265/70R16 · pickup / double-cab · Bar
265/70R16 bar chart (2.48 bar planning figure)
- Size
- 265/70R16
- Class
- pickup / double-cab
- Planning PSI
- 36
- Planning bar
- 2.48
bar
2.48
36 psi · 248 kPa · not a second factory sticker
265/70R16 · 36 psi · 2.48 bar · 248 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
European stickers print bar. 265/70R16 often sits near 2.48 bar on a pickup / double-cab (36 psi / 248 kPa). 2.48 bar is not “36 divided by ten”. 16-inch pickup all-terrain class. These rows are estimates interpolated for the size, not OEM for a named VIN.
Bar, PSI and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 265/70R16: 36 psi = 2.48 bar = 248 kPa.
| Bar | PSI | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 2.21 | 32 | 221 |
| 2.28 | 33 | 228 |
| 2.34 | 34 | 234 |
| 2.41 | 35 | 241 |
| 2.48 | 36 | 248 |
| 2.55 | 37 | 255 |
| 2.62 | 38 | 262 |
| 2.69 | 39 | 269 |
| 2.76 | 40 | 276 |
| 2.83 | 41 | 283 |
| 2.90 | 42 | 290 |
| 2.96 | 43 | 296 |
| 3.03 | 44 | 303 |
| 3.10 | 45 | 310 |
| 3.17 | 46 | 317 |
| 3.24 | 47 | 324 |
| 3.31 | 48 | 331 |
Estimated 265/70R16 pressure by load
These 265/70R16 load steps are ± a few PSI from 36. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 39 psi / 2.69 bar / 269 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa | 41 psi / 2.83 bar / 283 kPa |
| Payload / towing (sketch) | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa | 42 psi / 2.9 bar / 290 kPa |
Placard versus sidewall
If a forum says “all 265/70R16 run 36 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.
What 265/70R16 means
Read 265/70R16 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.
16-inch pickup all-terrain class. Rim diameter 16 in; section 265 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the pickup / double-cab class.
Cars often seen on 265/70R16
These catalogue models are often seen on 265/70R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 265/70R16
- Park so the 265/70R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 265/70R16 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 36 psi / 2.48 bar is only a pickup / double-cab planning figure for this size.
- Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
- 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 36 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 265/70R16.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 265/70R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 265/70R16 |
A cheap gauge and a monthly habit will do more for a set of 265/70R16 than nitrogen upsells.
Questions about 265/70R16
What PSI should 265/70R16 tyres be?
A pickup / double-cab planning figure is about 36 psi cold (2.48 bar / 248 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 265/70R16 and not share a sticker.
When does TPMS warn on 265/70R16?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 27 psi if you were aiming at 36. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?
No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.
Is the sidewall number correct for 265/70R16?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
What is 265/70R16 in kPa?
248 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 255 kPa is one PSI higher.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes