235/60R18 · SUV / crossover · Overview
235/60R18 tyre pressure
- Size
- 235/60R18
- Class
- SUV / crossover
- Planning PSI
- 35
- Planning bar
- 2.41
235/60R18
35 psi / 2.41 bar
241 kPa · estimates for this size class
235/60R18 · 35 psi · 2.41 bar · 241 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
Searches for “235/60R18 pressure” usually want a number. Use 35 psi (2.41 bar) only as a sketch; the door-pillar placard on the car that wears this size still wins. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a 235/60R18; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.
What 235/60R18 means
235/60R18 means a 235 millimetre section width, a sidewall that is 60 percent of that width, on a 18-inch rim. The R is radial construction.
Plus-size 18-inch SUV. Rim diameter 18 in; section 235 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the SUV / crossover class.
Estimated 235/60R18 pressure by load
Plus-sizing to 235/60R18 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa |
| Motorway + luggage (sketch) | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa |
PSI, bar and kPa
Convert around the 235/60R18 band. 2.41 bar is about 35 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | 2.14 | 214 |
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 228 |
| 34 | 2.34 | 234 |
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 37 | 2.55 | 255 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 39 | 2.69 | 269 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 41 | 2.83 | 283 |
| 42 | 2.90 | 290 |
| 43 | 2.96 | 296 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
| 46 | 3.17 | 317 |
| 47 | 3.24 | 324 |
Placard versus sidewall
If a forum says “all 235/60R18 run 35 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.
Cars often seen on 235/60R18
These catalogue models are often seen on 235/60R18 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 235/60R18
- Measure before the school run, not after the motorway.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep 235/60R18 numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward the placard, using 35 psi only as a map.
- If one 235/60R18 is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
- Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 35 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 235/60R18.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 32 psi | 2.21 bar | 221 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 235/60R18 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 235/60R18 |
A cheap gauge and a monthly habit will do more for a set of 235/60R18 than nitrogen upsells.
Questions about 235/60R18
Is 235/60R18 the same as a plus-size swap?
Only if that is the size you fitted. Overall diameter should stay close to OEM. Pressure still follows the car, with load index at or above original.
When does TPMS warn on 235/60R18?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 26 psi if you were aiming at 35. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Is the sidewall number correct for 235/60R18?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
What is 235/60R18 in bar?
35 psi is 2.41 bar. Add a tenth of a bar if the placard’s laden column is higher, which is common on vans that wear this size.
Can I run 235/60R18 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft 235/60R18 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes