Wartburg · Barkas · Bar

Wartburg Barkas tyre pressure in bar

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

bar

2.31 / 2.31

32-35 / 32-35 psi · 231 / 231 kPa

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

European and UK handbooks usually quote bar. The Wartburg Barkas catalogue is 2.2-2.4 bar front and 2.2-2.4 bar rear (midpoint 2.31 / 2.31). TPMS typically warns near 25 psi (about 25% below target). That is already a soft tyre, not a fill target.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Bar-led conversions around the Wartburg Barkas. 2.2-2.4 bar is not “32-35 divided by ten”.

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

Wartburg Barkas placard versus sidewall

If the Wartburg sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/45R17 and others)

Planning cold pressures for sizes often seen on a passenger car. This Barkas sample opens with 225/45R17, then 185/65R15 and 205/55R16.

Tyre size	Front PSI	Rear PSI	Front bar	Rear bar	Front kPa	Rear kPa	Note
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch
185/65R15	33	33	2.28	2.28	228	228	Small / older car
205/55R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Typical mid-compact OEM
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch
225/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Touring 17-inch

Load notes

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	38 psi / 2.62 bar

How to set the Barkas

Measure before the school run, not after the M25.
Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep Barkas numbers in your head.
Add air in short bursts toward 34 psi (2.31 bar) front and 34 psi rear.
If one corner 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 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Barkas.

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

Wartburg notes

No special Wartburg exception: the Barkas 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 Wartburg Barkas 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 Wartburg sticker and this page disagree, the sticker wins.

Other Wartburg models

IFA F9 WARTBURG 1.3 Framo 1000 311 312 1.6

Questions about this Barkas

How often should I check a Barkas?

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

When does TPMS warn on a Wartburg Barkas?

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

What PSI if I plus-size toward 205/55R16?

Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 225/45R17, 185/65R15 and 205/55R16 as a planning band.

What tyre pressure should a Wartburg Barkas 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.

Front versus rear on the Wartburg Barkas?

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.

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