285/70R17 · pickup / double-cab · Overview
285/70R17 tyre pressure
- Size
- 285/70R17
- Class
- pickup / double-cab
- Planning PSI
- 37
- Planning bar
- 2.55
285/70R17
37 psi / 2.55 bar
255 kPa · estimates for this size class
285/70R17 · 37 psi · 2.55 bar · 255 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
Searches for “285/70R17 pressure” usually want a number. Use 37 psi (2.55 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 285/70R17; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.
What 285/70R17 means
Read 285/70R17 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.
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.
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.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa | 40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 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 |
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 285/70R17: 37 psi = 2.55 bar = 255 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 48 | 3.31 | 331 |
| 49 | 3.38 | 338 |
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
- Park so the 285/70R17 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 285/70R17 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 37 psi / 2.55 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 37 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 285/70R17.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 285/70R17 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 40 psi | 2.76 bar | 276 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 285/70R17 |
Keep 285/70R17 on the printed band for that car; 37 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.
Questions about 285/70R17
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 kPa?
255 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 262 kPa is one PSI higher.
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.
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.
When does TPMS warn on 285/70R17?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 28 psi if you were aiming at 37. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes