255/65R17 · pickup / double-cab · PSI
What PSI for 255/65R17 tyres?
- Size
- 255/65R17
- Class
- pickup / double-cab
- Planning PSI
- 36
- Planning bar
- 2.48
psi
36
2.48 bar · 248 kPa · pickup / double-cab planning figure
255/65R17 · 36 psi · 2.48 bar · 248 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
PSI is the garage-hose number. For 255/65R17 a typical pickup / double-cab planning figure is 36 psi cold — about 2.48 bar or 248 kPa. TPMS typically warns near 27 psi (about 25% below a 36 psi target). That is already a soft tyre.
Estimated 255/65R17 pressure by load
These 255/65R17 load steps are ± a few PSI from 36. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa | 40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 kPa |
| Payload / towing (sketch) | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa | 41 psi / 2.83 bar / 283 kPa |
PSI, bar and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for 255/65R17: 36 psi = 2.48 bar = 248 kPa.
| PSI | Bar | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | 2.21 | 221 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 228 |
| 34 | 2.34 | 234 |
| 35 | 2.41 | 241 |
| 36 | 2.48 | 248 |
| 37 | 2.55 | 255 |
| 38 | 2.62 | 262 |
| 39 | 2.69 | 269 |
| 40 | 2.76 | 276 |
| 41 | 2.83 | 283 |
| 42 | 2.90 | 290 |
| 43 | 2.96 | 296 |
| 44 | 3.03 | 303 |
| 45 | 3.10 | 310 |
| 46 | 3.17 | 317 |
| 47 | 3.24 | 324 |
| 48 | 3.31 | 331 |
What 255/65R17 means
A 255/65R17 on a pickup / double-cab is a geometry. Two cars can share the size and disagree on PSI because mass and axle split differ.
Wide 17-inch truck / SUV. Rim diameter 17 in; section 255 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the pickup / double-cab class.
Placard versus sidewall
The sidewall of a 255/65R17 may say 51 psi or 350 kPa. That is a carcass maximum. Operating pressure is the tyre-information placard on the driver’s door pillar.
Cars often seen on 255/65R17
These catalogue models are often seen on 255/65R17 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set 255/65R17
- Measure before the school run, not after the motorway.
- Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep 255/65R17 numbers in your head.
- Add air in short bursts toward the placard, using 36 psi only as a map.
- If one 255/65R17 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 36 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 255/65R17.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 33 psi | 2.28 bar | 228 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 34 psi | 2.34 bar | 234 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 35 psi | 2.41 bar | 241 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 36 psi | 2.48 bar | 248 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 38 psi | 2.62 bar | 262 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 255/65R17 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 255/65R17 |
Keep 255/65R17 on the printed band for that car; 36 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.
Questions about 255/65R17
What is 255/65R17 in kPa?
248 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 255 kPa is one PSI higher.
What is 255/65R17 in bar?
36 psi is 2.48 bar. Add a tenth of a bar if the placard’s laden column is higher, which is common on vans that wear this size.
When does TPMS warn on 255/65R17?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 27 psi if you were aiming at 36. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Is the sidewall number correct for 255/65R17?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
Is 255/65R17 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.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes