Flat tires are inevitable when it comes to riding UTVs. At one point or another, you’ll likely find yourself on the trail needing to change a tire. While being prepared with a jack and the necessary spare parts and tools is ideal, it’s also not always realistic. Many riders find themselves mountainside with very few tools and a flat tire. Thankfully there are unconventional ways to get the job done.
Learn how you can change a flat tire on the trail below.
Don’t Have a Jack? No Sweat!
If you’re on an excursion and find yourself with a flat tire, but don’t have a jack, don’t worry! You have a few options. Take a look at your surroundings and use your environment to help!
Find a Rock — It doesn’t have to be a rock. A log, mound, humanmade dirt pile, or anything similar will work just as well. Anything that is sturdy, large, and allows you to park one tire on and the other three tires off will work. You might have to try a couple of times to get the angle just right, but, in theory, you should be able to put the weight of your machine on the other three tires so you can work on the fourth.
Use Your Winch — A popular method among avid UTV adventurers involves your winch, a friend, and their machine. Find your flat tire and have your buddy park on the opposite side of you. Extend their winch over your cage. Next, anchor their winch line to the top of your cage on the same side as your flat. Now, carefully have your friend pull in their winch to lift your machine off of the flat. If you are riding solo and you can’t find a boulder or something to else, you can always find a strong tree with an even stronger branch to winch up.
Construct a Ramp — For this method, you need to find a couple of logs. Put one log on top of the other to make a “T.” You’ll be able to drive up the ramp so that your skid plate rests on the inclined log. Make sure your suspension is not resting on the angled log, but your skid plate! FYI — this method works best for front tires.
Supplies to Bring Along
We know it’s easier to leave tools and other spare parts in the garage than to pack them in your UTV. However, it might be worth it to pack them, just in case you run into trouble. In a perfect scenario, you would have everything you need to change a flat easily but rarely do things go perfectly. At the very least, bring along a tire plug kit and, if you can, a small air compressor to make your life easier.
Contact TerraRider UTV Windshields
Before you head out on your next UTV excursion, make sure to take a few tricks up your sleeve to help you return to adventuring. The experts at TerraRider UTV Windshields are here to help. Check out our online shop. We carry a wide range of windshields and accessories for your favorite past time. We have everything your UTV needs for an exciting adventure. Contact us today!
