1987 Ford Tire Fitment Guide

1987 Ford vehicles use 14 distinct sizes across eight model lines: 165/80R13, 175/80R13, 185/70R14, 195/60R15, 195/70R14, 195/75R14, 205/65R15, 205/70R14, 205/75R15, 215/70R14, 215/70R15, 225/60R15, 225/60R16, and 225/70R15. Escort uses 165/80R13, 175/80R13, and 195/60R15; EXP uses 185/70R14 and 195/60R15; Tempo uses 185/70R14; Taurus uses 195/70R14, 205/65R15, 205/70R14, and 215/70R14; Mustang uses 195/70R14, 195/75R14, and 225/60R15; Country Squire uses 215/70R15; LTD Crown Victoria uses 205/75R15, 215/70R15, and 225/70R15; Thunderbird uses 215/70R14 and 225/60R16.

Wheel diameters span 13, 14, 15, and 16 inches, so the first check is always the exact model and actual wheel on the car. Rim width guidance also varies by size where available, such as 4.50-6.00 inches on 165/80R13 and 175/80R13, 5.00-7.00 inches on some 14-inch sizes, 5.50-7.50 inches on several 15-inch sizes, and as wide as 6.00-9.00 inches on some 225/60R16 products. If the car has been changed from stock wheels, confirm the wheel diameter and width before settling on a tire.

On a 1987 Ford, 215/70R15 is a metric radial size. The 215 is the nominal section width in millimeters, 70 is the aspect ratio, R means radial construction, and 15 is the wheel diameter in inches. Within the 1987 Ford range, that size fits the Country Squire and some LTD Crown Victoria applications.

That code matters because it tells you more than just overall size; it also points you to the correct wheel diameter and the general profile of the tire. In this case, 215/70R15 supports a full-size Ford application with several visual directions available, including whitewall, blackwall, and raised-white-letter styles. If your wagon or sedan has aftermarket wheels, the 15-inch portion is the non-negotiable starting point before comparing brand, sidewall style, or speed rating.

No. 1987 Ford covers compact cars, a pony car, full-size sedans and wagons, and a personal luxury coupe, so tire sizes vary substantially by model. Some sizes are shared by two models, such as 185/70R14 on the EXP and Tempo, 195/60R15 on the EXP and Escort, 195/70R14 on the Mustang and Taurus, 215/70R14 on the Taurus and Thunderbird, and 215/70R15 on the Country Squire and LTD Crown Victoria. Many others belong to only one model line.

That means year and make alone are only a starting point for 1987 Ford tire selection. An Escort owner may need a 13-inch or 15-inch fitment, while a Thunderbird owner may be looking at a 14-inch or 16-inch wheel. Identifying the exact model first prevents a lot of wasted time and quickly narrows the search to the correct group of sizes, brands, and sidewall styles.

1987 Ford tires are available in a wide range of sidewall treatments depending on size, including blackwall, wide whitewall, narrow whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, dual redline, goldline, RWL, and raised-yellow-letter. Full-size applications such as 205/75R15 and 215/70R15 lean heavily into whitewall, goldline, and RWL choices, while sporty sizes like 225/60R15 and 225/60R16 bring in blackwall, RWL, redline, and raised-yellow-letter options. Smaller compact-car sizes such as 165/80R13 and 175/80R13 stay closer to whitewall-focused offerings.

The right sidewall style depends on the personality you want the car to project. A Country Squire or LTD Crown Victoria often looks most at home with a traditional whitewall treatment, while a Mustang or Thunderbird can lean convincingly into RWL, blackwall, or other sport-oriented sidewalls. On a Taurus or Escort, the choice can shift the car from strictly stock-looking to more personalized without changing the underlying tire size.

Tires for 1987 Ford vehicles are available from BFGoodrich, Cooper, Dunlop, Avon, Michelin, Maxxis, Tornel, American Classic, Coker Classic, and Goodyear. Brand coverage varies by size: 215/70R15 includes Cooper, BFGoodrich, Dunlop, and Avon; 185/70R14 includes BFGoodrich, Avon, Dunlop, and Michelin; 205/75R15 includes BFGoodrich, Tornel, and American Classic; 225/60R16 includes Goodyear and BFGoodrich. Some sizes, such as 195/70R14, are much narrower in brand choice than others.

