BFGoodrich KO2 Tire Pressure Chart | Street PSI Picks

Cold pressure often lands around 32 to 40 PSI on the street, but the right number depends on tire size, load, and your door-sticker spec.

The tricky part with KO2 pressure is this: there is no one magic PSI that fits every truck, Jeep, or SUV. A Tacoma on LT265/70R17s does not want the same cold pressure as a 3/4-ton pickup on a heavier load range. That is why a usable chart has to start with tire size and load, not guesswork.

This article gives you a clean way to set pressure without chasing random forum numbers. You will see what several common KO2 sizes can carry at 35 and 40 PSI, how to match that to street use, and when to leave the chart alone and stick with the placard on the driver’s door.

Why KO2 Pressure Changes So Much From One Vehicle To Another

KO2s live on everything from light crossovers to loaded work trucks. Two vehicles can run the same tread pattern and still want different air pressure because their axle weights are miles apart. Load range changes the feel too. A stiff E-load tire on an empty truck reacts nothing like a softer C-load tire on the same route.

Wheel size and tire size matter as well. A tall 285 often needs a different setup than a narrower 245, even before you add cargo. Throw in bumpers, winches, racks, or a trailer, and the right PSI can move again.

Three Things That Set Your Starting PSI

• Tire size and load range
• Real axle weight, empty and loaded
• Factory placard pressure for your vehicle

Once you line up those three pieces, the guesswork drops fast. That is where a chart earns its place.

BFGoodrich KO2 Tire Pressure Chart For Common Street Loads

A good KO2 chart is really a load chart in disguise. The tire only cares about how much weight it must hold at a given pressure. BFGoodrich points owners to its load and inflation tables, and that is the cleanest place to start.

The table below pulls common LT sizes that KO2 owners run every day. These figures are per tire, cold, and for single use. They are handy because 35 to 40 PSI is where many daily-driven rigs end up after owners dial out harsh ride and odd wear.

How To Read The Numbers

If your front axle carries 3,600 pounds, each front tire is carrying about 1,800 pounds. In that case, any row that shows more than 1,800 pounds at your chosen PSI has enough load room. You still need to cross-check with the vehicle placard, but this method shows why many unloaded rigs feel better below the sidewall max.

Tire Size	Load At 35 PSI	Load At 40 PSI
LT245/75R16	2,030 lb	2,205 lb
LT265/75R16	2,280 lb	2,470 lb
LT285/75R16	2,540 lb	2,755 lb
LT265/70R16	2,170 lb	2,335 lb
LT245/70R17	2,010 lb	2,205 lb
LT265/70R17	2,255 lb	2,470 lb
LT285/70R17	2,510 lb	2,755 lb
LT275/70R18	2,470 lb	2,680 lb

That table explains a lot of the chatter around KO2 ride quality. A lighter truck on a stout LT tire can carry its real street load long before it gets anywhere near 50, 65, or 80 PSI. So when someone airs an E-load KO2 to the sidewall number on an empty half-ton, the truck often rides like a brick and skates over broken pavement.

Taking BFGoodrich KO2 Tire Pressure From Chart To Real Life

The fastest way to use the chart is to pair it with the sticker inside the driver’s door. In BFGoodrich’s own tire pressure steps, the brand says to compare your reading to the door-sticker pressure, not the PSI molded on the tire sidewall. That sidewall figure is a ceiling tied to max load, not your daily target.

Start with the placard if your vehicle is still on the stock tire type and close to stock size. Then adjust only when you have a real reason: you moved from P-metric to LT tires, you changed sizes, or you tow enough tongue weight to squat the rear.

Street Driving On An Unloaded Rig

For many midsize trucks, Jeeps, and light SUVs with KO2s, the sweet spot sits in the low-to-mid 30s. Half-ton pickups on LT tires often settle in the mid-to-high 30s. You want stable steering, even tread wear, and no squirm in hard lane changes. If the center of the tread is wearing faster, pressure may be a touch high. If both shoulders are scrubbing and the tire feels lazy to turn, pressure may be a touch low.

Heavy Cargo, Towing, And Long Highway Runs

Extra rear load changes the game fast. Toolboxes, bed racks, drawer systems, rooftop gear, trailers, and campers all ask for more air, most of it in the rear tires. If the rear axle load climbs, the rear tires need enough PSI to carry that load without running hot and soft.

Do not copy unloaded numbers for tow days. Add pressure before the trip, check it when the tires are cold, and bring it back down when the load is gone. A truck that feels perfect at 36 PSI empty may need 42 or 45 PSI in the rear once you pile on gear.

When The Placard Beats The Chart

The chart is a strong starting point. It is not the last word. The placard should win in a few common cases:

• Your vehicle still uses the original tire size and tire type.
• The front and rear pressures are split by the factory.
• You drive a heavy-duty pickup with a high rear axle rating.
• Your vehicle has load-sensitive handling or brake tuning.

Factory pressure specs are tied to the whole vehicle, not just the tire. Steering feel, braking balance, ride height, and electronic systems all play a part. Use the chart to understand the tire. Use the placard to respect the vehicle.

Use Case	Cold PSI To Start	What To Watch
Midsize truck or SUV, empty	32–35 PSI	Ride should stay calm and tread should wear flat
Half-ton pickup, empty	35–38 PSI	Steering should feel settled, not darty or floaty
Half-ton with gear in back	38–42 PSI	Rear should stop feeling soft over dips
Towing with rear tongue weight	40–45 PSI rear	Rear sidewalls should not look baggy at rest
3/4-ton or camper load	Follow placard first	These rigs can need much more than half-ton numbers
Off-road day	Air down off-road only	Air back up before pavement and speed

How To Fine-Tune KO2 Pressure Without Guessing

Once you have a starting number, drive on it for a week. Then look at tread wear, steering feel, and tire temperature after a normal trip. You are trying to make the tire carry the load with good manners and flat wear.

Signs You Are Too High

The ride feels sharp over every crack. The truck hops on rough pavement. Wet grip can feel skittish. On a long stretch, the center ribs may start to wear ahead of the shoulders.

Signs You Are Too Low

The steering feels dull. The tire rolls onto the shoulder in turns. Fuel use can creep up. After a highway run, the sidewall and shoulders may feel hotter than you would expect.

A Simple Adjustment Pattern

Change pressure in small steps, usually 2 PSI at a time. Set it cold in the morning. Drive the same route for a few days. Then read what the vehicle is telling you. That slow method works better than jumping from 32 to 45 because a stranger on a forum said it felt right on a different truck.

Off-Road Pressure Is A Separate Call

Street pressure and trail pressure are not the same job. On rocks, washboard, or sand, owners often air down for footprint and ride. That is fine for low-speed trail use, but it should stay off the pavement. Once speed comes up, heat builds, steering gets vague, and the tire needs its street pressure back.

Used this way, a BFGoodrich KO2 tire pressure chart stops being a random list of numbers and turns into a clean setup tool. Start with the door sticker, use the load chart to sanity-check it, add air for real cargo, and trim pressure only in small steps until the truck rides and wears the way it should.