ATV Tire Tips for Maximum Performance

The right ATV tires for the right conditions
get the job done

A new set of ATV or UTV tires will give you an unbelievable performance gain over the stock tires it came from the factory with. Whereas stock tires are multi-purpose and therefore average on all surfaces but great on none, a replacement set will be purpose-designed for particular types of terrain, such as mud, sand, snow, dirt, etc.

However, if you fine tune your ATV tires you’ll get even more performance 9and enjoyment) from them. Here are a few tips from the pros on getting the most from your tires and your ATV.

Sand Tires

• Riding on sand requires lower tire pressures than on dirt/mud, these pressures will change with changes in temperature altitude so monitor pressures throughout the day.
• The drier the sand, the lower the tire pressure needs to be.
• Paddle tires are the best for sand, however riders inexperienced with sand may prefer the feel of knobby tires until they have developed sand riding skills.

Mud Tires

Quadboss make tires especially
for mud and trail riding

• For extreme mud riding get tires with taller, well-spaced lugs.
• Use tire pressures to keep tire circumferences the same (side-to-side) for optimal performance.
• To reduce floating and maintain traction in wet mud/bogs fill tires with water.

Snow Tires

• Snow studs placed towards the outer edges of a tire clear snow more effectively and prevent it packing with snow and ice.
• Screw a nylon nut onto each snow stud on the inside of the tire to reduce the chance of them pulling out.

Dirt Tires

The ITP Tundra Cross is a studded
tire for snow and icy conditions

• Tires with taller knobby tread are better at finding traction in loose surfaces and mud but have a smaller contact patch on compacted surfaces and have more tendency to roll.
• Higher tire pressures are worse for traction but put less stress on the engine, lower pressures provide better traction but are tougher on the engine.

By John Bone