How to Change ATV Tires

Can You Change ATV Tires Yourself?

The short answer—yes. Feel free to go about your day.

A slightly longer answer is yes, you can absolutely change ATV tires on your own. And while some prefer to leave tire changing to the professionals, with a bit of know-how, some elbow grease, and a few tools, you can remove old ATV tires and mount the new ones yourself.

Is it Hard to Replace ATV Tires?

No. With the right tools, swapping out your old treads for a new set isn’t difficult, but the process will take some patience and work on your part. Block out some time, put on some tunes, and grab a drink. If you have a buddy that is willing to help, things will go even faster.

Changing Your ATV Tires

Before you start, make sure you have a safe space to work. A clear, flat surface that you have enough room to maneuver in is ideal. Once you have your space, make sure you have a jack or another way to elevate the ATV to take the weight off the tires.

1. Collecting the Necessary Tools

There are only a handful of tools that you will need to change your ATV tires. Before you begin, gather them together and ensure that they are all in good working order.

Pry Bar

First and foremost is the tire pry bar. A pry bar is used both for removing an old tire off of a rim and mounting a new tire onto the rim—you won’t get very far without one.

Sometimes referred to as a mount or demount tool, pry bars have a smooth, curved end designed to get between the tire and rim and do minimal damage to your rim.

Bead Breaker Tool

Over time, a tire bead can get “frozen” to the rim and ends up requiring a good amount of force to remove. Bead breaker tools are designed to pry the bead down and away from the rim, giving you the leverage you need to break the bead and remove the old tire.

Air Tire Bead Seater

When it comes time to get your new tire onto the bead, a blast of high pressure air can make the process easier. The easiest way to get some high pressure air is with a tire bead seater.

The tire bead seater is a small air tank that you fill with an air compressor. It has a wide nozzle designed to squeeze between the tire and rim and instantly release the air into the tire, seating the bead and allowing for normal inflation.

Bead Holder

Bead holders hold the tire bead down below the rim as you work the tire around the rim during installation. Having one or two of these little guys can save you a ton of frustration.

Dish Soap

Hopefully you have dish soap on hand somewhere in your house. Mix some dish soap and water, put it in a spray bottle, and you’ve got the preferred tire bead lubricant. It’s a cheap and easy way to help you mount an ATV tire and seat the bead.

Manual Tire Changer

A manual tire changer is a good way to get everything you need in one package. It comes with pry bars and a bead breaker, while also acting an anchor point that you can mount your rim to. There are affordable manual tire changer options available that can help make the tire replacement process easier.

Tire Changing Machine

A tire changing machine is a top-of-the-line shop tool—not a requirement. If you have access to one, by all means take advantage, but odds are a hydraulic machine designed to get tires on and off in five minutes flat is more than you need for your personal garage.

They’re pricey, but effective. This is what we use daily at SuperATV.

ATV Tire Set

Choosing the right tires is important for getting the performance you want out of every ride. That’s why we stock a variety of tire types, from all-purpose all-terrain tires for those who go from forest paths to rocky trails to mud holes to dirt and concrete roads, to purpose-built mud tires designed to get you through the worst (and best) of the muck.

Check out all of our tire options—and our tire size guide—to find the perfect fit for your rig!

2. Breaking the Bead

To remove the tire that’s already on the rim, you need a bead breaker and these steps:

• Let the air out of the tires
• Slip the scooped end of your bead breaker bar between the tire and the rim
• Pull down toward the tire with your weight on the opposite end of the tire. The bead should separate
• Repeat these steps all the way around the tire until it falls away
• If the tire doesn’t fall away from the wheel, turn the wheel over and repeat these steps on the opposite side

3. Removing the Old Tire

More often than not, the tire will still be wrapped around the rim. To make removal easier, grab your pry bar and soap solution.

• Spray down the bead of your tire with a soapy solution—this will help it slide over the rim
• Take the flat end of your pry bar and insert it between the rim and the tire (tip: use some rags to avoid scratching up the rim)
• Pry up to pull the tire over the rim 
• Work your way around the tire, prying up as you go. A second pry bar can be used to help hold the tire so it doesn’t slip back under the rim
• Once you get the top of the tire over the rim, the other bead should come up easily

4. Mounting Your New ATV Tire

This step is the most difficult. If you want to take a break, get a drink, or eat a sandwich, now is the time.

• Check the orientation of your tire. Most have a forward and a backward direction for maximum traction and cleanout
• Fit the tire onto the wheel, working the bottom bead onto the rim by hand
• Use your soapy solution along with a pry bar to get the top bead below the rim. Hook the pry bar under the rim and over the bead. Pull down
• Work your way around the rim. Use a second pry bar or bead holders to keep the bead from popping back up
• Fill your tire bead seater up with air using a compressor, put the rubber nozzle between the rim and the bead, then open the valve to seat the bead 
• Once you get all four tires on, you’re good to go! Inflate them to the recommended psi, install them on your vehicle, and take them out for a spin

Hitting The Trails With Fresh Rubber

There’s nothing quite like the first solid ride on new treads, and finding the perfect set for your ATV is as easy as heading over to SuperATV and checking out our selection. If you’re looking for anything else to upgrade your rig, we’ve got you covered there too. From wheels to heavy-duty axles to lift kits and much more, there’s something for every ATV.

Questions? Looking for assistance on choosing the best tire for your machine? Don’t hesitate to get in touch—we look forward to hearing from you and helping in any way we can.