UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

265/70R16 · pickup / double-cab · kPa

265/70R16 tyre pressure in kPa

Size
265/70R16
Class
pickup / double-cab
Planning PSI
36
Planning bar
2.48

kPa

248

2.48 bar · 36 psi · 100 kPa = 1 bar

265/70R16 · 36 psi · 2.48 bar · 248 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

If the gauge only speaks kPa, 248 kPa is the sketch for this pickup / double-cab size. Fine-tune to the vehicle that actually wears 265/70R16. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed 265/70R16.

kPa, bar and PSI

Convert around the 265/70R16 band. 2.48 bar is about 36 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.

kPaBarPSI
2212.2132
2282.2833
2342.3434
2412.4135
2482.4836
2552.5537
2622.6238
2692.6939
2762.7640
2832.8341
2902.9042
2962.9643
3033.0344
3103.1045
3173.1746
3243.2447
3313.3148

Estimated 265/70R16 pressure by load

Load moves the rear first on a pickup / double-cab. If the factory placard already has a laden column, use that — not this sketch for 265/70R16.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 kPa
Typical occupancy36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa41 psi / 2.83 bar / 283 kPa
Payload / towing (sketch)37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa42 psi / 2.9 bar / 290 kPa

What 265/70R16 means

Read 265/70R16 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.

16-inch pickup all-terrain class. Rim diameter 16 in; section 265 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the pickup / double-cab class.

Placard versus sidewall

If a forum says “all 265/70R16 run 36 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 36 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 265/70R16.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)33 psi2.28 bar228 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C34 psi2.34 bar234 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)35 psi2.41 bar241 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)36 psi2.48 bar248 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C38 psi2.62 bar262 kPaDo not bleed a hot 265/70R16
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)39 psi2.69 bar269 kPaDo not bleed a hot 265/70R16

How to set 265/70R16

  1. Park so the 265/70R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 265/70R16 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 36 psi / 2.48 bar is only a pickup / double-cab 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.

Cars often seen on 265/70R16

These catalogue models are often seen on 265/70R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

If the door sticker and this 265/70R16 page disagree, the sticker wins.

Questions about 265/70R16

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.

What is 265/70R16 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.

What is 265/70R16 in kPa?

248 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 255 kPa is one PSI higher.

Is 265/70R16 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.

What PSI should 265/70R16 tyres be?

A pickup / double-cab planning figure is about 36 psi cold (2.48 bar / 248 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share 265/70R16 and not share a sticker.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes