ATV and UTV Cleaning and Maintenance Guide

Lucas Cooney
by Lucas Cooney

Must have items for your garage to service your ATV or UTV

With wintery wet weather coming to an end, the trails are starting to dry out and your machine needs a bath. Our ATV and UTV cleaning and maintenance guide is here to help.

Now that the wettest muddiest month of the year is behind us, it’s time to clean up your machine and take care of some general maintenance so you are ready for months of great riding ahead. We are here to help with our ATV and UTV Cleaning and Maintenance Guide.

Table of Contents

1. Editor's Choice: Alco Dirt Bike and ATV wash

Hopefully you were able to hit the trails and get a little muddy in April. While mud looks good on an ATV or UTV, it's a good idea to wash it off now and again. Alco Dirt Bike and ATV Wash is an all natural cleaning product that is designed to clean your filthy machine without tarnishing aluminum parts or damaging seats. Prices start at about $10.

2. Best Mud Removal Tool: Risk Racing Mud Axe

If you've got so much mud on your ATV or UTV that a power washer can't handle it, you may need the Risk Racing Mud Axe. The head allows you to easily clear mud off fenders and wheels, while the pick the other side is perfect for getting between shock springs and other hard to reach areas.

3. Best Air Filter Maintenance Kit: Twin Air Filter Care Kit

While replacing a damaged air filter is a smart idea, you don't necessarily have to throw a dirty air filter away. The Twin Air Filter Care Kit comes with everything you need to clean your filter without making a big mess. You'll be surprised how much more performance you'll get out of your engine with a clean air filter. Prices start at $88.50. We tested this same kit a few years back, which you can read about here.

4. Best Hand Cleaner For After Maintenance: Motul M4 Hands Clean

Spend enough time cleaning or working on your ATV or UTV and your hands will look like a hot mess. Motul M4 Hands Clean will clean your hands without water and dissolves grease without drying out your hands. Carrying a tube in your UTV glove box is a no brainer.

5. Essential Garage Tool: VIVOHOME ATV Hydraulic Lift

The easiest way to lift up the front or rear end of your ATV or UTV is with a jack stand. The VIVOHOME 1500 LB Lift Stand is built of tubular steel and finished with lead-free paint. Two locking rear casters allow for easy movement when you need it and welded tie-down brackets help keep your machine secure.

6. Best ATV Tire Repair Kit: Kolpin Flat Pack

Whether you've got a slow leak on the ATV in your garage or you do some tire damage out on the trail, the Kolpin Flat Pack can come in awfully handy. It includes everything you need to fix up to 10 flats. The tools all fit inside a pump, making the kit small enough to throw in a glove box or in the bottom of a back pack.

7. Best Tire Changing Tool: Bead Buster

Not every flat tire can be repaired. Instead of running to your local dealer to put on a new tire (or four), you may want to look into the BeadBuster XB-450. We reviewed this product a few years ago and it truly makes changing ATV or UTV tires a simple process.

8. Grease Guns

It's a good idea to periodically check your ATV or UTV grease fittings and top them up with a grease gun. The Star Brite Lever Action Grease Gun retails for just $20 and fits standard zerk fittings. The lever action delivers maximum pressure per stroke to make light work of any greasing job.

9. Coolant

Most of us know to check and replace our oil, but don't forget about coolant. When the temperatures rise and the miles pile up, ATV and UTV engines get hot. Maxima Cool-Aide is designed to reduce engine temperatures to allow for improved heat transfer. It comes ready to use with no mixing or blending.

10. Clymer Repair Manual

If you've got a problem with your ATV or UTV, we'd have no trouble recommending the Clymer repair manuals. We recently used one to solve a wiring issue in a UTV, which was made easier by the color wiring diagrams.

Why is there no mention of oil in this list?

Changing the oil in your ATV is the one maintenance procedure that owners shouldn't need to be reminded about. This is the lifeblood of your machine and if you don't regularly change it, you're affecting the longevity of your engine life its performance. As for which oil to use, there are plenty of options for you to choose from that get the job done. Our recommendation is to use an ATV/UTV specific oil that meets the requirements of your ATV manufacture.

Do I need a Bead Buster in my essential tools for my garage?

While you probably won't use it often, having a tool like this can be a great help. There may be times where you get dirt, mud or even branches in between the bead of your tire and your wheel causing an air leak. If you've ever had to break the bead off of a tire before, you know it can be a tough job. This tool doesn't take up much space and can save you a ton of time and frustration, not to mention plenty of $$ from being able to do the job yourself.

Isn't a pressure washer an essential tool to clean and maintain your ATV/UTV?

It can make the job easier to clean your toys, a spray nozzle on a water hose can get the job done just as well. In fact, a pressure washer can cause more problems if used improperly. When you're dealing with that much pressure, it's easy to lose focus and spray areas where water will get past seals and get into areas where the water will sit and start to cause rusting. This can cause parts to seize or wear prematurely. Key areas affected are differentials, rear carrier bearings, suspension pivot points, so if you do use a pressure washer, consider yourself warned.

Additional Resources

Recent Updates

3/9/2022: Updated product links, added FAQ, added additional resources.

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Lucas Cooney
Lucas Cooney

I have been working exclusively in digital media since 1997. I started out with TSN.ca, spending nearly nine years creating and editing content on Canada's leading sports website. I left to join VerticalScope, Inc., one of the world's largest online publishers, to start a number of powersports publications. While at VerticalScope, I've helped create and oversee content for a wide variety of different publications, including ATV.com, Off-Road.com, ArcheryTalk.com, Tractor.com, RVGuide.com, and many more.

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