My Transit Wheel & Tire Upgrade: Method MR701s And BFGoodrich
I replaced the stock silver wheels and tires on my 2023 Ford Transit with matte-black Method MR701 wheels and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A tires. I recorded the van before the change, took photographs at the tire shop and filmed another walkaround when the new setup was on.
The change is easy to see in those recordings. The black wheels sit against the van’s white body and dark lower trim, while the tires bring a much more pronounced tread pattern. Here is the project as I documented it, from the original setup to the finished result.
My Transit Before And After
I started by filming the van from outside, walking around it to show the stock wheels on both sides. After the change, I went around it again and moved closer to the new wheels and tires. Putting the two views together makes the difference much easier to appreciate than looking at a product photograph alone.
| What Changed | Original Setup | Installed Result |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel appearance | Silver steel wheels with small round openings. | Matte-black Method MR701 wheels with larger openings and Method center caps. |
| Tread appearance | The close-up photos show the stock tires’ narrower grooves and closely spaced tread elements. | The after footage shows more prominent tread blocks and a pronounced shoulder pattern. |
| Van’s side profile | The bright wheels stand out against the black lower trim. | The black wheels create a darker wheel-and-tire area beneath the white body. |
Introducing The Wheel And Tire Change
I introduced the project on camera beside the van before taking it to the shop. My plan for the recording was straightforward: show the stock wheels and tires, then show what I was changing them to. That opening gives the before-and-after footage its context.
The Original Wheels And Tires
The original setup had the familiar silver steel-wheel appearance. My photographs of the removed assemblies show the wheel faces, center openings, valve stems and the tires that came off the van. One close-up also records the original tire’s 235/65 R16C sidewall marking.
I kept several views of the old tires in the project record. The face-on wheel photograph makes the original silver finish clear, while the tread photographs show the pattern across the center and shoulder. They provide a useful visual starting point for comparing the stock assemblies with the BFGoodrich tires shown later.
The Matte-Black Method MR701 Wheels
Before the change, I showed the Method Race Wheels boxes on a green hand truck beside the Transit. I identified the new wheels in the recording as matte-black MR701s. The packaging also carries the MR701 model identification.
The wheel boxes appear again in the shop photograph, stacked beside the front of the van. In the installed close-ups, the black wheel faces and Method center caps complete the connection between the boxed wheels and the finished setup.
For the wheel purchase details and a comparison with the MR703 and RTX options, see my Method MR701 product page.
At The Tire Shop
My service-bay photograph captures the project between the two outside walkarounds. The van is inside with its original silver wheels still on, and the four Method boxes are stacked beside it. The view includes both ends of the van, so it is also a useful record of the stock setup before the finished result.
After the change, I photographed the four removed wheel-and-tire assemblies inside the cargo area. The bare interior and the green hand truck are visible around them. Having all four assemblies in the same photograph makes this part of the project especially clear: these are the original wheels that came off my van.
The Installed Method And BFGoodrich Result
With the new setup fitted, I filmed the Transit again. I began with the overall side profile, moved toward the rear wheel and tire, then showed the front wheel before stepping back for another look at the van.
The close-up makes the BFGoodrich and All-Terrain T/A sidewall branding visible. It also shows the pronounced tread blocks around the shoulder and the black Method wheel face. The difference from the removed stock assemblies is particularly noticeable when the tread photographs are placed alongside this view.
For the KO2 purchase specification, my sidewall photograph and the Gripmax and KM3 comparisons, see my BFGoodrich KO2 product page.
My Reaction To The New Look
My immediate reaction was about the appearance: I was very happy with the new look. In the after recording, I drew attention to the tires, their more aggressive-looking tread and the wheels, then stepped back to show the whole van again.
That wider view shows the change in context. The close-ups show the individual parts, while the side profile shows the combination on the van. The matte-black wheels work visually with the dark lower body trim, and the tread pattern gives the wheel-and-tire area a much more substantial look.
What Stands Out In My Before-And-After Photos
For me, this project has three especially useful views: the original silver wheel with its tire marking, the Method boxes at the shop and the installed BFGoodrich-and-Method close-up. Together, they show the starting point, the equipment and the result.
The two walkarounds let me compare the original setup with the finished van, and my reaction is part of the same project record. The visible transformation—from silver steel wheels to matte-black MR701s and a more pronounced tire tread—is what stands out in these build photographs.
Another View Of The Original Tread
For another exterior project, read my black RAPTOR trim-and-hood story, including the uneven sprayed sheen, actual roller correction and daylight result.
Follow more projects in my build diary, or browse the vehicle equipment in my Tools & Materials hub.