Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 345 Chapter 16 ∣ Wheels and Tires American Suzuki Motor Corporation Figure 16-44. Installing an ATV tubeless tire. When installing a tubeless tire, proceed as follows: 1. Clean the rim bead seat and fl anges. Lubricate the tire bead seat, rim fl anges, and base with soapy water or a suitable tire lubricant. 2. Before mounting the tire on the wheel, inspect the sealing portion of the wheel. Be sure to install the tire on the rim with the arrow on the sidewall pointing in the direction of rotation or with the tire tread pattern in the proper direc- tion. On ATVs and UTVs, be certain that the outer side of the wheel rim faces the outside this is the side with the valve stem. 3. Install the tire on the wheel rim by hand, as shown in Figure 16-44. To simplify the installation, do so at a point where the rim shoulder width is the narrowest (the drop center portion of the wheel rim). Use tire tools sparingly. 4. Before installing the valve core, inspect it carefully. Th en infl ate the tire to seat the tire bead. Th e maximum pressure for seating the bead is usually indicated on the sidewall. Do not infl ate the tire beyond this pressure. Th e tire could burst with suffi cient force to cause severe injury. 5. Check the “rim line” molded on the tire sidewalls. It must be equally spaced from the wheel rim all the way around. If the distance between the rim line and the wheel rim varies greatly, the bead is not properly seated. Defl ate the tire completely and unseat the bead for both sides. Coat the bead with lubricant and try again. Note When installing tubeless tires, you might hear a loud pop as the bead seats on the rim. This is normal. If air leaks out from between the rim and bead of a tubeless tire, let the wheel stand with the valve at the bottom and put air in while pushing down on the tire. For instructions on installing tires on spoke rims, check the appropriate service manual. Warning Any attempt to mount passenger car tires on a motorcycle rim may cause the tire bead to separate from the rim with enough explosive force to cause serious injury or death. Repairing a Flat Tire A punctured tube tire can usually be repaired by installing a new tube. Be sure to remove the object that caused the puncture and thoroughly inspect the tire for sidewall damage, ply separation, and any condition that might make it unsafe. Warning Patching a punctured or damaged inner tube can cause an unsafe condi- tion. This is especially true of road bike tires. Always fit a new inner tube when repairing a flat or replacing a damaged tire with a new tire. Tubeless tires with less than 5/8″ (15.88 mm) damage can be repaired with a spe- cial plug patch kit. Repairs for tires with damage greater than 5/8″ (15.88 mm) should be done by a professional tire repair shop. Ideally, tires with this extent of damage should be replaced. On street motorcycles and scooters, damaged tubeless tires should be replaced