Can You Increase ATV Tire Size? Main Things To Consider 2023

To increase ATV tire size is among one of the most usual adjustments ATV owners make to their vehicles. Most of the riders do so to boost offroad efficiency. Some do it for looks, while others may be wishing to boost their ATV's top speed.

Yet when it concerns tires and also speed, bigger is not constantly much better. So do larger tires make an ATV better?

Installing larger tires on an ATV can enhance the top-end speed when riding on a straight flat. But it will certainly likewise adversely impact low and also mid-range velocity as well as handling, making the bike slower in the majority of riding situations. It will add more stress to the ATV suspension as well as the drivetrain.

Tire Size And Also ATV Efficiency

The expression "larger is far better" does not always hold, especially concerning ATV tires. There are special conditions such as deep mud, heavy snow or rugged terrain where the extra ground clearance is handy.

Nevertheless, on a day-to-day basis, the advantage you get is purely cosmetic. If you make use of a bigger tire, you ought to make sure that your ATV can withstand the tension of bigger tires. You might also need to make some alterations to your ATV to suit much heavier tires.

Large-scale ATV tires are generally dramatically much heavier than stock tires. This factor is a significant one to think about, as additional stress obtains put on numerous parts. The result is that the extra tire elevation and weight can have a bearing on vehicle efficiency.

What Dimension Tire Will Fit My ATV?

Bigger tires can assuredly aid you to push on clearance and also traction in sand, deep mud, snow or irregular terrain. As a basic regulation, the majority of vehicles can safely manage an increase in tire dimension one and even two sizes larger than stock.

From the manufacturing facility, our vehicles have actually been engineered to carry out and behave a certain way with a details dimension of wheel and tire combination.

An excellent general rule for an acceptable increase in tire size is 1 size bigger for vehicles 500cc or much less as well as much as 2 dimensions larger for automobiles between 500cc and 1000+ cc.

How Do I Read ATV Tire Sizes?

This is an example of ATV tire sizes. All ATV tire sizes consist of 3 sets of numbers usually by dashes (ex. 25-8-12), forward slashes (ex. 25/8/12), or with an x (ex. 25x8x12).

• 1st Number = The overall height of the tire. (such as 25x8-12 tire is 25" tall.)
• 2nd Number = The overall width of the tire. (such as 25x8-12 tire is 8" wide)
• 3rd Number = The rim diameter. (such as 25x8-12 tires are designed to mount on a 12" rim)

Adverse Impacts Of Putting Bigger Tires On Your ATV

Increasing the size of your ATV tires will definitely give your vehicle a much more aggressive appearance while boosting ground clearance and also grip.

Nevertheless, there are some negative results, which will more than likely present themselves otherwise properly addressed with high-quality aftermarket components and accessories.

Several of the possible problems are as follows:

• Loss of Low-end Acceleration
• Boosted Clutch Wear
• Tire Rub on Body Panels/ Suspension Elements
• Raised Drive Belt Wear
• Premature Drive Line Failing - As A Result Of Increased Angles
• Premature Axle Failing
• Premature Wheel Bearing Failure
• Increased Roll-Over Rate

Low-end Acceleration

With a larger tire, you get a bigger turning mass. Your heels will certainly not turn quickly from a stationary setting. This modification implies that if you need to make a flying start as in a race, you will be at a negative aspect.

In this instance, you may have to do the opposite, that is, make use of smaller-sized tires than stock tires. You will discover a smaller tire much easier to turn, and also there is likewise a reduction on duty to increase quickly. Your vehicle will certainly experience a decrease in the top-end speed.

Gearing/Low-end Torque/Clutch

With taller tires, the gear ratio obtains enhanced. A bigger ATV tire will certainly lead to a larger rotating mass from the boost in weight. The mix of both leads to a decrease in low-end torque.

Your engine will certainly require to make an extra initiative to get the wheels moving from a fixed setting. You may not have the ability to rotate tires in mud as efficiently, either.

Suspension And Drivetrain Stress

The standard drivetrain and also suspension components of ATVs will not typically take the additional tension of bigger size tires. Bigger size tires increase the weight of these components and increase the frequency of repair and maintenance.

Moving Facility Of Gravity/Poor Handling

You install larger tires to enhance your ground clearance. With the raising of the framework, the center of gravity of your ATV will likewise get elevated. The result is that the ATV becomes much more unstable while making sharp turns. The transforming span additionally gets minimized as a result of increased elevation as well as the weight of the tires raising guiding effort. It ends up being harder to steer your ATV. So, the trail riding abilities of your ATV obtain adversely influenced by larger tires.

May Void Supplier's Warranty

Because of the issues that might happen as a result of altering tire size, makers put particular constraints. Although a slight increase in tire size might be able, to examine the warranty terms.

