LT235/85R16 · LT-metric truck · Bar
Recommended bar for LT235/85R16
- Size
- LT235/85R16
- Class
- LT-metric truck
- Planning PSI
- 55
- Planning bar
- 3.79
bar
3.79
55 psi · 379 kPa · not a second factory sticker
LT235/85R16 · 55 psi · 3.79 bar · 379 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.
A LT235/85R16 C-type or LT carcass can live far above a hatchback bar figure. This page’s 3.79 bar sketch is for the LT-metric truck class, not every car that can physically mount the tyre. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a LT235/85R16; over-inflation wears the centre rib and bangs every cat’s eye. LT-metric sizes print a load range. The vehicle door sticker, not the LT sidewall maximum, is still the operating pressure.
Bar, PSI and kPa
1 bar ≈ 14.5 psi; 1 psi ≈ 6.89 kPa. Planning midpoint for LT235/85R16: 55 psi = 3.79 bar = 379 kPa.
| Bar | PSI | kPa |
|---|---|---|
| 3.03 | 44 | 303 |
| 3.17 | 46 | 317 |
| 3.45 | 50 | 345 |
| 3.52 | 51 | 352 |
| 3.59 | 52 | 359 |
| 3.65 | 53 | 365 |
| 3.72 | 54 | 372 |
| 3.79 | 55 | 379 |
| 3.86 | 56 | 386 |
| 3.93 | 57 | 393 |
| 4.00 | 58 | 400 |
| 4.07 | 59 | 407 |
| 4.14 | 60 | 414 |
| 4.21 | 61 | 421 |
| 4.27 | 62 | 427 |
| 4.34 | 63 | 434 |
| 4.41 | 64 | 441 |
| 4.48 | 65 | 448 |
| 4.55 | 66 | 455 |
| 4.62 | 67 | 462 |
| 5.52 | 80 | 552 |
Estimated LT235/85R16 pressure by load
These LT235/85R16 load steps are ± a few PSI from 55. They are not a licence to ignore a printed second column on a van or estate.
| Condition | Front (est.) | Rear (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Driver only / unladen | 55 psi / 3.79 bar / 379 kPa | 57 psi / 3.93 bar / 393 kPa |
| Typical occupancy | 56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa | 59 psi / 4.07 bar / 407 kPa |
| Payload / towing (sketch) | 57 psi / 3.93 bar / 393 kPa | 66 psi / 4.55 bar / 455 kPa |
Placard versus sidewall
If a forum says “all LT235/85R16 run 55 psi”, ignore it. A Qashqai and a Golf can share a size and not share a sticker.
What LT235/85R16 means
A LT235/85R16 on a LT-metric truck is a geometry. Two cars can share the size and disagree on PSI because mass and axle split differ.
Tall LT 16-inch. Rim diameter 16 in; section 235 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the LT-metric truck class.
Cars often seen on LT235/85R16
These catalogue models are often seen on LT235/85R16 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.
How to set LT235/85R16
- Park so the LT235/85R16 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
- Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the LT235/85R16 sidewall maximum.
- If the sticker is missing, 55 psi / 3.79 bar is only a LT-metric truck 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 55 psi as a 20 °C baseline for LT235/85R16.
| Ambient | Gauge | Bar | kPa | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −5 °C (hard frost) | 52 psi | 3.59 bar | 359 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 0 °C | 53 psi | 3.65 bar | 365 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 8 °C (UK winter morning) | 54 psi | 3.72 bar | 372 kPa | Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm |
| 20 °C (set cold here) | 55 psi | 3.79 bar | 379 kPa | Baseline for this size sketch |
| 30 °C | 57 psi | 3.93 bar | 393 kPa | Do not bleed a hot LT235/85R16 |
| 38 °C (heatwave tarmac) | 58 psi | 4 bar | 400 kPa | Do not bleed a hot LT235/85R16 |
If the door sticker and this LT235/85R16 page disagree, the sticker wins.
Questions about LT235/85R16
What is LT235/85R16 in kPa?
379 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 386 kPa is one PSI higher.
Is LT235/85R16 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.
Is the sidewall number correct for LT235/85R16?
No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.
Can I run LT235/85R16 at a lower pressure for comfort?
Not as a habit. A soft LT235/85R16 cooks the shoulders and dulls steering. Keep load index and stay on the placard.
When does TPMS warn on LT235/85R16?
Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 41 psi if you were aiming at 55. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.
Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · cold inflation · all sizes