How To Change A Golf Cart Tire The Right Way

Author: Christian Attlesey

Read Time: 2-3 minutes

 

 

 

When it comes to golf cart tires, people have questions.

Unfortunately, the internet is full of wrong information when it comes to answers to those questions.

Here at Golf Cart Stuff, we have been selling golf cart tires for quite some time, so we know a thing a two.

This article will walk you through the best way to change your golf cart tire. We've designed this article to be easy to follow as we walk you through each step of the process to get your tire replaced.

In addition, we answer some common questions that can arise during the replacement process. Make sure you read to the end to see our #1 tip on changing your golf cart tires.

Ready to do this thing right? Then let's go!

[ What's that!? You don't have any new tires to replace your old ones? Well, let us help you solve that problem! We've got plenty of tires for your golf cart! ]

Step 1: Remove The Old Tire

To change a golf cart tire, you will need to remove the old one, which requires a few steps. Here is an outline of the steps you will need to take.

• Step 1: Loosen the lug nuts on your golf cart wheel (DO NOT completely remove the lug nuts until the golf cart is safely and securely jacked up. See next step)

• Step 2:Jack your golf cart off the ground (use jack stands if necessary for extra safety). 
• Floor jack only: Lift the golf cart just high enough to remove the current wheel and tire combo. It is not necessary to lift the golf cart any higher than that, as any increase in height only increases the potential danger of the cart falling on you (Ouch!)

• Jack stands: Lift the golf cart high enough to get safely placed on the jack stands.

• Once your golf cart is safely off the ground, continue removing the lug nuts.

• Step 3:Remove the wheel and tire combo from your cart, and thank the tire for its many years of service.

• Step 4:Use a valve stem removal tool (found at any automotive store) and remove the valve stem from the tire stem. You should hear something like this... "PSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

• Step 5:Break the bead on the golf cart tire.
• How do you break the bead on a golf cart tire, you ask? Let us tell you!
• Once the valve stem is removed, place the wheel and tire flat on the ground and push down on the tire as close to the rim as you can. You may need to use one to two "spoon" style tire irons to work around the edge of the tire, creating separation while putting downward pressure on the tire. A small lip on the inside of the wheel is referred to as the "bead." Once you've pushed the tire passed this small lip, you've broken the bead.

• Step 6:Remove the golf cart tire from the rim.
• Tools: This will likely require a tire iron or other device to give you some leverage and to grip the tire.

• Place a cloth or other protective material over the rim, insert your tire iron, and lift the tire over the top edge of the wheel. You may need to insert something to keep a gap between the tire and rim while you pull the tire over.

• Continue working the tire up and over the rim until it is completely separated.

• Yes, this will take some elbow grease!

Removing A Golf Cart Tire: Important Info

Now that you know the steps to remove a golf cart tire, we want to take a second to address some important things.

First, be aware that manually removing a golf cart tire in the steps above can damage the tire if you don't do it properly. If you plan on re-using your golf cart tire, you must remove your tire with care.

If you damage the edge of the tire, it may not reseat properly, causing it to lose air consistently.

Second, be aware that manually removing a golf cart tire in the steps above can damage you if you don't do it properly. Metal rims, stiff rubber, and lots of air pressure can be a recipe for disaster if you aren't careful!

Step 2: Replacing The Golf Cart Tire

Congrats, now that you have your old tire off, you've got the steps down to get your new tire on! Essentially you will be reversing the steps above to get your tire correctly mounted.

• Step 1: Before you begin the actual mounting process, you should clean your golf cart rim. Cleaning the wheel ensures no dirt and debris gets lodged between the wheel and tire, allowing air to leak out. Some soap, water, and a clean rag will do the trick!

• Step 2: You should also consider using some tire lubricant to make getting the new tire on a lot easier. Most automotive stores will carry tire lubricant, so finding it shouldn't be difficult. If you can't find any lubricant, some dish soap and a little water will help quite a bit!

• Step 3: To mount the new tire, reverse engineer the steps you completed above when removing the old tire. (Congrats on being an engineer!)
• Use the tire irons to create space between the tire and rim and to pull the tire over the rim's edge.
• Pro-Tip: Remember, if the face of the rim is facing upward, you will need to start with the backside of the tire to make sure your tire face is on the right side. If you are installing a directional tire, much sure you have the tire correctly situated as well. Repeat the steps until the tire surrounds the rim.

• Step 4: Repeat the steps until the tire surrounds the rim

• Step 5: Replace the valve stem (unless your new tire already has one installed.)

• Step 6: Inflate the tire to the proper PSI (the tire's recommended PSI can be found on the tire's sidewall.)
• Pro-Tip:Often on golf cart tires, you will need a lot of air pressure to rapidly inflate the tire to get the bead to reseat. Getting the proper air pressure can be difficult if you don't have the appropriate equipment (more on this below). One workaround for this issue is to stand the tire up and put downward pressure on it as you inflate it. This extra pressure can help get the tire to catch on the bead and seal so you can continue inflating the tire.

• Step 7: Mount your new wheel and tire combo back onto your golf.

• Place the wheel onto the wheel hub.

• Start by hand tightening the lug nuts and then tighten them as tight as possible with the tire iron. Remember, your golf cart is still jacked up at this point, so be careful not to shake the cart and cause it to fall (once again... ouch!)

• Lower your golf cart off your jack or jack stands and give the lug nuts one more good hard tighten.
• For a more in-depth guide on replacing the whole golf cart wheel and tire combo, check out this article.

• Lastly, and most importantly, ride around your neighborhood and show everyone what you just did!

 

The Real Best Way To Change Your Golf Cart Tires

Alright, now that you know the steps to get your golf cart tire replaced, we want to reveal our #1 tip for replacing your golf cart tires.

Listen close now...

Have a tire shop do it for you.

With the right equipment and enough time, you can certainly change your golf cart tire at your home.

However, most of us don't have the proper equipment, and changing out our tires will be a pain in the rear end.

Tire shops have all the equipment to change tires quickly and easily, and their technicians do it every day.

In addition, we have found most tire shops will dismount and mount new tires for a relatively low cost. So our expert recommendation would be to save time and hassle and get the pros to do it.

Pro-Tip: Not all tire shops can mount specialty tires. We recommend calling the tire shop first to see if they can mount your specific wheel and tire combo. We have also found that some ATV/UTV stores will also have tire mounting equipment, so that is an option.

Well, that's it, everyone! You now know how to change your golf cart tires! If something needs to be clarified or you still have questions, put them in the comments below or reach out to us directly.

[ Want to skip tire replacement and just get a whole new wheel and tire combo? We can help you with that. ] 

...You probably know him as the humorous & relatable host of our YouTube channel!

Prior to taking on marketing, however, Christian honed his industry knowledge as our Customer Service Manager. Fast-forward to present day: it’s his mission to deliver the best and most current products, resources, and overall expertise to Golf Cart owners everywhere.

Bonus- Thinking about buying used golf cart tires? You may want to think again!