265/70R16 · pickup / double-cab · Overview
265/70R16 tyre pressure
- Size
- 265/70R16
- Class
- pickup / double-cab
- Planning PSI
- 36
- Planning bar
- 2.48
265/70R16
36 psi / 2.48 bar
248 kPa · estimates for this size class
265/70R16 · 36 psi · 2.48 bar · 248 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
265/70R16 is a pickup / double-cab size (265 mm section, 70 % aspect, 16-inch rim). A planning cold figure around 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa is a starting map, not a second factory sticker. TPMS typically warns near 27 psi (about 25% below a 36 psi target). That is already a soft tyre.
What 265/70R16 means
265/70R16 means a 265 millimetre section width, a sidewall that is 70 percent of that width, on a 16-inch rim. The R is radial construction.
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.
Estimated 265/70R16 pressure by load
Plus-sizing to 265/70R16 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 38 psi / 2.62 bar / 262 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 36 psi / 2.48 bar / 248 kPa | 39 psi / 2.69 bar / 269 kPa |
| Payload / towing (sketch) | 37 psi / 2.55 bar / 255 kPa | 40 psi / 2.76 bar / 276 kPa |
PSI, bar and kPa
Convert around the 265/70R16 band. 2.48 bar is about 36 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.
| 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 |
Placard versus sidewall
The sidewall of a 265/70R16 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 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.
How to set 265/70R16
- Park so the 265/70R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the 265/70R16 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 36 psi / 2.48 bar is only a pickup / double-cab planning figure for this size.
- Set all four with a calibrated gauge. A 3 psi miss on one corner shows up as a wander.
- 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 36 psi as a 20 °C baseline for 265/70R16.
| 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 265/70R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 39 psi | 2.69 bar | 269 kPa | Do not bleed a hot 265/70R16 |
Keep 265/70R16 on the printed band for that car; 36 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.
Questions about 265/70R16
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 is 265/70R16 in kPa?
248 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 255 kPa is one PSI higher.
When does TPMS warn on 265/70R16?
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.
Can I run 265/70R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft 265/70R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
Is the sidewall number correct for 265/70R16?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes