Ford · Transit · Overview
Tyre pressure chart for the Ford Transit
- Drivetrain
- front-wheel drive
- Body
- van
- PSI F / R
- 35-45 / 45-65
- Bar F / R
- 2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5
psi
40 / 55
Catalogue mid-points, front / rear · 2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5 bar
35-45 psi F · 45-65 psi R · 2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5 bar · 276/379 kPa
On a Ford Transit the useful pair is 40 psi (2.76 bar) up front and 55 psi (3.79 bar) at the back, mid-range. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a Transit; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye. Commercial and load-biased bodies like this van often need a higher rear; LT or C-type sizes such as 235/65R16 are not filled like a Fiesta.
Ford Transit placard versus sidewall
The tyre-information placard on a Ford Transit sits on the driver’s door pillar (sometimes the fuel-filler flap). Catalogue figures here are a general band: 35-45 / 45-65 psi.
Ford notes
Ford UK placards on the Transit are often printed in PSI even when the handbook also shows bar. A Mondeo, Focus or Kuga does not share a Transit number. Loaded vans use the second column.
How to set the Transit
- Park the Ford Transit for at least three hours (cold tyres).
- Use a calibrated gauge, not the only meter on a forecourt hose.
- Set the placard for that axle — about 35-45 psi / 2.4-3.1 bar front and 45-65 psi / 3.1-4.5 bar rear on this catalogue row.
- Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a front-wheel drive Transit is enough to feel a pull.
- Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Mid-points on the Transit: 40 psi = 2.76 bar = 276 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
| 50 | 3.45 | 345 |
| 55 | 3.79 | 379 |
| 60 | 4.14 | 414 |
| 65 | 4.48 | 448 |
Pressure against load
Load moves the rear of a van first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only | 40 psi / 2.76 bar | 55 psi / 3.79 bar |
| Full occupancy | 41 psi / 2.83 bar | 57 psi / 3.93 bar |
| Payload / towing | 42 psi / 2.9 bar | 57 psi / 3.93 bar |
Temperature and a cold gauge
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 40 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Transit.
| Ambient | Gauge (front mid) | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 37 psi | 2.55 bar | 255 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 40 psi | 2.76 bar | 276 kPa | Baseline |
| 30 °C | 42 psi | 2.9 bar | 290 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 43 psi | 2.96 bar | 296 kPa | Do not bleed a hot tyre |
Spare and inflator kit
A matching full-size spare on the Ford Transit usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 45-65 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.
Estimated pressure by tyre size (235/60R17 and others)
235/60R17 is the first planning size here. 235/65R16 is usually the plus-size or LT step. Keep load index at or above original equipment.
| Tyre size | Front PSI | Rear PSI | Front bar | Rear bar | Front kPa | Rear kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 235/60R17 | 41 | 58 | 2.83 | 4 | 283 | 400 | Plus-size van |
| 215/65R16 | 40 | 57 | 2.76 | 3.93 | 276 | 393 | Compact van |
| 235/65R16 | 42 | 59 | 2.9 | 4.07 | 290 | 407 | Loaded van |
| 215/75R16C | 45 | 64 | 3.1 | 4.41 | 310 | 441 | C-type 215 |
| LT215/85R16 | 46 | 65 | 3.17 | 4.48 | 317 | 448 | LT commercial |
| 225/65R16 | 41 | 58 | 2.83 | 4 | 283 | 400 | Common transaxle van |
| 195/75R16C | 44 | 63 | 3.03 | 4.34 | 303 | 434 | C-type commercial |
| 225/75R16 | 42 | 60 | 2.9 | 4.14 | 290 | 414 | Taller load range |
If the Ford sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.
Other Ford models
Questions about this Transit
What PSI if I plus-size toward 235/65R16?
Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 235/60R17, 215/65R16 and 235/65R16 as a planning band.
What tyre pressure should a Ford Transit use?
Catalogue reference is 35-45 psi front and 45-65 psi rear (2.4-3.1 / 3.1-4.5 bar), cold. Confirm on the door-pillar 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.
When does TPMS warn on a Ford Transit?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 30 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Front versus rear on the Ford Transit?
This row is 35-45 F / 45-65 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation