Which Tire Size Should You Run On Your ATV or UTV?

July 29, 2026

Wheels & Tires

Which Tire Size Should You Run On Your ATV or UTV?

Once you've picked out the perfect ATV or UTV for you, you'll need to figure out which tires will be best for it, in order to keep your machine athletic, controlled, and comfortable on even the harshest terrains. So, today we want to help you out - we'll be going through which tire size you should be running on your ATV or UTV. After all, tire sizes and fitment are always big questions around the ATV and UTV and side by side scenes, so today we'll be making things a bit easier to understand. Let's jump right in!

01Why Should You Upgrade The Tire Size On Your ATV or UTV?

Obviously, all ATVs and UTVs come with a certain or common wheel and tire size from the manufacturers, and you can always replace your OEM's setup with some aftermarket wheels or tires in the same size if you want a direct swap.

Of course, upgrading to a larger wheel or tire can offer several benefits, one of which is ground clearance. With bigger tires, you're gaining more ground clearance, which is always a win in many ways for anyone off-roading, or finding that their set is causing them to bottom out, scrape on rocks, or struggle to jump some logs on the trails.

Another benefit is directed towards the wheel specifically, and that's more clearance around the hub and brake components. Most of the time, OEM wheels are very tight around all the components down there when mounted up, and have you ever seen the inside of a wheel all scuffed and scraped up? That's most likely because of rocks being caught in some of the tight gaps there. So, by running a bigger wheel, they obviously allow for more ground clearance around the brake components to avoid rocks getting stuck in them and destroying the inside of the wheel.

02How To Read ATV and UTV Tire Sizes

Before we get into how big you can go, it helps to understand what the numbers on your tires actually mean. ATV and UTV tire sizes are written in a three number format, something like 27x10-12. The first number is the overall tire height in inches, the second number is the tire width in inches, and the third number is the wheel diameter in inches. So a 27x10-12 tire is 27 inches tall, 10 inches wide, and fits a 12 inch wheel. Once you know how to read ATV tire sizes, it becomes a lot easier to understand what you're upgrading from and what you're upgrading to.

03What Size Should You Upgrade The Wheels And Tires On Your ATV To?

One size doesn't fit all on every ATV, UTV, or side by side, so the specific sizes for your build will vary depending on what you have and what you're looking to do on the trails. But as a general rule of thumb, one size above stock is always safe to do, and sometimes you can bump it up two sizes and still run bigger tires without a lift kit. Going beyond that is where you start running into clearance issues, and a lift kit becomes part of the conversation. You'll need to consider if you want to run a block set up or staggered setup.

With taller tires, though, you may need to keep an eye on the width you choose, mainly up front to avoid ATV tire rubbing against your fenders or suspension components. And that's where our gallery comes in - as we encourage more and more people to add their machines to our online gallery, more and more builds in different sizes will be there for you to check out and verify that your coveted wheel and tire setup will fit.

It's also worth knowing that bigger tires can affect your clutch and drivetrain. The added diameter and weight means your engine is working harder to turn them, which is why you'll often hear people talk about getting a clutch kit or regearing when they go up significantly in tire size. Going one or two sizes up typically doesn't require any of that, but it's good to be aware of as you start planning your build.

We don't want you to take this to mean that you can only go up one or two sizes for your wheels and tires, but just know that going up much more than that will cause some fitment issues, and you may need a lift kit to accommodate the bigger setup. The terrain you're riding also plays a role here. All terrain ATV tires in a slightly larger size can make a noticeable difference on the trails without requiring any modifications at all, which is a great starting point for most riders.