The Ford Ranger 2WD is a classic, mid size modern pickup truck that is one of the most popular vehicles in the world. It’s powerful 4-cylinder engine and quick acceleration makes it a great truck for people who want a smaller truck with big capabilities. Its lightweight design gives it a maneuverability and steering response that most pickups just can’t compete with. Because of this, it is incredibly important that you find the right set of tires to enhance its already fantastic ride and feel.
Figure 1: The Ford Ranger 2WD is a durable, reliable pickup for all kinds of weather and terrain. Source: Ranger-Forums.com.
However, it can be difficult to find the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD. There are so many on the market, especially since it takes a smaller size. This means that it is compatible with a wide variety of tire types, which makes the pool of available tires all the more difficult to narrow down. Luckily, today’s post is all about finding the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON THE BEST 5 TRUCK TIRES
We have put together a shortlist of the best tires on the market for your Ranger. With this list, you can find a set that will give you the quick feel and smooth ride you have been looking for, no matter what kind of terrain you are driving on. This will ensure that you always have the most control and the smoothest ride, even when driving off road or in less than perfect weather conditions.
Source: CarAndDriver.com.
What Makes a Great Tire for a Ford Ranger 2WD?
We spoke to a tire specialist at Les Schwab who told us “for a two wheel drive Ranger, an all-terrain tire is going to be a good choice. Since you don’t have the four wheel drive of some of the bigger pickups, you’ll want a tire that is durable and gives you the best transfer of power to the ground. That way you won’t end up stuck somewhere just because you only have the rear wheel drive.”
Figure 2: The best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD will have all terrain and all season capabilities. Source: TheEngineBlock.com.
All terrain tires are usually made with a durable internal construction. The best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD will be constructed with two steel belts and reinforced with some kind of nylon or polyester casing. This allows them to maintain stability and transfer as much power from the four cylinder engine as it can to whatever surface you are driving on. It also helps resist punctures, which can be a problem when driving on rocky terrain. The stronger and more durable a tire is, the better it will be for a two wheel drive truck like the Ranger.
Another feature that will be present in the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD is some kind of puncture resistant silica in the rubber compound. Additives like silica have a lot of advantages and uses. They will strengthen and dynamically reinforce the rubber compound, keeping the structural integrity of the tire, even when encountering sharp debris in the road like rocks, gravel or screws. They will also provide even heat distribution, which can help with all-season traction and keep the tires at their optimal consistency no matter what the weather is like.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON THE BEST 2WD TRUCK TIRES
The best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD will also have superior grip in all kinds of weather. More traction means more efficient power distribution from the drive train. In turn, this leads to higher performance in both on-road and off-road situations and better control of the truck if the terrain is loose like with dirt or gravel.
Sources: UTires.com; TireReview.com; PopularMechanics.com; Interview with tire specialist at Les Schwab conducted 12/26/2020.
How Did We Pick the Best Tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD?
In order to get our shortlist put together, we combed the market of available tires for the Ford Ranger 2WD. We found the sets that encompassed all of the above features and also had a few extras that can help get the best possible performance out of your Ranger.
Figure 3: Puncture resistance is a necessary feature for any all terrain tire. Source: MotorAndWheels.com.
All the tires on our shortlist have some kind of puncture resistant tread compound to help mitigate the likelihood of a flat tire in an off road situation. They also all have a solid construction in order to keep a wide contact patch on whatever surface you may be driving on. This allows your Ranger to have an even distribution of power throughout the two rear wheels.
Our list of the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD is made up of tires that have superior all-season capabilities. Through the use of silica and other additives, they will adapt to various weather conditions in real time. This means that they will stay soft in cooler temperatures in order to give you the best possibly grip in below freezing conditions. This will also enhance the 2 wheel drive of your Ranger and help keep the back tires from spinning when you encounter loose material like snow or mud.
Sources: CarTalk.com; MotorBeast.org.
1. Cooper Discoverer AT3
Figure 4: The Cooper Discoverer AT3 uses shred resistant silica to enhance durability. Source: TireRack.com.
The Cooper Discoverer AT3 is an all-terrain tire that is perfect for the Ford Ranger 2WD. It is designed to work well in mud, on dirt and in all kinds of off road situations. It is also meant to give you a comfortable ride at high speeds and on city roads. This combination of features is what makes it one of the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD.
The Discoverer AT3 uses shred resistant silica to keep punctures from interrupting your off roading experience. It also uses Even Wear Arc technology to give you a uniquely shaped footprint that balances pressure on the tire’s contact patch. This gives you even tread wear and enhanced handling on uneven terrain.
Using Cooper’s Whisper Grooves on the outside tread blocks, the Discoverer AT3 keeps the tires quiet at higher speeds, which is rare in an all terrain tire. There are also ledges on the outer edge that move stones out from under the tire and prevent them from lodging in the grooves and shredding the negative space. Combined with zig-zag sipes in the tread blocks, the Discoverer AT3 is perfect for terrain that requires biting edges such as mud, dirt and light snow.
Source: TireRack.com.
2. Kumho Road Venture AT51
Figure 5: Kumho’s Road Venture AT51 gives high performance on dirt roads as well as highways. Source: TireRack.com.
Kumho’s Road Venture AT51 is an on and off road all terrain tire designed for light trucks just like the Ranger. It is tuned for both tough terrain and smooth highways, making it one of the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD.
Using a dual silica compound on its tread, the Road Venture AT51 is puncture resistant and meant for use year round. It features an extremely wide tread that gives you greater surface area for the contact patch. It also has wide shoulders to move stones and other loose materials out from under the truck and prevent wheel spinning. This also helps enhance braking in wet conditions, thus giving you better control and more responsive handling in rain and other poor weather conditions.
The Road Venture AT51 has a durable construction due to Kumho’s ESCOT Casing technology. The cord tension on the sidewalls is distributed throughout the whole tire and helps to optimize steering response and keep the makeup of the tire stable. Two steel belts are reinforced with nylon and help absorb vibrations. This makes it perfect for either brutal off road terrain or at high speeds on the highway or in the city.
Source: TireRack.com.
3. BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2
Figure 6: BFGoodrich’s All Terrain T/A KO2 is twice as durable as the previous generation. Source: TireRack.com.
BFGoodrich’s All Terrain T/A KO2 is a light truck tire that delivers responsive handling both off road and on road. It features a tear resistant compound that was developed for off road racing and delivers twice as much durability as the previous generation of this tire.
The All Terrain T/A KO2 is molded into a trad design that has been computer optimized and features interlocking tread blocks. These blocks react to the road conditions and lock together to give you a better contact patch the more pressure is put on them. With siping all along these blocks and stone ejection features, it is sure to give you the most traction, even when the material on the road is loose.
What makes this one of the best tires for a Ford Ranger 2WD is its Sidewall Armor. The rubber compound in the sidewalls is twice as thick as the previous generation and will deter any punctures or shredding that is common in an off road situation. Combined with the reinforced steel belts used in the internal construction, the All Terrain T/A KO2 is durable and reliable, no matter what kind of driving you are doing in your Ranger.
Source: TireRack.com.
