As I was doing the research for my ATV bolt pattern and tire size chart, a thought came to my mind. Could I put car tires on an ATV or UTV? The reason why I might want to do this is to save money by not having to buy multiple sets of wheels, but my research shows that putting car tires on an ATV or UTV is not a good idea.
You can’t put standard car tires on an ATV or UTV. The lug nuts are located in a different place on four-wheelers than on cars. Therefore, car tires will not fit on an ATV or UTV. The only way to make them fit is with special modifications that are not worth the time and effort. You will get off cheaper by buying regular ATV or UTV tires instead. It’s also important to highlight that by modifying car tires to fit the bolt pattern of ATVs or UTVs, you can put yourself at risk. The safety and durability of the tires will not be reliable.
Are you curious to know exactly why standard car tires don’t work with ATVs or UTVs? Read more because I’ll explain it all in detail (I’ll also include some interesting statistics).
Can You Put Car Tires on an ATV?
If you love riding ATVs and do it often, this means that you are going through a new tire set every season. This is why the idea of putting regular car tires on an ATV might pop to mind. Even though being able to use your car’s tires on your quad will help you save money, this is not possible. The car tires just won’t fit an ATV. The bolt pattern of ATV wheels is designed to enhance durability because you will be riding on rugged roads, unlike a car where you are driving on smooth roads.
Join our Facebook Group of ATV fans today to connect with a community of like-minded people. All questions you might have about ATVs will be answered in the group. Don’t miss out on the fun – CLICK HERE to join now!
While car tires might not fit an ATV, you could still make it work after doing heavy modifications to the tires. But this just wouldn’t be worth it. The amount of time you will spend modifying the car tires to fit the specific ATV bolt pattern will be too long. To make things even worse, modifying a car tire takes away from its durability and safety.
Can You Put Car Tires on a UTV?
Just like quads, UTVs are designed to ride on rugged roads. While it might be legal to take UTVs on the street, their tire sizes and bolt patterns are different from cars. Therefore, you can’t put car tires on a UTV. The measurements will not match.
Can You Put Street Tires on a UTV?
One of the great things about UTVs is their versatility. Take the UTV models that Kubota makes, for example. They can be used for both off-road racing and for driving on regular roads. As a result, you can put street tires on a UTV. There are lots of premium tire manufacturers that offer street tires for UTVs. What makes them different than regular tires is that they are not designed for off-road riding. They can get a better grip on pavement and are approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for use on public streets.
Can You Put Car Rims on a Four-Wheeler?
Regular car rims will not fit a four-wheeler. The bolt pattern and even tire size are different on an ATV than on a car. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to ride with stock rims. There are lots of great looking rims that are built for four-wheelers. You just have to make sure that they match your ATV model’s specific bolt pattern. Even if you have an emergency such as a flat tire on an ATV, you still shouldn’t use a car tire. Patching ATV tires is not complicated and it’s a much better option.
Can You Put ATV Tires on a Car?
If you have a roadside emergency and are considering using an ATV tire on a car, you should know that this is not a good idea. Chances are that the ATV tire will not fit the car and if it somehow does, it’s not safe to do it. ATV tires are designed to ride on very low air pressure and low loads. In general, a four-wheeler weighs 220 to 1,200 pounds. On the other hand, a regular car is over 4,000 pounds. As you can imagine, the tire will pop under the pressure of a car.
Can I Put a Wider Tire on an ATV?
In general, ATVs can support tire sizes that are one or two sizes wider than the stock model. Therefore, you can put a wider tire on an ATV. However, you need to make sure that it doesn’t touch any other parts. If you to get a really wide set of tires for your ATV, you might need to make some serious modifications to prevent rubbing.
Why are UTV Tires Smaller in the Front?
UTVs have smaller tires in the front because they make steering easier. The bigger tires are located in the back because they can generate more friction and provide powerful torque. Another benefit of having smaller tires in front of UTVs is that they offer better stability and increased traction when taking sharp corners.
However, there are some downsides to this design. The most annoying one is that the tires will wear out unevenly. This means that you can’t always purchase a set of 4-tires and get a good deal for your UTV’s maintenance. Another downside that needs to be highlighted is the speedometer inaccuracy. The different size of the wheels makes it challenging for the speedometer to give accurate readings.
Final Words
In conclusion, I would always recommend against using car tires on an ATV or UTV. Even though modifying car tires to put them on an ATV might save you some money right now, this can cost you a fortune in the long run. The tire can break and the four-wheeler will get some serious damage or even worse, you could get hurt. In addition, you should make sure always to wear protective gear when riding ATVs, UTVs, or dirt bikes.
