LT215/85R16 · LT-metric truck · Overview
Recommended pressure for LT215/85R16 tyres
- Size
- LT215/85R16
- Class
- LT-metric truck
- Planning PSI
- 50
- Planning bar
- 3.45
LT215/85R16
50 psi / 3.45 bar
345 kPa · estimates for this size class
LT215/85R16 · 50 psi · 3.45 bar · 345 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
Searches for “LT215/85R16 pressure” usually want a number. Use 50 psi (3.45 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 LT215/85R16; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye. LT-metric sizes print a load range. The vehicle door sticker, not the LT sidewall maximum, is still the operating pressure.
What LT215/85R16 means
Read LT215/85R16 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.
LT commercial 16-inch. Rim diameter 16 in; section 215 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the LT-metric truck class.
Estimated LT215/85R16 pressure by load
These LT215/85R16 load steps are ± a few PSI from 50. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 50 psi / 3.45 bar / 345 kPa | 54 psi / 3.72 bar / 372 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 51 psi / 3.52 bar / 352 kPa | 56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa |
| Payload / towing (sketch) | 52 psi / 3.59 bar / 359 kPa | 63 psi / 4.34 bar / 434 kPa |
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for LT215/85R16: 50 psi = 3.45 bar = 345 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 46 | 3.17 | 317 |
| 47 | 3.24 | 324 |
| 48 | 3.31 | 331 |
| 49 | 3.38 | 338 |
| 50 | 3.45 | 345 |
| 51 | 3.52 | 352 |
| 52 | 3.59 | 359 |
| 53 | 3.65 | 365 |
| 54 | 3.72 | 372 |
| 55 | 3.79 | 379 |
| 56 | 3.86 | 386 |
| 57 | 3.93 | 393 |
| 58 | 4.00 | 400 |
| 59 | 4.07 | 407 |
| 60 | 4.14 | 414 |
| 61 | 4.21 | 421 |
| 62 | 4.27 | 427 |
| 65 | 4.48 | 448 |
| 80 | 5.52 | 552 |
Placard versus sidewall
This website maps size searches such as “LT215/85R16 psi”. It does not replace the VIN label. If the two disagree, the label wins.
Cars often seen on LT215/85R16
These catalogue models are often seen on LT215/85R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set LT215/85R16
- Measure before the school run, not after the motorway.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep LT215/85R16 numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward the placard, using 50 psi only as a map.
- If one LT215/85R16 is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
- Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.
Temperature drift
Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 50 psi as a 20 °C baseline for LT215/85R16.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 47 psi | 3.24 bar | 324 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 48 psi | 3.31 bar | 331 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 49 psi | 3.38 bar | 338 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 50 psi | 3.45 bar | 345 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 52 psi | 3.59 bar | 359 kPa | Do not bleed a hot LT215/85R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 53 psi | 3.65 bar | 365 kPa | Do not bleed a hot LT215/85R16 |
A cheap gauge and a monthly habit will do more for a set of LT215/85R16 than nitrogen upsells.
Questions about LT215/85R16
When does TPMS warn on LT215/85R16?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 38 psi if you were aiming at 50. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Is LT215/85R16 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.
Can I run LT215/85R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft LT215/85R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
What PSI should LT215/85R16 tyres be?
A LT-metric truck planning figure is about 50 psi cold (3.45 bar / 345 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share LT215/85R16 and not share a sticker.
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