How to Prepare Your ATV For Trail Riding After Winter Part 2 of 4
If your ATV sat outside uncovered all winter, your tires sustained more wear and tear than they would have if they had been stored inside or if they had been covered. After sitting all winter your tires are probably low, fill them up and thoroughly review their condition. Make sure that you fill them to the PSI recommended by the manufacturer. We have seen first hand how an over-inflated tire led to a blow out that caused a machine to roll at high speeds on a gravel road, and how under-inflated tires led to a 2 inch gash in the sidewall when the wheel hit a rock 17 miles from the truck.
You should check for:
a. Tread wear – make sure that you have enough tread left to maintain traction and control of your ATV on the terrain you plan to ride.
b. Cracks – aged tires tend to crack. Superficial cracks may not appear critical, but they are indications that the rubber has begun to break down. Tire failure can have varying impact depending on your riding technique, rider ability, and riding location. If you are going ride your machine around the ranch at moderate speeds and you ride within your ability, a blow out will have a different impact than if you are going to ride aggressively up the side of the cliff on Moab Rim.
c. Holes – some of which you might not be able to spot. If you fill your tires up and the next day they are low again you might want to fill them up and check them under water to see if you can locate a hole. Fixing holes is a fairly easy process if you have a repair kit. To fix the hole, use a rasp to rough up the edges of the hole by inserting the rasp in the hole and moving it in and out several times. Next thread a booger (a sticky piece of rubber/cloth material) through the insertion tool half way so half of the booger is hanging out on each side of the tool and cover it with rubber cement. Push the insertion tool and the booger into the hole until only about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of both sides of the booger remain on the outside. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and you should be good to go.
