All-terrain vehicle (ATV) enthusiasts love riding throughout the year. Neither the smoldering sun nor the heavy rain stops them from testing trails. And neither does snow! If you are someone who is excited to gear up for an adventurous ride through white carpets of snow, you need to first prepare for the elements. But how?
- Battery
If you plan to keep the battery in your quad during the winter season, you’ll want to consider spending a bit on a new battery specifically for the winter season. You’ll also want a good smart charger as cold weather takes a toll on your battery. Make sure to buy a universal battery charger for ATVs to be certain it will work for you.
Tip: If you don’t ride too often another way of protecting your battery from cold is by keeping it inside your home to keep it warm while not in use.
- Fuel
In cold weather, water tends to condense inside the fuel tank creating big problems for you. Moisture inside the tank prevents the engine from starting. Also, the cold weather increases the chances of water getting frozen in the fuel lines. This completely prevents the gas from reaching the engine, again preventing the vehicle from starting or giving it a rough run.
The best tip to prevent this from happening is by adding a fuel stabilizer to your gas, which will keep it functioning as the temperature drops. Adding a fuel stabilizer is a sure-fire way of enjoying a smooth and adventurous ride cutting through the snow.
To use it, add a little to the bottom of your gas container and then add more fuel on top to help the stabilizer mix in with the fuel then pour into the gas tank. Keep the engine running for a few minutes to allow it to reach the fuel lines.
- Engine oil
A good quality engine oil facilitates easy starting and enough power to ride on the snow. If the quality of your engine oil is compromised, you may not be able to enjoy your ride at all.
Make sure you keep changing the oil frequently to avoid any engine oil-related issues throughout the winter season. Also, change the oil filters frequently to further smoothen your ride.
- Spark plugs
Even if you miss replacing the spark plugs during the winter season, it won’t affect your ATV riding experience. But, if you are pondering over changing the spark plugs, the right time is to schedule it just before the onset of the winter season to make it easy for you to start your ATV in extremely cold weather.
- Air filter
The most amount of dust and debris buildup happens in your air filters. And, when you ride in the snow, it can also get pulled into them. When the moisture from the snow mixes with the dust it forms mud, hindering the flow of air in your engine, compromising its function.
For a better ride, before riding in the snow, clean or replace the air filters to avoid this.
- Tires
Sometimes gaining traction becomes a big problem while riding on snow. But, you can easily manage it by keeping your tires a little under-inflated to increase the surface area that comes in contact with the ground, thereby gaining more traction. Also, with a less inflated tire, you create a larger more flat surface on the tire’s bottom where it sits on the surface of the snowmaking the ATV sit more on top of the snow rather than sinking into it. This trick easily works for all models of ATVs.
Alternatively, you can consider getting studded tires or tire chains for winter riding as well to improve your traction and grip.
The bottom line
Summer, rain, autumn, winter — an ATV enthusiast knows how to enjoy every season with their beloved quad. Now that you know how to prepare your ATV for the chilly winter season, cold-proof it and enjoy your ATV riding in the snow.
