Ford Explorer ST (2020–2024) Wheel Fitment Guide
The 2020–2024 Ford Explorer ST is the first performance-tuned Explorer built on a rear-wheel-drive platform, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 making 400 horsepower. It came standard with 20-inch machined aluminum wheels, with 21-inch gloss black wheels available through the ST Street Pack — and an active enthusiast community that has spent years documenting exactly what fits, what rubs, and what the sweet spot looks like. This guide covers both OEM configurations in full and every verified aftermarket fitment the community has confirmed on this platform.
Our flush fitment options are designed to work without rubbing while maintaining proper clearance and everyday drivability.
Factory Wheel & Tire Configurations
Every 2020–2024 Explorer ST left the factory on 20-inch machined aluminum wheels. The 21-inch gloss black wheels were available as part of the ST Street Pack, which also added enlarged front and rear brake calipers, vented rotors, and red-painted caliper covers. All specs below are verified against OEM parts data and confirmed for the US market.
Aftermarket Wheel & Tire Configurations
The Explorer ST has one of the more active aftermarket wheel communities of any three-row SUV — primarily because the platform rewards wider, lower-profile fitments visually and handles well with them dynamically. The setups below are drawn from confirmed owner builds on ExplorerST.org and ExploreForum.com. Every combination listed has been physically installed and reported clean by at least one named member.
Inner Suspension Clearance: Know Your Offset Limit At stock ride height, there is less than ½" between the front tire inner barrel and the suspension on the 2020–2024 Explorer ST. On wide aftermarket wheels, offset matters more than diameter. On a 10.5"-wide wheel, ET30 is the proven minimum for clean fitment — anything below ET30 risks contact with the front sway bar or shock at full steering lock. ET25 on a 10.5" wide wheel with a 305/40 tire has been confirmed to rub. On the outer side, 305/40 on a 10.5" wheel at ET30 may lightly contact the front fender liner at full steering lock — 305/35 clears completely. Plan your fitment around these thresholds.
Flush Fitment
Square Setup
Aggressive Fitment
Staggered Setup
Not Sure What Works for Your Build?
Whether you’re planning a flush 20″ setup or pushing the limits on 22s, we can help you nail the fitment before you buy. Tell us your goals — wheel size, stance preference, whether you’re planning to lower it — and we’ll put together a verified setup that works on your Explorer ST.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Every 2020–2024 Explorer ST came standard with 20×8.5 ET40 five-double-spoke machined black aluminum wheels (Ford part number LB5Z-1007-D) wrapped in 275/45R20 Pirelli Scorpion tires. The optional ST Street Pack ($995 at launch) upgraded to 21×9 ET37.5 seven-spoke gloss black wheels (LB5Z-1007-F) with 275/45R21 Pirelli Scorpion Zero A/S tires, and also included enlarged front and rear brake calipers with red paint. A polished-finish 21″ variant (LB5Z-1007-G) was also available at a price premium.
Bolt pattern is 5×114.3 (also expressed as 5×4.5″). Center bore is 70.5mm. Lug nuts use M14x1.50 thread pitch with a 60-degree conical seat. Torque specification is 150 lb-ft (204 Nm) — this is correct for M14 studs and is confirmed by multiple ST owners. Some generic sources cite incorrect specs for the base Explorer — the ST uses M14 studs, not M12.
On a 10.5″-wide wheel, ET30 is the confirmed minimum for clean fitment. Below ET30, the inner barrel of the tire begins to encroach on front suspension components — at ET25 on a 10.5″ wide wheel with a 305/40 tire, contact with the front sway bar or shock has been confirmed at full steering lock. The inner clearance is tight regardless of diameter: Ford’s own 21×9 ET37.5 OEM wheel leaves less than half an inch of space at full steering lock. Any significant offset reduction on a wide wheel must be approached carefully.
The dominant setup is 20×10.5 ET30 with 295/45R20 tires — confirmed across numerous builds on ExplorerST.org and ExploreForum.com using wheels from Niche, TSW, RTR, and other brands. This combination steps the width from the OEM 275mm to 295mm and keeps the overall diameter (≈30.5″) within a fraction of the OEM 275/45R20 (≈30.7″), so no speedometer correction is needed. The 22×10.5 ET30 with 305/35R22 is the second most common setup, preferred by owners who want the visual drama of a larger diameter at slightly reduced overall height.
On the Explorer ST, flush means the tire sidewall sits near the fender lip — at ET30 on a 10.5″ wide wheel with a 305-series tire, the outer edge of the tire is approximately level with the fender. Aggressive means the tire pokes visibly past the fender line. At ET28–32 on a 22×10.5 wheel, the tire extends slightly beyond the fender — this is aggressive territory. The threshold is tighter on the outer (fender) side than the inner (suspension) side, especially as tire width increases above 295mm.
The ST Street Pack brakes (enlarged front and rear calipers) require a minimum 20″ wheel. They will not clear 18″ wheels. For 20″ and larger wheels, clearance is also dependent on spoke geometry and barrel depth — there is no universal “safe” rule by diameter alone. When ordering aftermarket 20″ or 21″ wheels, request brake clearance templates from your wheel manufacturer before purchasing. At 20×10.5 ET30, multiple owners have confirmed the Street Pack calipers clear without issue on most spoke designs. The Shelby GT350 brake upgrade (a popular ST aftermarket swap) requires a minimum 20×10.5 at ET35 according to forum documentation — a 10mm spacer was needed at ET35 by one documented owner.
All confirmed aftermarket fitments on the Explorer ST are square (same size all four corners). The OEM configuration is also square. A staggered setup has not been documented as a common or confirmed community fitment on this platform. Square setups allow tire rotation across all four corners, are simpler to source, and reflect how this platform is most widely run.
The Explorer ST’s hub bore is 70.5mm. Most aftermarket wheels are drilled to 72.6mm or 76.1mm for broader compatibility. If your wheel’s center bore is larger than 70.5mm, polycarbonate or aluminum hub-centric rings are required to properly center the wheel on the hub. Lug-centric mounting (without rings) works but transfers centering stress to the lug nuts — hub-centric is always preferred. Rings are inexpensive and universally available. Always verify your wheel’s center bore spec before ordering.
The Explorer ST uses M14x1.50 thread pitch lug nuts with a 60-degree conical (tapered) seat. Many aftermarket wheels use a ball-seat or flat-seat design, which requires matching aftermarket lug nuts — the OEM conical nuts will not seat correctly in a ball-seat wheel. Always verify the seat type your aftermarket wheel requires and purchase matching lug nuts. Using mismatched seat types is a safety issue regardless of whether the nuts thread on.
The most common winter setup among ST owners is running the OEM 21×9 ET37.5 wheels (or a dedicated 18″ or 19″ steel or alloy set) with a winter-specific tire. On the OEM 21×9 rim, owners have used 275/45R21 Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV and Michelin X-Ice Snow with no clearance issues. For those wanting a slightly larger contact patch in winter, 305/40R21 on the OEM 21″ wheel has been tried (ExplorerST.org) — this is wider than the OEM 275mm and increases the overall diameter slightly. Note that for true winter performance, a narrower tire on a smaller wheel generally outperforms a wide low-profile setup — 18″ or 19″ steelies with a 255/65 or 265/60 winter tire are worth considering for serious snow regions.