Have you ever noticed the marking on your ATV tires? What do the numbers on ATV tires mean? Are they just some random manufacturer markings, or do they tell you something about the tire? Let’s find out.
Buying tires for your ATV is a challenging task, and you need to keep so many parameters in mind and constantly worry if the tires would even fit the wheels of your ATV. To make things worse, you feel the numbers on tires are confusing.
Well, the numbers unravel its size and the wheel size that it would fit. Here is a complete guide to understanding the numbers on the tires and knowing tricks to buy the perfect mate for your ATV wheels.
What Are ATV Tires?
ATV tires are the best to get if you’re mixing on- and -off-road driving. ATV tires are known for their ability to handle different terrains. They come with grooves and channels that distribute the load evenly, improving the traction.
This makes ATV tires ideal for off-road driving, snow and ice, sand, and other soft surfaces. They are also known for their long-lasting performance.
Modern ATV tires typically employ hybrid tread patterns and more rigid compounds to increase the wear life under mixed surface conditions.
ATV tires are best suited for light trucks, pickup trucks SUVs. Do you want comfort on the highway and peace of mind on the beaten path? If so, consider ATV tires.
ATVs are usually single rider vehicles that do not require more robust load durability. Also, tire size, tread design, and structure types are identical.
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How Can You Measure The Size Of Your ATV Tires?
The numbers marked on the ATV tires usually indicate their size. How can you measure or approximate the size of your ATV tire from the markings?
ATV tires generally follow a few standard rules for indicating their size. Whenever you buy a tire for your ATV, you must find the numeral marking.
Standard Sizes Of ATV Tires
Standard systems are more commonly seen on ATV tires than metric numbers, and their everyday use must be their simplicity. There are three numbers to measure the size of your ATV tire.
- The first number represents the height of the tire. You can measure the measurement for a fully inflated tire at optimum pressure.
- The next digit of the three number marking is the tire’s width in its total inflation.
- The third is the wheel’s width that the wheel needs to be mounted. The tire’s width is measured for the inner circle of the wheel for the tire.
The marking is the format A*B-C, where A is the height of the tire and B is the tire’s width, and C is the wheel’s width for the tire. For Example, if the tire is marked 26*7-10, then the tire’s height is 26, the width of the tire is seven, and the width of the wheel is 10 in the standard system of numeration.
Metric Sizes For ATV Tires
Even if infrequent, you might find an alphabet between the three letters indicating that the size number is written in the metric system.
While the standard system considers three parameters, the metric number system for tire size considers four parameters represented by three numeral values and one alphabet.
- The first number value is the tire’s width in its total inflation at optimum pressure for your ATV wheels. The width is measured in millimeters and generally is a three-digit value.
- The following number value is for the height of the tire’s sidewall. The sidewall is the tire’s relatively less rough surface area, which lies in between the tread and the bead.
But the height is not simply represented as a value in millimeters but as a percentage, and it is a ratio of the size of the tire’s sidewall and its width.
So if the rate is given as 70 and the width of the tires is given 250 millimeters, it simply means that the sidewall height is 70% of the width, which is 175 millimeters.
A Tire can be constructed in two ways, radial or diagonal. The names are given after the arrangement of the beads in the tire.
For radials, it is arranged end to end at right angles, while it is placed diagonally in the case of diagonals. The alphabet in the metric system indicates the construction, ‘R’ indicates radial construction, and ‘D’ diagonal construction of the beads in the tire.
- At last, the number value represents the Diameter of the wheel on which the tire could be mounted.
The Metric system of size marking on ATV tires might seem complex to the new owners, but it reveals more about the tire than the standard. The metric system tells about the aspect ratio and construction of the tire. Standard sizing is more straightforward, and you can say the size of the tire with one look at the numbers.
How To Choose The Correct Size For Your ATV?
You won’t be able to find a suitable tire for your ATV by only knowing what the numbers represent. You need to be a little more informed on the Diameter and width of the tire and your ATV Wheel to buy the tire of the perfect size for your ATV.
#1. ATV Tire Diameter
Your ATV will come with its tires. The tire size could vary widely from around 20 inches to 30 inches. Twenty inches tires fit smaller ATVs for the sports category vehicles. The maximum tire size that you could fit into these vehicles without causing any damage is 25 inches.
For the utility series of ATV, the tire sizes are more significant than between 24-and 28 inches. The ATV tires are maximum for mud-equipped models, suitable for traveling on uneven and rough roadsides. Their Tire diameter range from 27 to 30 inches.
You need to measure the tire size that came from the factory while you purchased your ATV. You do not want the tires to be too large to get damaged by the car’s body or too small that would look stupid and out of proportion.
#2. ATV Tire Width
Before buying a tire, you must consider a few things about the tire’s width.
- Your tire must fit your ATV wheels. Each tire comes with a list of recommended sizes for the wheels on which you can easily mount the tires.
- Wider tires offer flat surfaces and better grip than narrow tires of the same Diameter.
- Narrow tires offer better control than wide tires.
You can choose either wide or narrow tires based on your preference. Standard ATVs often have a wide pair of tires for their rear wheels and thin tires for their front wheels. You can gain grip and control by utilizing both types of tires for your ATV.
#3. ATV Wheel Diameter
It is the most crucial factor you need to consider while buying a tire for your ATV. Your tire must fit into your ATV Wheel, and the most common range for ATV wheels is 10-12 inches.
The wheel diameter needs to be around this range for utility cars, ATVs, etc., as it gives enough gap between the rim and the tread of the tire.
If you buy a tire more significant than your wheels, you may either replace the tires for smaller ones or the reels for bigger ones.
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What Size Tires Should You Buy For Your ATV?
You should personalize your car based on your needs. If you drive your ATV for regular use and work purposes, you should go with the tire size that came with the vehicle.
ATVs run best at their original size, so there isn’t any need to buy a bigger or smaller size for your ATV wheels.
But if you have bought the tires for traveling and hiking purposes and want to drive through sand, rocks, and mud, your ATV will need more grip. It would help if you switched to wider tires that provide a better grip on rough terrains to offer such a grip.
You may not necessarily buy larger tires, but you can upgrade your ATV by installing larger wheels to mount bigger tires. It would be expensive and a tedious job to do, and it would be best if you first decide on the function that your ATV performs daily before replacing its wheels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the numbers mean on ATV tires?
Numbers On ATV represent various parameters considered for sizing the tire. Most commonly, the numbers from left to right represent the tire height, the tire width, and the wheel’s Diameter.
What does 26×9 12 mean?
It means that the height of the tire is 26 inches, its width is 9 inches, and the Diameter of the wheel that it could fit into is 12 inches.
What do the numbers on ATV tires mean?
The Numbers on ATV tires represent a tire’s height and width and the Diameter of the wheel in standard sizing. For the metric system, the numbers represent the width of the tire, the height of the sidewalk as a percentage, and the tire’s construction.
You might also like to read: Why Is One Tire Wearing Faster? 4 Reasons Why This Might Be Happening
A Few Final Words
You can use ATV in various ways, either for sports, utility, or traveling on unknown roads with rocky terrain. Your ATV’s tire must resonate with your use and needs. It would help if you always bought wide tires for traveling as it provides better grip. You might stick to the stock tires that came with your ATV for utility uses and may want a narrow tire for better control.
Thank you for reading the article, we hope we have been able to answer all of your queries. If not, please drop us a word in the comments section. We will respond back as quickly as we can!