That spread gives 1987 Ford owners a lot of flexibility in how they finish the car visually and functionally. One size may emphasize European-style blackwall radials, another may offer mostly classic American whitewall themes, and another may have a distinctly 1980s raised-letter performance flavor. Once your model and size are confirmed, comparing the available brands becomes much more meaningful because you are looking within the correct fitment instead of across the whole year and make.

On 1987 Ford applications where both appear, BFGoodrich Radial T/A and BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial mainly differ in sidewall presentation and, in some sizes, speed marking. Radial T/A versions in sizes such as 195/60R15, 205/70R14, and 225/60R15 use RWL styling and carry S ratings where marked, while Silvertown Radial versions appear in wide whitewall, pin-white-stripe, redline, and dual redline forms across several sizes. Rim width ranges can also differ slightly by product within the same size family.

The practical choice comes down to the look you want and the tone of the car. A Radial T/A usually reinforces a period sport-compacts or muscle-era visual language, while a Silvertown Radial can steer the same wheel diameter toward a more formal or restoration-minded appearance. If you are deciding between the two, compare the exact sidewall style, speed marking, and wheel-width compatibility for your confirmed size rather than assuming all versions behave the same.

Rim width requirements on 1987 Ford tires vary by size. Examples include 4.50-6.00 inches for 165/80R13 and 175/80R13, 4.50-6.50 or 5.00-6.50 inches for 185/70R14 products, 5.00-7.00 or 5.50-7.50 inches for several 14-inch and 15-inch fitments, 6.00-8.50 inches for some 225/60R15 products, and 6.00-9.00 inches for some 225/60R16 products. A few products show a single wheel width such as 6 inches or 8 inches rather than a range.

That range matters because two tires with the same nominal size can still prefer somewhat different wheel widths. Before choosing a tire, measure the actual wheel or confirm the wheel specification, especially if the car has aftermarket rims or came from a previous owner with unknown changes. Matching the tire to both the correct diameter and an acceptable width range helps preserve the intended shape and fit of the tire on the wheel.

Most 1987 Ford sizes here are modern radial fitments, and several products are explicitly marked TL for tubeless use, including some 185/70R14, 195/60R15, 215/70R14, and 225/70R15 applications. Other products in those same sizes are not marked the same way, so tube status can vary by product rather than staying uniform across the whole size. The rest of the range is broadly radial and modern in character, but the exact sidewall marking still matters.

The safest approach is to match your installation plan to the exact tire you choose and the wheel you are using. If a product is marked tubeless and the wheel is suitable for tubeless service, that is one path; if the wheel condition or tire marking points another way, follow the product's intended setup. Checking this before mounting avoids unnecessary rework and is especially important on collector cars with original or restored wheels.

A 1987 Ford stores best in a cool, dry, dark space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, battery chargers, furnaces, and other ozone-producing equipment. Keep the tires clean, maintain proper inflation, and avoid long-term contact with standing moisture or petroleum contamination on the floor. Because every size here is radial, storage concerns center more on age, pressure retention, and environmental exposure than on the stronger flat-spot tendency older bias-ply tires can show.

If the car sits for long periods, move it periodically so the load does not rest on the same footprint month after month. Some owners also use stands for very long storage intervals after safely supporting the suspension and chassis. Even on a low-mile collector Ford, sunlight, ozone, and time do more damage than most owners expect, so good storage conditions matter as much as tread depth.

For a 1987 Ford, tire age usually matters more than mileage. A good rule is to begin evaluating collector-car tires closely once they are about five to seven years old and to treat ten years as a serious replacement point regardless of remaining tread. The DOT date code on the sidewall is the starting reference for that conversation, alongside visible condition and how the car has been stored.

Many preserved 1987 Ford vehicles accumulate very few miles, which can make old tires look better than they really are. A lightly used Country Squire, Mustang, or Thunderbird can still be riding on rubber that has hardened, cracked, or lost resilience with age. If the car's service history is uncertain, checking date codes early is one of the quickest ways to avoid relying on aged tires that no longer match the way the car is driven today.

Tires on a 1987 Ford should be checked before every drive and again before any longer outing. Look for sidewall cracking, cuts, bulges, embedded objects, irregular wear, and pressure loss, and make sure the spare is in similar condition. On cars that sit often, a visual inspection matters even more because aging damage can progress between drives.

A quick walk-around is usually enough to catch the problems most likely to interrupt a trip. Pay extra attention after winter storage or after the car has been parked for several weeks, since underinflation and sidewall weathering often show up then. If you are planning a highway run in a 1987 Ford, it is worth checking pressures cold and giving each tire a closer inspection than you might on a daily driver.

