How To Mount ATV Tires
Mounting ATV tires seems like a magic trick sometimes. Watching it gives you the feeling that something is happening in front of your eyes, but when you step back to take a look you can’t quite explain what happened. It’s magic!
In reality, there’s nothing that complicated about it. With the right tools, anybody can mount their own ATV tires as long as they know the proper steps and tricks.
Can You Mount ATV Tires Yourself
Anyone can do it! For the average joe who has never changed a tire in their life, getting used to the tools and how to work with them takes some time. But after you know what you’re doing, it turns out to be easier than adding air to your bike. You’ll need some sort of tire changing machine, though, either a press or a tire changer.
You can buy a tire-changing machine online in a few clicks for less than $80 in most cases. The price difference between a tire changer and a full-fledged tire mounting press is around the same.
Is It Hard To Change tires
A little practice goes a long way. The first time you change your tires, it takes longer than usual, but after you’ve done two or three sets of tires, it gets much faster and easy to do. So what are the steps that take so long?
You don’t have to undo any bolts until you’re ready for them completely. It’s much easier to do when you don’t take anything apart and put everything back together with the same way.
Beginners make a mistake with not putting enough oil in between the tire and rim. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when there’s too much or too little, so just add some in shades and see if you need more.
The tire changer and the wrench you use for it need to be oiled as well, otherwise they’ll slide off, and it will take longer than usual for you to mount your tires. You can also hold them in place with a bungee cord if you’re doing this at home.
So what’s this trick? Well, there isn’t one! All you need is a few simple tools and some patience.
Choosing New Tires – Size And Style
The first step in mounting ATV tires is choosing them, which means you need to set out on a mission. Travel to your nearest ATV dealer and, with the help of their employees, pick the best possible tires for your vehicle. There are many different options – metric or standard size, bias or radials, grooved or smooth tread, mud vs. a street…the list goes on!
Your choice will make a massive difference in how your ride performs, so carefully make this decision.
Always buy the highest quality tires you can afford. Cheap tires are cheap for a reason – their material is usually lower quality which means they’ll wear out faster and perform worse than more expensive, higher-quality options. Because you’re mounting your ATV’s tires yourself, you don’t have to worry about the retail price. Buy the best!
After you choose your tires, head back home and unpack them. Remember that you can always return them if they don’t fit your ATV perfectly, but keep in mind this might take some time so I recommend taking a few measurements first before buying anything.
Tools You’ll Need
The next step in the process is acquiring the proper tools. You’ll need a few different items, including:
Tire Iron
This tool will be used to remove and tighten your ATV tire’s clamping mechanisms.
Mounting Tire Lube Spray
If you want to make this process easier for yourself, grab a can of this spray. It’ll lubricate the tire’s bead, so it slides more easily onto the rim.
Rim Protectors
Rim protectors are pieces of metal that you put in between your ATV rim and the tire to prevent damage while mounting. Installation is usually easy – just slide them into place.
Once you acquire all these items, you’re ready to begin mounting your ATV tires!
Step 1: Breaking The Tire’s Mounting Clamp Loose
Unfortunately, our first step isn’t as easy as it seems. There are two methods of breaking the tire’s clamp loose – either by hand or tire iron.
Weighing in at around 3 lbs, ATV tires can consider a lot, depending on their size. This makes hand-breaking the clamp lose very difficult, so I recommend using a tire iron if you’re planning to do it by yourself.
There are three different types of clamping mechanisms found in an ATV tire:
Clamp and Staple
this type has two clamps – the inner one is tightened with a nut, which you can tighten or loosen by hand, and the outer one uses screws. This type doesn’t have any staples.
Clamp, Staple, And Screw
this type has an extra clamp around the bead installed using screws. There are also staples holding it in place.
Staples Only
this type does not have any kind of clamping mechanism – it is installed using staples only.
The most common one you’re likely to find is the first type, with screws. If your ATV tire has them, loosen them by turning the screw counter-clockwise. Keep in mind that these are usually very tightly tightened, so you might have to use a bit of force.
Step 2: Pulling Out The Inner Clamp
You’ve broken your tire’s clamp loose, but you’re still not done yet! Next, you have to pull out the inner clamp that tightens the stem into place. It is held by a nutso what you’ll need to do is loosen it by hand. The nut is usually very tightly locked, so you’ll have to pull hard to get it loose, but this step is crucial because in. Otherwise, indicating, yourSeveralthey signs tire won’t go on or off the rim without removing the inner clamp.
Step 3: Pushing Down The Inner Bead
Your ATV tire now has no clamping mechanisms – you’ve worked your way around the tire, pulling out both inner clamps. Now comes the fun part – pushing down the bead!
This step is also made much easier with rim protectors. They’re pieces of metal that are placed between your ATV rim and tire so you can push it down without damaging either. The process should go much more accessible, and you’ll use less force, but if your rim protectors aren’t in place, then all the more reason to put them there, so you don’t damage anything.
Step 4: Mounting The Tire And Installing Rim Protectors
Now that the tire’s inner bead is down, it’s time to mount it on your ATV rim. The dot should be very close to the rim, but there still might be a slight gap, so what you’ll need to do is use your tire irons to push it down.
You can also add some lube – this will help prevent it from cross-threading and make the mounting process much more manageable. Remove any excess that seeps out of the tire.
You’ll also need rim protectors to prevent damage – they slide right into their respective positions and fit snugly around your rim, preventing any damage while you work. You can tighten them without force by hand, which is convenient. If it gets loose, pull it by hand using a wrench.
Step 5: Mounting The Outer Bead
The hard part is over – now all you have to do is mount the outer bead. This step only requires a little bit of hand force because there’s no clamp locking it down. With your tire irons, push the bead into place and use a wrench to tighten it against your rim protector.
Step 6: Tightening The Clamp
Now that your tire’s on, all you have to do is tighten the clamp(s)- for this step; I recommend using a wrench because it will require a lot of force. Continue turning until it’s as tight as possible. You might have to repeat tightening the clamp multiple times if two clamps are holding it in place.
Step 7: Tightening The Inner Nut
If your tire uses an inner nut to tighten the stem into position, then you’ll need to pull that as well – this time with a tire iron. But make sure you don’t draw too much because you might damage the stem, and it’ll be hard for you to dismount the tire next time.
Step 8: Staking The Inner Clamp / Staple
If your clamp or staple was staked in place, then you’ll need to use a screwdriver to remove it – although some are so tight that it’s easier just to leave them there. Remember to keep your ATV tires on machine-tightened rims to avoid this scenario.
Step 9: Phew, You’re Done
All that’s left is to go out and enjoy your brand-new tires! I hope you found this tutorial helpful – if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below. And remember to share with your friends – thanks for reading!
Conclusion
I hope you found this tutorial helpful – if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below. And remember to share with your friends – thanks for reading!
FAQ’s
Q: How do I know if I need new ATV tires?
A: Severalthey’re signs you can look out for indicate your ATV tires need to be replaced. If they’re over 10 years old, then you should definitely take them off and replace them with brand new ones. Tires rarely last 12 years so don’t expect them to. In addition, be on the lookout for other signs – wrinkled sidewalls, flat spots, irregular wear patterns/depth etc.
Q: How do I know if my ATV has a machine-tightened rim or not?
A: If you’re not sure then it’s best to assume that it doesn’t and practice safe practices. If you have to ask this question then it’s most likely not machine tightened so your best option is to invest in a tire mounting machine if you want to avoid any unnecessary difficulties.