When Should You Replace Your UTV Tires?

Having the right set of tires on your machine can be the difference between a fun ride and getting stuck in the mud… Unless you love pulling winch rope, then getting stuck might be your idea of a “fun ride”. Every rider wants something different from their machine and they’ll need the tires to match. For a farmer, a set of Maxxis Carnivore tires might do the job, but they won’t be great for deep mud riding. So when should you replace your UTV tires?

Your tires are starting to wear down

The most important thing to consider is safety. 

If your tires are starting to show their age, it’s time to think about getting a new pair. No matter what you’re using your machine for, having a tire blow can leave you in an uncomfortable, if not dangerous situation.

UTV tires are not designed like your car tires. Your off-road tires are designed to handle much more rugged assignments. In exchange for this, they can wear down quicker depending on the type of tire and the terrain.

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, here’s some signs that your tire needs to be replaced:

They’re showing large cracks – small, surface-level cracks aren’t really a cause for concern, deeper cracks that go far into the tire’s rubber are.

There’s a hole in them – This might sound obvious, but if your tire has been punctured, DO NOT GO RIDING. Sometimes, smaller abrasions can be patched. Generally, tire problems tend to start small but end up snowballing. If you go riding on a flat, your rims, and the rest of your UTV are in danger.

They’ve lost their tread-  If your trail tires look like sand tires, you’ve got a problem.

Weird noises – Can you hear a leak? Is there a weird vibration? A thumping? These can all be signs that there is something wrong. Sometimes you will hear something wrong before a problem becomes visible. 

To sum it up, if something looks or sounds wrong, something is wrong. It’s important to trust your gut when it comes to tires. Waiting too long to replace your tires can put you in a bad spot.

You’re changing terrains

We understand that switching tires in-between every terrain would be a ridiculous task. But if you’re looking to optimize your ride, it’s not a bad idea to look at changing your tires. One day you might be trudging through deep mud in the middle of the boreal forest while the next day you might want to go climbing sand dunes.   

There’s a reason you won’t see mud tires in the sand. Every rider needs something different from their machine. The larger treads on a mud tire might help you escape the mud but they won’t help you get the grip necessary to travel through the sand.

In addition to the loss in performance, using the wrong tires for the terrain can cause added wear and tear to your tires AND your UTV. Simply put, if the terrain is intense, you need the tires to live up to the challenge.

The season is changing

If you’re looking to take your UTV on more demanding winter rides, a tire with more traction can be helpful.

Some individuals like to change their tires with the season. Winter riding on it’s own can be challenging. The type of snow you are trying to ride through can dictate what kind of tires you may want to use. Some tires, like the Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 can give you a good overall round tire for the value in the Winter months.

General Tips

If you’re looking at buying new tires, here’s some advice on when to buy and what you should look for.

Never wait to buy new tires

Over the past several months, the entire world has been experiencing supply-chain issues. If you have a new machine on order with an OE, you know what we are talking about. 

You never want to be waiting for a new set if you are itching to go for a ride. As soon as you think you need new tires, it’s time to start looking. As soon as you know what you want, get that order in. The longer you wait to order, the longer you may have to wait to get back riding.

Buy sooner to save money

With all the supply chain problems going on in the world, it’s causing raw materials to go up in price. That means it’s costing more money for manufacturers to produce products, and therefore the costs are inevitably being transferred onto the end-user. Depending on the overall market, the longer you wait, the more your tires might cost you.

Think in advance

When you see the snow melting, and riders want to get outdoors it’s a good idea to order your tires. The closer you get to riding season, the more and more people start to order parts. If you wait too long, your UTV could be sitting in your garage with nowhere to go!

We would recommend booking an appointment to install your tires when you have a good idea of when you will receive your products. Tire shops book up fast in the Springtime, plan ahead and book your appointment well in advance.

Buy a popular brand

There are a lot of different tires on the markets. If your heart is set on one specific tire, chances are it’s going to be a special order item. Anytime something is in a special order, it potentially could take a little longer to get in. If you end up blowing one of those special tires, your riding season may be shrunk in half. 

Sometimes, it makes more sense to buy a popular brand tire, so it becomes easier for you to replace it if you have any problems.

Buy a spare tire

If you’re buying a unique brand, we’d recommend buying a spare for the reasons above. The same can be said for larger tires. Even if you’re still using stock tires, it’s never a bad idea to have a spare in case of an emergency!

Consider what you need them for

While some tires look really cool, they may not be the most practical. Before you buy, always ask yourself the question “why am I buying these?”

There are a lot of different factors to consider when shopping for tires.

Riding style, budget, availability etc. If you are not certain on what kind of tires may be right for you, give us a call at 780-986-8001, and we would be more than happy to help.