Ask The Editors: How to Mount A Stubborn Tire
Dear ATVC:
I was recently attempting to mount a new tire on my ATV’s rim and couldn’t get the bead to seat for anything. It seemed like my compressor wasn’t putting out enough air pressure to get the bead to “pop” into place. Have you ever encountered this and if so how do you remedy it?
Absolutely- this is a very common occurrence and one that is certainly not limited only to ATV tires/ wheels. In that situation you describe, these are some universal tips that should make a job a tad bit easier.
For starters we assume you removed the core out of the valve stem before attempting to inflate said tire with your compressor? Assuming so, a tire lubricant such as that from Rema can go a long way in creating a seal around the bead so that it’ll grab with less air pressure- in a pinch a soapy water solution can also be implemented.
For really tough tires, we have actually relied upon a heavy duty ratchet strap positioned around the tire during mounting. Ratchet/tighten the strap to compress the outside of the tire to hold the bead in place as you inflate. This is especially useful in those situations where you can almost get one side mounted only to discover that the opposite side was pulled out of place to do so.
If, after attempting all these techniques, you are still unable to get the tire mounted, we’ve had great success using mini tire changing machines from Harbor Freight for around $40.
If that doesn’t do the trick, you can take your rim and tire to an automotive/motorcycle service center to be mounted professionally for anywhere between $5 and $30 each.
