I jus tbought an Arctic Cat toe shifter for my 2003 500i. The shaft comingout of the transmission is too big for the toe shifter I got from the dealer, plus the teeth on the shaft are more fine than the toe shifters teeth. Now, according to my research, there is only one shifter for all models. The dealer phoned AC and they said that there is one model that the tore shifter does not work with, but the guy did not know which model (whatever).

Is there anyone out there that has a 03 500i manual with a toe shifter? If so, where did you get it?

 

It doesnt fit the 03 AC400's. It should fit your 500. May be mispackaged

 

Not mispackaged. And you are right, according to their specs, it is only the 400i that it does not fit. We phoned AC and they said there is only one type of toe shifter that they make (part #0436-239) . But it says it fits a 2003 500. Has anyone here put one on their cats?
Here is a link showing it works on my machine.

http://www.brownsleisureworld.com/Ac.../ATV/B27_A.htm

 

Sorry NW, i was going to buy one, but i like the rocker shifter now.

 

Yah, I just wanted to try the toe shifter. I actually am getting to like the rocker now. In the 500 manual shootout mag I just got they were saying the the vinson has the same tranny as the AC, but they scored it higher because of the shifter, saying it was "Silky smooth" whereas the AC was "functional but awkward" mainly due to the rocker. Whatever. I just thought I would try the toe shifter. I am going to drill out the hole on the one I bought, put backing in there so I dont screw the threads on the shaft and try it out anyways.

BY they way, the shootout said the best 500 utility manual the vinson, second was the honda, third was the AC , unless you really wanted a quad that could get you into the worst areas, do it comfortably, and reliably, oh and carry a load the best, then there was no comparison, go for the Arctic Cat. But if you wanted your 500 MANUAL UTILITY QUAD for normal, sport riding, sliding around corners at 40mph, it came in third.

I have tried alot of quads over the past 5 years, the AC is not the sport machine some of the others are, like my 500 sportsman, but it IS the bast offroad machine I have ever driven.

 

Glad you like it NW. Ya for that use i dont think you can beat the AC. Carefull with the shifter, dont want to strip the shaft it attaches to. Let us know how it turns out.

 

i was thinking of going to the toe shifter also because i found when im going up hills i tend to put my heal on the shifter and haveing it go into nutral then i lift off and it changes gear. i had this happen twice in one trip, that me and some freinds did a couple of weeks ago. the first time it happend to me i was rolling backwords down the hill befor i realized what i did, the second time i new what i did and caught it right away. since then i'ev thought about it, but i was thinking about cutting the heel kicker off then moveing the front one up enuff to get your toe under it.-----PS. i read that artical and i think those guys dident give it a chance. thay talked about the ajustable shocks on the vinson but never said a thing about the arctic cat having them,and thay said it felt TIPPY. Well i know my bike is just as stable as most or all atv's ,it just depends how good a rider you are , if you dont lean the right way or dont lean at all it will feal TIPPY.thay even showed a picture of the cat stuck between two trees,i would have went around them. i just laughed when i read that crap. because i know my bike can do anything thay can do and more.because it is an ARCTIC CAT.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[GROUND CLEARANCE RULES]

 

Great mod idea blaster, cut that off, and if you had to weld a piece on. NW could consider that, return the toe one, buy another rocker for backup and mod the one on it now.

I find they are tippy a bit, i rode a 375 and it was, the 500 wasnt so much. But its a tall bike!

 

i put a stick shifter on my 03 500 and i love it. i got it from cabelas and its only about $15. I can still use the rocker with my foot. i like the stick because i can shift while im surfing the rig out of the slop.

 

there's also aelectric shift you can buy for the arctic cat im thinking about that too.