As an ATV owner, it is crucial to have the right maintenance products for the proper care and upkeep of your vehicle. Various maintenance tasks require specific products to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank to get the tools you need. Many ATV owners may already have some of the tools required for routine maintenance in their garage. Take inventory of what you have and identify any gaps.
However, there may be a few specialty tools that can greatly improve your ATV maintenance experience, making it easier and more efficient. Consider investing in these specific tools to save time and effort when performing maintenance tasks.
The seven things I recommend that every ATV owner have to maintain their quad:
- These T-Handle Wrenches – They come in very handy, and make your job easier.
- This Torque Wrench is a must-have to prevent damaging your quad.
- This ATV Center Stand – Get to hard-to-reach areas easier, and bring the ATV up to work on it.
- This Heavy Duty Tire Inflator – Inflate tires with ease.
- This Air Pressure Gauge – Precise air pressure measurements.
- A Tire Plug Kit – Fix a hole in a tire, save you money.
- A Spark Plug Wrench – Make easy work of removing stubborn spark plugs.
Once you equip yourself with the right tools, whether they are already in your garage or a few specialty additions, you can ensure that you are well-prepared to handle routine maintenance on your ATV effectively. Continue reading to learn more!
T-Handle Wrenches
You may not need a whole set of these for your ATV, but you should at least get the sizes you need. They are easy to use and hard to lose. Most good mechanics have a set of T-handles nearby for work. You could use a standard socket set for most jobs you use T-Handles for, but sockets get lost, and T-Handles are faster most of the time.
They aren’t going to break the bank either. I use this set of Pit Posse Metric T-Handles from Amazon on my quad. There are a lot of parts that are hard to reach using a regular wrench. The T-Handle fixes that problem and is my go-to tool for hard-to-reach bolts.
Torque Wrench
Your ATV was, without a doubt, built to specific tolerances. If you tighten a bolt too much or too little you could cause expensive damage to your machine. To make sure everything is tightened to factory specifications, you need to get a torque wrench.
I recommend the ACDelco 3/8″ Digital Torque Wrench found here on Amazon. This wrench reads down to 2 ft/lbs and up to 37 ft/lbs which will cover every bolt on an ATV. It’s perfect for four-wheelers.
Having your torque wrench can save you money too. I used to just tighten by hand until things felt snug. That worked for me for a while, until I snapped a bolt. I spent too much money trying to get the bolt out myself. I ended up bringing the machine into a shop, which cost me even more money.
I then wished I had just used a torque wrench, it would have been cheaper in the long run. Since getting my own torque wrench, I never have to worry if things are tight enough, or if I’m going to over tighten and snap a bolt. Money well spent!
ATV Stand
Getting a stand will just make your life easier. It brings the quad up to a comfortable working height so you can perform maintenance and keep your ATV steady.
I recommend the Zeny 1100lb Wide Center Stand from Amazon. It is an 1100-pound scissor lift jack made for motorcycles, dirtbikes, and ATVs. It is made from solid steel and has a nice rubber material on the surface to prevent slipping.
Tire Inflator
Most ATV tires should be inflated around 5-8 psi. This can be done with a simple bike pump if you want. That’s how I used to do it. It does get old pretty quickly though, and it’s nice to have an electric pump do all the work and display what pressure you’re at.
I recommend the Slime Heavy Duty Tire Inflator found here on Amazon. This is what I use, and it also works on my truck tires. We bring it with us and leave it in the truck whenever we go out riding. It comes in a handy carrying case and will hook up directly to the battery.
Air Pressure Gauge
ATV tires get filled to a lower psi than your car or truck does. I found it hard to get accurate readings using the same tire pressure gauge as I did on my truck. I decided to get a low-pressure tire gauge that would read more accurately.
I recommend this Jaco Elite Tire Pressure Gauge from Amazon. It will read down to the tenth of a pound, plenty of accuracy for ATV tires.
If you don’t set your tires to the correct pressure it could affect your handling or even cause a flat tire. This little gauge is a quick and easy way to make sure your tires are ready to go before a ride.
Tire Plug Kit
For this item, there is no need to buy an expensive fancy kit. You do need a tire plugger though. Nothing worse than a day of riding being cut short because of a flat tire. Sooner or later you’re bound to hit something that puts a hole in your tire, especially on the terrain ATVs typically ride on.
I recommend this MadDog Tire Repair And Inflation Kit found here on Amazon. With this kit, you can plug a tire and fill it up with a CO2 cartridge enough to get back to camp. I keep the kit on my ATV, and a tire inflator in the truck. This way if something does happen, I can plug the tire, fill it back up, and it doesn’t ruin my day.
Spark Plug Wrench
The spark plug on your ATV is not the same spark plug on your car or truck. And, you will most likely be changing the spark plugs in your ATVs a whole lot more often. Most new ATVs come with a factory tool kit, which includes a spark plug wrench. But I keep that one with the quad for emergencies, and it’s nice to have a ratcheting one in the garage for maintenance work.
I recommend the Motion Pro Ratchet Spark Plug Wrench from Amazon. It makes quick work of changing out a spark plug.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the recommended ATV maintenance products listed in this article are essential for every ATV owner. These T-Handle wrenches found here on Amazon will provide convenience and ease of use, while the torque wrench is best in preventing damage to the quad by ensuring proper tightening.
The ATV center stand allows for easy access to hard-to-reach areas, and the heavy-duty tire inflator simplifies tire inflation. The air pressure gauge ensures accurate pressure measurements, and the tire plug kit is a cost-saving solution for fixing tire punctures. Lastly, the spark plug wrench makes spark plug replacement a breeze.
By investing in these tools, you can efficiently maintain your quads, saving time, effort, and money in the long run.