Each supplier will have a different set of terms. Warranty that you are within permissible limits with any type of modifications that you propose to do. Also, inspect if the brand-new tires are able as per the warranty terms. Obviously, if your ATV has crossed the warranty duration, after that the option is your own.

How To Solve ATV Tire Dimension Problems?

Since we understand the prospective negative effects, allow us to explore the remedies to these troubles to ensure that we can securely and also successfully run those big meaty and hostile tires.

Gear Decrease And Clutch Kits

The taller or the larger the tire that you install on your ATV, the higher the gear ratio will become. Larger tires will additionally be heavier as well as will have a larger turning mass, which will certainly burglarize low-end torque and power. Your engine will stress tougher to get the wheels rolling as well as when at speed, you will be great up until you encounter a challenge such as deep sand or mud, where the capability to spin the tires quickly in mud will be reduced.

The solution to these issues will certainly be a gear decrease package or the installment of a clutch set. These services are various so pick the kits which will certainly best serve your needs.

• Gear Reduction Kits will certainly allow the wheels to spin much faster.
• Clutch Kits will permit the engine to rev higher prior to involvement.

KEEP IN MIND: Please keep in mind that both of the above repairs will certainly trigger a loss in total top speed.

Suspension Lift Kits

When you want to go with even larger ATV tires, you will certainly need to start changing your machine. The first thing that you will need to look at is a suspension lift kit. A lift kit will raise the suspension higher to offer more area for the tire to fit beneath. It will certainly also give you much more ground clearance on top of that the clearance obtained from the bigger tires.

The size of the lift kit that you set up depends upon just how big of tires you desire. With a larger maker, the sky really is the limit if you are willing to purchase the sturdy components to support the lift package and added weight of the bigger tires.

Wheel Spacers

ATV wheel spacers aren't just for bigger tires. They are usually helpful for taller tires too. The larger size of the tire makes it a lot more vulnerable to scrubbing while turning. The wheel spacer can prolong the wheel even more from the shocks and shows off as well as the exhaust for correct clearance.

ATV wheel spacers can also help make your ATV extra secure. With the added ground clearance, the center of mass is additionally elevated, making the machine more vulnerable to tipping.

With the wheels spaced larger, the weight of the ATV is distributed even more equally, which makes it extra stable in edges. This effect can also be achieved by readjusting the balanced out of your ATV wheel, but that does require to be done very carefully.

Heavy-Duty Suspension And Drivetrain Components

With every one of the additional weight of a bigger tire and also the boosted angles from the added elevation, there is a great deal of additional stress being placed on the drivetrain and suspension.

It is a good suggestion to upgrade these parts, consisting of axles, CV joints and also shocks to help stop sped-up wear triggered by the rise in anxiety. Without an upgrade, these parts will break a lot faster and also can even fail with excessive stress.

Things To Consider When You Increase ATV Tire Size

The stock tire dimension on your ATV is especially built as well as selected for the engine dimension, suspension geometry, and also the transmission's capacity to spin that wheel as well as tire combo.

But in the future, you might wish to add a different set of wheels, and opportunities are you'll likewise intend to get a better-than-stock tire for those new rims. When you consider including a larger tire or choosing various rims, there are several things you must think about.

1. Keep in mind the offset of the wheel itself, and attempt to stay with the exact same or similar balanced out. In nonprofessional's terms, the offset of the wheel is how far the edge embeds as well as of its mounting factor when on the device. This number can determine just how the steering functions. Wheels that are a lot more balanced out outside can make it tougher to turn the manage bars, while way too much inward balanced out might bind on various other elements.

2. Pick an affordable tire size. Wanting a big 4X4 look can come with a high price, so make sure your maker has the space in the fender to roll as well as turn that large tire. The majority of stock-size ATVs can stand wheels that increase size or two without scrubbing on a regular surface, but when the suspension begins to really strive as well as the wheels bounce up and down, it's a various tale.

3. Take into consideration aftermarket heavy-duty axles to go with your brand-new wheels as well as tires. Oversized tires and wheels not only take a toll on the power plant, yet the driveline as well. CV axles will use quicker-- as well as some extremely too soon-- because they are currently needing to rotate the larger tire at your command, and simply can't take care of the strain. So think about the durable axles now (or at least sooner as opposed to later). If you have a belt-driven transmission, this too may require to be upgraded to rotate the bigger tires.

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Rodney L Herron

Rodney L is a technical writer and product consultant with over a decade of experience in the motor industry. Rodney is a fan of performance machines that run fast and loud and an expert in all things custom. His numerous articles and write-ups are available at our knowledge base. Whether it’s something wrong with your motorcycle or you are building a custom bike, you can trust Rodney’s experience.