UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

245/70R16 · pickup / double-cab · Overview

245/70R16: PSI, bar and kPa

Size
245/70R16
Class
pickup / double-cab
Planning PSI
35
Planning bar
2.41

245/70R16

35 psi / 2.41 bar

241 kPa · estimates for this size class

245/70R16 · 35 psi · 2.41 bar · 241 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

245/70R16 is a pickup / double-cab size (245 mm section, 70 % aspect, 16-inch rim). A planning cold figure around 35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa is a starting map, not a second factory sticker. Half-ton all-season 16-inch. These rows are estimates interpolated for the size, not OEM for a named VIN.

What 245/70R16 means

Read 245/70R16 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.

Half-ton all-season 16-inch. Rim diameter 16 in; section 245 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the pickup / double-cab class.

Estimated 245/70R16 pressure by load

These 245/70R16 load steps are ± a few PSI from 35. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa39 psi / 2.69 bar / 269 kPa
Typical occupancy35 psi / 2.41 bar / 241 kPa40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 kPa
Payload / towing (sketch)36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa41 psi / 2.83 bar / 283 kPa

PSI, bar and kPa

1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 245/70R16: 35 psi = 2.41 bar = 241 kPa.

PSIBarkPa
312.14214
322.21221
332.28228
342.34234
352.41241
362.48248
372.55255
382.62262
392.69269
402.76276
412.83283
422.90290
432.96296
443.03303
453.10310
463.17317
473.24324

Placard versus sidewall

The sidewall of a 245/70R16 may say 51 psi or 350 kPa. That is a carcass maximum. Operating pressure is the tyre-information placard on the driver’s door pillar.

Cars often seen on 245/70R16

These catalogue models are often seen on 245/70R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

How to set 245/70R16

  1. Park so the 245/70R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 245/70R16 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 35 psi / 2.41 bar is only a pickup / double-cab planning figure for this size.
  4. Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
  5. Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 35 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 245/70R16.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)32 psi2.21 bar221 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C33 psi2.28 bar228 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)34 psi2.34 bar234 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)35 psi2.41 bar241 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C37 psi2.55 bar255 kPaDo not bleed a hot 245/70R16
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)38 psi2.62 bar262 kPaDo not bleed a hot 245/70R16

Keep 245/70R16 on the printed band for that car; 35 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.

Questions about 245/70R16

Can I run 245/70R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?

Not as a habit. A soft 245/70R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.

What PSI should 245/70R16 tyres be?

A pickup / double-cab planning figure is about 35 psi cold (2.41 bar / 241 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 245/70R16 and not share a sticker.

Is the sidewall number correct for 245/70R16?

No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.

Is 245/70R16 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.

What is 245/70R16 in kPa?

241 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 248 kPa is one PSI higher.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes