ATVs, for many of us, are a massive part of our lives. We enjoy them as much as we possibly can, taking every spare moment to enjoy the wind in our face and riding over mountains and hills.
We even instill the love of ATVs into our children and create generations of ATV riders, enjoying a few hours or entire weekends in the great outdoors. But with all this enjoyment comes the downside, the need to regularly maintain your ATV and, when needed, carry out any repairs or replacements.
These tasks can be tedious, challenging, and often leave us frustrated, especially when mounting tires. It can be a tricky task, especially if you have never had to do it, and it leaves you wondering, where do I even begin?
You could have a mechanic mount your tires, but who wants to pay the extra fee? So what can you do? Well, you can stick with us, for we will walk you through how to mount tires to your ATV!
No longer will you be at the mercy of mechanics or struggling in your garage! Just keep reading to find out how to mount ATV tires today!
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How To Mount ATV Tires
Before we get into it, it’s worth noting that all ATVs are slightly different, and mounting the tires can vary depending on the make and model of your ATV. We have tried to provide you with a general guide that should apply to most ATVs.
However, it’s always best to check your user manual for the ATV if you are unsure. It will provide you with specific information about your ATV and often offer advice and tips about maintenance, such as mounting tires.
You can usually download a copy online, too, if you cannot locate your user manual. These can be helpful manuals to have, so we recommend keeping yours at hand whenever carrying out work on your ATV!
Now that we have covered that, let’s get into mounting those tires!|
What You Need
To mount tires on your ATV, you are going to need some tools and equipment. It’s all fairly easy to get hold of and reasonably priced, too, so it can be done on a budget if needed. To mount your tires, you will need the following.
- Tire spoons – at least two, but three is best. These will help peel the tire sidewall over the wheel.
- Valve stem tool – this tool allows you to remove the guts of the valve stem with ease. It helps make the process safer and more efficient too!
- Soap/lubricant – you can use household dish soap mixed in a spray bottle with water or WD-40. You can also use Simple Green. It’s biodegradable, smells lovely, doesn’t stain your floor, and it’s slippery!
- Air compressor – it will inflate the ATV tire and seat bead, making it an essential tool! We recommend avoiding portable compressors as these inflate too slowly and won’t provide the volume of air you need.
If you don’t have these items, you can purchase them at a hardware store or online, usually without costing too much. Once you have them, you can begin mounting your tires onto your ATV!
How To Mount Tires (Step-By-Step)
Follow our step-by-step guide to mount your tires onto your ATV. remember that all ATVs are different, and you might need to make some adjustments for the guide to work for your ATV.
Have your tires and tools at the ready before you begin too! Ensure that you have some protective clothing on too. If possible, lift the ATV above the floor, but this isn’t overly essential.
Step 1: Install The Valve Stem
To benign, lube the valve stem and position it inside the wheel. You will want to thread the valve stem tool onto the valve stem and give it a firm tug. The stem will then pop onto the wheel and seat itself. If not, give it another firm tug and check to see if it pops off.
Remove the valve stem tool from the valve stem once it’s popped and use it to remove the valve stem’s guts. Doing this ensures the job is quicker and more efficient. It’s also safer than leaving the guts there!
Set the tools and guts to one side. It’s best to leave them in a safe place, ready for use later.
Step 2: Check Your Tire Is Directional
This is an important step and an important thing to know. To do this, check the sidewall of the tire for an arrow. If an arrow is there, it means the tire is directional. If not, it’s non-directional; whether it’s directional or not impacts how you will mount it to your ATV.
Directional tires need to be mounted with the arrow facing forward rotation. They can be mounted either on the left or right side, providing the arrow points forward when the tire rotates.
You don’t have to worry as much with non-directional tires; they can be placed in any way. Check beforehand to avoid any issues when it comes to mounting your tires!
Choosing between directional or non-directional tires is a personal choice, but if you are unsure, we recommend doing your research or seeing if your manual lists a tire preference for your ATV.
Step 3: Clean And Lube The Tire
Now it’s time to clean and lube the tire bead. You want the bead to be free of debris that could impact its performance or your mounting of the tire. Use the soap that we mentioned earlier to clean the bead and ensure it is fully cleaned before lubricating it.
Lubricate both the inside and outside beads of the tire. You want them to be slippery so you can slip them over the wheel with ease. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for a very difficult task!
Step 4: Positioning Time
Next, you will want to position the tire on the wheel of your ATV correctly. There will be a dished-in section on the inner surface of your wheel, designed to create a void. This void will give the bead of the tire space to fall into, offsetting the tire. It also offers additional space for the bead to slip over the wheel.
Before mounting your tire, you will want to ensure it is in the correct position to ensure a smooth installation. If needed, check your user manual or online tutorials if you prefer a visual guide here.
Step 5: Mount The Tire
The time has come to mount your tire! Depending on the tire and wheel package, you can do this one of two ways. If you have a stiff-walled six-ply tire, it can be easier to leave the tire on the garage floor.
Here you will push the tire over the wheel but only do this if it is easier for you. The last thing you want to do is cause more work for yourself!
Step 6: Tire Spoon The Bead
The final tire bead must be pried over the wheel using tire spoons. It’s best to put some lubricant on the bead again and use a tire spoon to pry it over the wheel. Some people choose to stand on that portion of the tire, pushing the bead down into the void of the wheel.
It does make prying the rest of the wheel easier, although it isn’t essential. It’s best to use two or three tire spoons, working your way around the tire until the whole head is over the wheel.
Step 7: Seat The Bead
Your tire won’t be able to hold air until the bead is seated firmly onto the wheel. To do this, lube the tire bead again, and inflate with air. Use your air compressor to do this, taking care not to exceed the maximum inflation pressure.
You can check what the maximum pressure is on the sidewall of the tire. It is usually stamped here so that you can check quickly! If you aren’t sure, you can search the make and model of your tire and usually find the answer this way.
As the tire inflates with air, the inner and outer beads will seat themselves. You should hear two loud pops if done correctly! Keep a listen out and ensure you are working in a quiet space to avoid missing them (they are pretty loud, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much).
After the tire pops, you can let the air out and deflate the tire. Even with no air in the tire, the bead should remain seated.
Step 8: Inflate The Tire
The end is near! Now the air is out of the tire, reinstall the valve stem guts using the valve stem tool. You can use the air compressor to inflate the tire to your desired pressure.
When finished, place the valve stem camps on to keep it free of debris! And like that, you are done! Your tire is mounted, and you can repeat the steps if necessary to mount more tires to your ATV!
Related Reading:
- How Do You Change An ATV Tire?
- How to Bypass An ATV Ignition Switch
- How to Break the Bead On An ATV Tire
- The Cost of ATVs in 2024
- How to Read ATV Tire Sizes
