UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

LT275/70R18 · LT-metric truck · Bar

LT275/70R18 bar chart (3.86 bar planning figure)

Size
LT275/70R18
Class
LT-metric truck
Planning PSI
56
Planning bar
3.86

bar

3.86

56 psi · 386 kPa · not a second factory sticker

LT275/70R18 · 56 psi · 3.86 bar · 386 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

A LT275/70R18 C-type or LT carcass can live far above a hatchback bar figure. This page’s 3.86 bar sketch is for the LT-metric truck class, not every car that can physically mount the tyre. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed LT275/70R18. LT-metric sizes print a load range. The vehicle door sticker, not the LT sidewall maximum, is still the operating pressure.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Use the table, then set a cold gauge. 386 kPa is 100 × 3.86 bar on this size.

BarPSIkPa
3.0344303
3.1746317
3.4550345
3.5952359
3.6553365
3.7254372
3.7955379
3.8656386
3.9357393
4.0058400
4.0759407
4.1460414
4.2161421
4.2762427
4.3463434
4.4164441
4.4865448
4.5566455
4.6267462
4.6968469
5.5280552

Estimated LT275/70R18 pressure by load

These LT275/70R18 load steps are ± a few PSI from 56. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa58 psi / 4 bar / 400 kPa
Typical occupancy56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa59 psi / 4.07 bar / 407 kPa
Payload / towing (sketch)57 psi / 3.93 bar / 393 kPa66 psi / 4.55 bar / 455 kPa

Placard versus sidewall

This website maps size searches such as “LT275/70R18 psi”. It does not replace the VIN label. If the two disagree, the label wins.

What LT275/70R18 means

Read LT275/70R18 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.

Plus-size LT 18-inch. Rim diameter 18 in; section 275 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the LT-metric truck class.

Cars often seen on LT275/70R18

These catalogue models are often seen on LT275/70R18 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

How to set LT275/70R18

  1. Park so the LT275/70R18 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the LT275/70R18 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 56 psi / 3.86 bar is only a LT-metric truck 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 56 psi as a 20 °C baseline for LT275/70R18.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)53 psi3.65 bar365 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C54 psi3.72 bar372 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)55 psi3.79 bar379 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)56 psi3.86 bar386 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C58 psi4 bar400 kPaDo not bleed a hot LT275/70R18
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)59 psi4.07 bar407 kPaDo not bleed a hot LT275/70R18

Keep LT275/70R18 on the printed band for that car; 56 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.

Questions about LT275/70R18

Is the sidewall number correct for LT275/70R18?

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

When does TPMS warn on LT275/70R18?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 42 psi if you were aiming at 56. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

Can I run LT275/70R18 at a lower pressure for comfort?

Not as a habit. A soft LT275/70R18 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.

What is LT275/70R18 in bar?

56 psi is 3.86 bar. Add a tenth of a bar if the placard’s laden column is higher, which is common on vans that wear this size.

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