Hello everyone! Today we will be going over everything you need to know about stock wheels and proper fitting aftermarket wheels. Enjoy!
Stock Wheel Specs and Widest Tire Size
The Explorer’s use a 5×114.3 bolt pattern with a 70.5 mm hub bore.
2020-24 Wheel Specs
| Vehicle | Width | Diameter | Offset | Tire Size | Largest Tire Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIU | 18″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/65R18 | 265/65R18 |
| Base | 18″ | 7.5″ | +37.5 mm | 255/65R18 | 265/65R18 |
| XLT (Standard) | 18″ | 7.5″ | +37.5 mm | 255/65R18 | 265/65R18 |
| XLT (Optional, all styles) | 20″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| Limited & King Ranch Polished Aluminum | 20″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| Timberline | 18″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 265/65R18 | 275/65R18 (with 2″ lift) |
| ST and ST-Line (Standard) | 20″ | 8.5″ | +44.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| ST (Street Pack, Optional) | 21″ | 9″ | +37.5 mm | 275/45R21 | 295/40R21 |
| Platinum (all wheel variants) | 21″ | 9″ | +37.5 mm | 275/45R21 | 295/40R21 |
2025+ Vehicles
| Vehicle | Width | Diameter | Offset | Stock Tire Size | Largest Tire Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIU | 18″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/65R18 | 265/65R18 |
| Active (Standard) | 18″ | 7.5″ | +37.5 mm | 255/65R18 | 265/65R18 |
| Active (Optional, all styles) | 20″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| Tremor | 18″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 265/65R18 | 275/65R18 (with 2″ lift) |
| Platinum (600A) | 20″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| ST-Line (Standard) | 20″ | 8.5″ | +44.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| ST (Standard) and ST-Line (Street Pack) | 21″ | 9″ | +37.5 mm | 275/45R21 | 295/40R21 |
| Platinum (4-cylinder, standard) | 20″ | 8″ | +37.5 mm | 255/55R20 | 275/50R20 |
| Platinum (6-cylinder standard) and Platinum (4-cylinder, optional) | 21″ | 9″ | +37.5 mm | 275/45R21 | 295/40R21 |
Aftermarket Wheel Guide
If you want to upgrade your wheels and tires, here is a table with the common wheel diameter and widths with ideal offsets and tire sizes:
| Wheel Diameter x Width | Ideal Offset | Ideal Tire Size |
|---|---|---|
| 18″x8″ | +15 to +20 mm | 265/65R18 & 275/65R18 (lifted) |
| 20″x9.5″ | +18 to +23 | 295/45R20 |
| 20″x10″ | +30 to +35 | 295/45R20 |
| 20″x10.5″ | +30 to +35 | 295/45R20 |
| 21″x9.5″ | +18 to +23 | 295/40R21 |
| 21″x10″ | +30 to +35 | 295/40R21, 305/35R21, and 315/35R21 |
| 21″x10.5″ | +30 to +35 | 295/40R21, 305/35R21, and 315/35R21 |
| 22″x9.5″ | +18 to +23 | 295/40R22 |
| 22″x10″ | +24 to +29 | 295/40R22, 305/35R22, 305/40R22 (with some rubbing) and 315/35R22 |
| 22″x10.5″ | +30 to +35 | 295/40R22, 305/35R22, 305/40R22 (with some rubbing) and 315/35R22 |
| 24″x10″ | +35 offset | 285/35R24 or 295/30R24 |
Note: 305/40R22 are tall tires for these cars. Some people have not had any rubbing with them, but most people rub. Thankfully the rubbing is not major, and usually only at full lock. I have heard of some people using zip ties to pull back the fender liner and that fixes the rubbing problem.
*Bolded is recommended wheel specs
Forged vs Cast Wheels
There are quite a few different methods to build a wheel, the two main methods are Rotary Forged and Cast. Cast is cheaper, but weighs a lot more then forged. Forged is lighter and stronger, but costs more. A lighter wheel means less unsprung weight (weight not supported by the springs), which means better handling and overall performance.
Buy Once, Cry Once
If you are spending the money to upgrade your wheels I highly recommend you get the bolded wheel specs. Do it right the first time! The ideal offsets will make the wheels flush with the fenders, not poking outside the fenders neither tucked inside of them. It will also allow you to mount a meaty wide tire on them, not thin tires that don’t look right on these vehicles.
Using Spacer for Better Stance with Stock Wheels
You can use spacers to bring the stock wheels flush with the fenders. For all 2020+ Explorer 21″ wheels (Platinum, ST, and ST-Line), 1″ spacers all around with-.5 degrees of camber for the rear wheels will make the wheels perfectly flush. You do have to trim the wheel studs but its not a huge deal. If you do not want to trim the wheel studs, you can do 1.25 IN. all around and don’t have to trim the wheel studs at all. You will get some poke though.
For the Timberline wheels, 1.25″ spacers all around with -.5 degrees of camber for the rear wheels will bring everything flush with the fenders.
For the XLT 18″ and 20″ wheels, ST-Line 20″ wheels, and King Ranch and 2025+ Platinum 20″ wheels, 1.5″ spacers all around -.5 degrees of camber for the rear wheels will bring everything flush with the fenders.
Why do I keep mentioning -.5 degrees of camber for the rear wheels? The front and rear wheels have identical track width, but the rear wheels look like they are sitting inside the wheel wells more then front. That is because the funky OE camber is angled inward more then the front wheels, so moving camber to -.5 degrees will fix that allusion, bringing the rear wheels upright.
Using Spacers to Get to Ideal Offset Specs
If you found some wheels that you like or find them for a steal, you can use spacers to bring them to be flush with the fenders. Although I do not recommend doing this if you are getting new wheels already (building on buy once, cry once), you can still do it as long as the offset is higher then the ideal offset. Just subtract the current offset of your wheels minus the ideal wheel setup. That end number is how big of a spacer you need to get to the ideal setup. I do not recommend going bigger then a 1.5-In. Spacer (36 mm). Make sure the spacers are hub centric and good quality like Bora, Steeda, or Lethal spacers.
Hope you found this article informative! Thanks for reading and be sure to subscribe to keep up with all our latest content!
Cover Photo Credit: Tyler Clark
Explorer ST Enthusiasts 