UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

285/70R17 · pickup / double-cab · PSI

What PSI for 285/70R17 tyres?

Size
285/70R17
Class
pickup / double-cab
Planning PSI
37
Planning bar
2.55

psi

37

2.55 bar · 255 kPa · pickup / double-cab planning figure

285/70R17 · 37 psi · 2.55 bar · 255 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

If someone typed “285/70R17 psi”, they want Imperial. Start near 37 psi on an unladen pickup / double-cab, then confirm the vehicle placard. Sidewall max is not the target. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a 285/70R17; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.

Estimated 285/70R17 pressure by load

Plus-sizing to 285/70R17 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa39 psi / 2.69 bar / 269 kPa
Typical occupancy37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 kPa
Payload / towing (sketch)38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa41 psi / 2.83 bar / 283 kPa

PSI, bar and kPa

Use the table, then set a cold gauge. 255 kPa is 100 × 2.55 bar on this size.

PSIBarkPa
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
483.31331
493.38338

What 285/70R17 means

A 285/70R17 on a pickup / double-cab is a geometry. Two cars can share the size and disagree on PSI because mass and axle split differ.

Light-truck / pickup all-season size. Rim diameter 17 in; section 285 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the pickup / double-cab class.

Placard versus sidewall

The sidewall of a 285/70R17 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 285/70R17

285/70R17 is a valid metric size in this register even if it is not on the curated OEM shortlist. Treat the 37 psi / 2.55 bar figure as a class estimate and confirm on the vehicle that actually wears it.

How to set 285/70R17

  1. Park so the 285/70R17 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 285/70R17 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 37 psi / 2.55 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 37 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 285/70R17.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)34 psi2.34 bar234 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C35 psi2.41 bar241 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)36 psi2.48 bar248 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)37 psi2.55 bar255 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C39 psi2.69 bar269 kPaDo not bleed a hot 285/70R17
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)40 psi2.76 bar276 kPaDo not bleed a hot 285/70R17

A cheap gauge and a monthly habit will do more for a set of 285/70R17 than nitrogen upsells.

Questions about 285/70R17

What PSI should 285/70R17 tyres be?

A pickup / double-cab planning figure is about 37 psi cold (2.55 bar / 255 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 285/70R17 and not share a sticker.

Is the sidewall number correct for 285/70R17?

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

What is 285/70R17 in bar?

37 psi is 2.55 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 285/70R17 at a lower pressure for comfort?

Not as a habit. A soft 285/70R17 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.

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.

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