Oldtimer · Checker · Recommended

Oldtimer Checker recommended cold inflation

Drivetrain: front-wheel drive
Body: passenger car
PSI F / R: 32-35 / 32-35
Bar F / R: 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4

psi

34 / 34

Catalogue mid-points, front / rear · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar

32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa

Treat this page as a map of the Checker band. The legal setpoint is the printed door-pillar label for your VIN. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a Checker; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye.

How to set the Checker

Park the Oldtimer Checker 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 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar front and 32-35 psi / 2.2-2.4 bar rear on this catalogue row.
Recheck all four. A 2 psi miss on a front-wheel drive Checker is enough to feel a pull.
Refit valve caps and reset TPMS if the handbook asks for a relearn.

Oldtimer Checker placard versus sidewall

The tyre-information placard on a Oldtimer Checker sits on the driver’s door pillar (sometimes the fuel-filler flap). Catalogue figures here are a general band: 32-35 / 32-35 psi.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/40R18 and others)

225/40R18 is the first planning size here. 215/55R16 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
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
205/55R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Typical mid-compact OEM
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch
185/65R15	33	33	2.28	2.28	228	228	Small / older car
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact
245/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Wide touring 18-inch
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch

PSI, bar and kPa

PSI-led conversions for the Oldtimer Checker band (32-35 / 32-35).

PSI	Bar	kPa
30	2.07	207
32	2.21	221
33	2.28	228
33.5	2.31	231
35	2.41	241
36	2.48	248
38	2.62	262
40	2.76	276
44	3.03	303
50	3.45	345
60	4.14	414

Pressure against load

Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.

Condition	Front (est.)	Rear (est.)
Driver only	34 psi / 2.34 bar	34 psi / 2.34 bar
Full occupancy	35 psi / 2.41 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar
Motorway + luggage	36 psi / 2.48 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Checker.

Ambient	Gauge (front mid)	Bar	kPa	Note
−5 °C (hard frost)	31 psi	2.14 bar	214 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C	32 psi	2.21 bar	221 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)	33 psi	2.28 bar	228 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)	34 psi	2.34 bar	234 kPa	Baseline
30 °C	36 psi	2.48 bar	248 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)	37 psi	2.55 bar	255 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre

Oldtimer notes

No special Oldtimer exception: the Checker uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Oldtimer Checker usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 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.

If the Oldtimer sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.

Other Oldtimer models

ASA Armstrong Siddeley Autobianchi Amphicar Abarth American Avanti AMC

Questions about this Checker

Front versus rear on the Oldtimer Checker?

This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.

What tyre pressure should a Oldtimer Checker use?

Catalogue reference is 32-35 psi front and 32-35 psi rear (2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar), cold. Confirm on the door-pillar placard.

When does TPMS warn on a Oldtimer Checker?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below placard — near 25 psi on this row. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

How often should I check a Checker?

Monthly, before a long trip, and after a 10 °C weather swing. Include a full-size spare.

Is the sidewall number correct on a Oldtimer Checker?

No. Sidewall PSI is a maximum. The Checker placard is the operating target, near 32-35/32-35 psi.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation