UK · EU reference Tyre Pressure

LT275/70R18 · LT-metric truck · PSI

What PSI for LT275/70R18 tyres?

Size
LT275/70R18
Class
LT-metric truck
Planning PSI
56
Planning bar
3.86

psi

56

3.86 bar · 386 kPa · LT-metric truck planning figure

LT275/70R18 · 56 psi · 3.86 bar · 386 kPa — estimates. Placard wins.

If someone typed “LT275/70R18 psi”, they want Imperial. Start near 56 psi on an unladen LT-metric truck, then confirm the vehicle placard. Sidewall max is not the target. Under-inflation cooks the shoulders of a LT275/70R18; 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.

Estimated LT275/70R18 pressure by load

Plus-sizing to LT275/70R18 from a taller OEM tyre usually keeps the same placard if the load index is equal or higher.

ConditionFront (est.)Rear (est.)
Driver only / unladen56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa60 psi / 4.14 bar / 414 kPa
Typical occupancy56 psi / 3.86 bar / 386 kPa61 psi / 4.21 bar / 421 kPa
Payload / towing (sketch)57 psi / 3.93 bar / 393 kPa68 psi / 4.69 bar / 469 kPa

PSI, bar and kPa

Convert around the LT275/70R18 band. 3.86 bar is about 56 psi — not 23, not 33 unless the maths says so.

PSIBarkPa
443.03303
463.17317
503.45345
523.59359
533.65365
543.72372
553.79379
563.86386
573.93393
584.00400
594.07407
604.14414
614.21421
624.27427
634.34434
644.41441
654.48448
664.55455
674.62462
684.69469
805.52552

What LT275/70R18 means

Read LT275/70R18 as width / aspect R rim. Nothing in the size string is a pressure. Pressure lives on the car, not moulded as 205 or 55.

Plus-size LT 18-inch. Rim diameter 18 in; section 275 mm. Estimates on this page assume a typical load index for the LT-metric truck class.

Placard versus sidewall

The sidewall of a LT275/70R18 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 LT275/70R18

These catalogue models are often seen on LT275/70R18 or a close OEM neighbour. Open the vehicle chart for axle-specific PSI and bar.

How to set LT275/70R18

  1. Park so the LT275/70R18 tyres are cold (three hours, or less than about a mile).
  2. Read the door-pillar placard for that car — not the LT275/70R18 sidewall maximum.
  3. If the sticker is missing, 56 psi / 3.86 bar is only a LT-metric truck 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.

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 56 psi as a 20 °C baseline for LT275/70R18.

AmbientGaugeBarkPaNote
−5 °C (hard frost)53 psi3.65 bar365 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C54 psi3.72 bar372 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)55 psi3.79 bar379 kPaGauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)56 psi3.86 bar386 kPaBaseline for this size sketch
30 °C58 psi4 bar400 kPaDo not bleed a hot LT275/70R18
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)59 psi4.07 bar407 kPaDo not bleed a hot LT275/70R18

Keep LT275/70R18 on the printed band for that car; 56 psi is a size sketch, not a second VIN label.

Questions about LT275/70R18

What is LT275/70R18 in bar?

56 psi is 3.86 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 PSI should LT275/70R18 tyres be?

A LT-metric truck planning figure is about 56 psi cold (3.86 bar / 386 kPa). Confirm on the vehicle placard — two cars can share LT275/70R18 and not share a sticker.

Is the sidewall number correct for LT275/70R18?

No. Sidewall PSI or kPa is a maximum for the carcass. Operating pressure is the door-pillar placard.

When does TPMS warn on LT275/70R18?

Direct TPMS typically flags about 25% below target — near 42 psi if you were aiming at 56. Fill to the sticker, not to the lamp.

What is LT275/70R18 in kPa?

386 kPa is the planning midpoint (100 kPa = 1 bar). 393 kPa is one PSI higher.

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