When you're out on the trail in your Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicle, a flat tire can quickly put a damper on your adventure. At Dirty Rebel, we carry the parts needed to keep you moving in your ride. But what do you do if you don't have a jack to lift the vehicle? Don't worry, there are still ways to change a SxS tire without a jack. Here's how:
GET OFF CAMBER
The easiest way to do it is to find a rock, log, or mound and park one front tire on it. If you’re at the right angle, you’ll be able to rock your machine back and forth to take weight off one front wheel or one rear wheel.
Use Rocks or Logs
If you don't have a jack, you can use rocks or logs to prop up the SxS and create enough space to remove the flat tire. Make sure the rocks or logs are sturdy enough to support the weight of the vehicle.
WINCH UP
If you don’t have a good boulder to roll up on and you don’t have a friend with you, there are other ways to get your tires off the ground. On method is to take your winch line and hook it up to a tree above you somewhere. We will note that this method is a little sketchy, so make sure to only attempt this with a good, strong tree that you trust.
Pull the winch in and you can raise your front end off the ground to whatever height you want. This method has some obvious limitations, though:
- You need a tree.
- You need a strong tree.
- You need to be able to get up that tree to a point where you can actually wrap your winch line (with a tree saver) around the trunk above a branch. Some trees don’t have a suitable anchor point anywhere near the ground. (I’m looking at you, sequoia.)
If you get past all those hurdles, you can get away with some impressive lifting action. Check out the video below to witness this technique in action! (As you can see, we had to use a ten-foot ladder to find a good anchor point.)
MAKE A RAMP
A slightly more consistent way to get weight off your wheels is to build your own ramp. This technique is easier than it sounds. All you need are two logs, or a log and a rock.
Lay one log on top of the other in a “T” shape, then drive up the ramp so that your skid plate—not your suspension—rests on the inclined log. Throw your brakes on, chock your wheels, and you’re ready to get to changing.
This technique is best suited for changing your front tires. You could back onto a ramp like this, but shifting your weight forward while relying only on your front wheels to push your machine can be pretty hard on your front axles.
MAKE A BUMPER JACK
When you need to lift your front end and all else fails, you can use a single length of timber to make a bumper jack. This tip comes straight out of the US Army handbook for Recovery and Battle Damage Assessment and Repair. We do like to be Built for Battle, after all.
Here’s how to make a bumper jack:
- Find an appropriately stout log at least six inches in diameter and between four and five feet long.
- Jam the bottom of the log into the ground under the front end of your vehicle. This will be the anchor point for the log, so make sure it’s secure in the ground. Digging a small hole can be helpful.
- Secure the log to your bumper at an angle using ropes or chains. From the side, it’ll look like you just ran over a pole. Whatever lashing you use must be secure enough to hold the front of your machine in the air once the log straightens to vertical.
- Back up your vehicle slowly until the log straightens and lifts your front end off the ground.
- Put the parking brake on, chock your rear wheels, and you’re ready to change a tire.
To use this military method, you need a bumper that’s Built for Battle—otherwise you might end up doing more harm than good to your ride.
Loosen the Lug Nuts
Before lifting the SxS, loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire. This will make it easier to remove them once the tire is off the ground.
Lift the SxS
With the help of a friend, carefully lift one side of the SxS using the rocks or logs as leverage. Make sure to lift it high enough to remove the flat tire and replace it with the spare.
Replace the Tire
Once the flat tire is off, replace it with the spare tire and tighten the lug nuts. Lower the SxS back down onto the ground and make sure the tire is securely in place before continuing your journey.
By following these steps, you can change a SxS tire on the trail without the need for a jack. Remember to always be cautious when working on your vehicle and prioritize safety at all times.