A 1987 Ford Country Squire falls squarely into the era when radial tires were standard equipment on mainstream American passenger cars, and its fitment here uses 215/70R15. That makes radial construction the appropriate baseline for an original-type replacement, even though the visual finish can still vary widely between blackwall, whitewall, and raised-white-letter offerings. Original-brand assumptions should be avoided unless you have factory literature for the specific car.

For restoration work, the most important first step is confirming the exact size on the wagon and then choosing the sidewall treatment that matches your car's trim level and the look you want to preserve. Factory brochures, window stickers, and marque specialists can help narrow down market- and equipment-specific details. Once the size is settled, sidewall style becomes the biggest authenticity question on a late full-size Ford wagon.

Yes, correct tire fitment matters on a 1987 Ford if the car is being judged for authenticity. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts typically notice whether the size is right for the model, whether the wheel diameter matches the period application, and whether the sidewall style fits the era and personality of the car. A whitewall on a car that should read as sporty, or a raised-letter performance look on a formal luxury sedan, can stand out quickly.

For local shows, the effect may be mostly visual, but in stricter marque or concours settings, tire details can shape the overall impression of the restoration. A Fox-body Mustang, for example, often communicates a very different message with RWL tires than with wide whitewalls, while a Country Squire or LTD Crown Victoria may feel more natural with a more formal sidewall presentation. Event-specific judging standards are always worth checking before finalizing the car.

For the 1987 Ford Mustang in 225/60R15, Goodyear Eagle Gatorback and BFGoodrich Radial T/A take different visual approaches to the same general fitment. Eagle Gatorback appears as a blackwall design, while the BFGoodrich Radial T/A uses raised white letters and carries an S speed rating at 112 mph where marked. Rim width guidance also differs, with some Gatorback versions shown at 6 inches and Radial T/A versions spanning a broader range up to 8.00 inches.

That means the decision is not just about size but about how period-correct you want the Mustang to look for a late-1980s performance presentation. A blackwall Gatorback leans clean and distinctly road-performance oriented, while an RWL Radial T/A reinforces the bold sidewall style many enthusiasts associate with the era. If originality matters, compare your car's current wheels and the visual language you want before choosing between them.

Yes, 1987 Ford tires can be suitable for highway driving when the tires are in good condition, correctly inflated, and appropriate for the car's confirmed size and wheel. Several sizes also carry modern speed markings, including S at 112 mph, H at 130 mph, V at 149 mph, and W at 168 mph depending on the exact product. Those ratings are more than enough for ordinary highway use in a properly maintained 1987 Ford.

On many 1987 Ford models, the bigger real-world limit is the vehicle itself rather than the tire's speed capability. Brakes, suspension condition, steering wear, alignment, and age-related mechanical issues will usually matter more than whether the tire is S-, H-, V-, or W-rated on a normal interstate drive. Highway confidence starts with a sound car and fresh, correctly matched tires rather than speed rating alone.

Inflation pressure for 1987 Ford tires depends on the exact size and product. Examples include 215/70R15 products carrying load figures around 1,620 pounds at 35 psi, 205/75R15 products around 1,598 pounds at 35 psi, 225/60R16 products around 1,609 pounds at either 34 or 44 psi depending on the tire, and 195/75R14 products ranging from 1,400 pounds at 35 psi to 1,521 pounds at 32 psi. Those figures are product ratings, not one universal car setting.

Use the vehicle's original inflation recommendation as your first reference, then compare it with the chosen tire's sidewall rating and manufacturer guidance for that exact size. Do not transfer a pressure figure from a Mustang fitment to a Taurus fitment, or from one 225/60R16 product to another, because the rated pressure can differ within the same nominal size. Cold-pressure checks are the best way to keep the tire operating as intended.

Before a longer drive in a 1987 Ford, inspect each tire for sidewall cracking, cuts, punctures, bulges, uneven wear, and proper cold inflation. Check that the spare is usable, that valve stems are not dry or split, and that the wheels are free from obvious damage or corrosion issues that could affect sealing. A tire that looks acceptable around town may show its weakness once heat and sustained speed enter the picture.

That inspection should be part of a broader age-appropriate mechanical check on any 1987 Ford. Verify brakes, cooling system, belts, hoses, lights, and fluid levels before the trip so the tires are not the only item getting attention. If the car has been stored for weeks or months, drive a short local loop first and recheck pressures and feel afterward before committing to a longer highway run.