of the tire. If the pressure is too low, the edges of the tires will wear out quickly. So what should they be set at to ensure maximum performance and tire life?

Along with any other type of vehicle, we strongly suggest checking the tire information placard inside the driver’s door of your Ford Transit to see what tire pressure you should set them at. That said, there is one caveat with the Transit. The placard will always be recommending the pressure for a commercial tire. If you don’t have commercial tires, do not follow that placard! It will direct you to have an unsafe amount of air in the tires.

While most people use their Ford Transit for work and commercial use, some people use it as a personal vehicle to haul a big family around in. Those people will likely have different types of tires on them with different load and air pressure ratings, so it’s important not to overinflate the tires. Check the placard and also check the maximum pressure of the tires to make sure everything is done safely.