Im trying to decide on which 2004 AC 400 to buy. It is between the 400 4x4 with the FIS (full independent suspension) and the 400 4x4 ACT ( with the straight rear axle) Can any one shed some insite on which rear suspension is all around better. I wil be using the AC for hunting, mudding, and trails.

Another Question which is better the auto or manual trans.
thanks

 

irs will give you a softer more comforting ride plus probably more ground clearence.as for the tranny i like automatics no thinking or work involved just gas and go.where as the manual shift requires more work and you have to be concsious of what gear your in or need to be in for a particular
situation ,such as hill climbs.or mud bogging.plus unintentional gear shifts in deep mud or anytime for that matter.thats just my opinion.good luck[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I have both and love them both. The IRS has more ground clearance and a wider track, but the ACT articulates every bit as well and rides a bit smoother. One advantage of the ACT for hunting might be that the rear has no CV joints for sticks to threaten. If you are trailblazing, that could be important. (I've never had a CV tear, but having 4 less CV joints and boots on the ACT gives a little peace of mind.)

One thing is for sure. The ACT is the only solid axle rear suspension that can compare in any way to an IRS. It is really amazing to watch it from behind when rock-crawling. It is a brilliant design.

For me, it is a draw. The price is probably a bit lower for the ACT machine, so maybe that would be a tie breaker if I were buying one today.

I have the auto on both and wouldn't give them up. I've seen too many guys go up a hill only to discover that they had the wrong gear. They came back down---the hard way! There's plenty to worry about on a steep climb up a hill with rough or slick terrain. The auto gives you one less thing to worry about. I've got nearly 1000 miles on my 375 auto and have had no trouble and no signs of belt wear.

Some guys will tell you that in deep mud or water the auto can slip. Not on the AC. I've had mine in streams up to the headlights and I've never had a drop get into the tranny. It is the best sealed tranny on the market, in my opinion. It has never slipped for any reason. My Kawasaki tranny on the 650 hasn't had any water intrusion or slipping, either. Also no problems with it as well. I've pulled heavy loads and plowed snow with both and they do perfectly well. I run them in low range for hard work.

You can't go wrong, either way.

 

Welcome to the sight abacojack


I own the 03 400I with the fully independent suspension and love it the 05 400 is almost the same bike,I have no problems going over stone walls and fallen trees ,I bought mine especially for hunting.

Joe

 

I prefer the IRS. But that's me. I like the smooth ride. Also the ability on my AC 650 to adjust the stiffness of the suspension is a great feature. I can set it for work or play. The added ground clearance is sometimes all you need for some of those really nasty mudpits or those hungry rocks. I have also had the straight axles with my first two hondas. That is how I know some of the ground clearance stuff I was saying before. But you really can't go wrong either way. I am not real sure how well the ACT articulates but Dan said it works very well. As for the auto or manual. For pulling or other types of work, the manual would probably be a little better. But I like the auto, just put it in gear and go!

 

Thanks for all the input. I will let you know what I decide

 

I was buying a 05' AC 400 and I had the same dilema, manual or auto? I finally went with the auto. I figured it was barney proof to go automatic. I'm happy I did. So far, it's done it's job in the rice fields that I'm duck hunting in. This is my first ATV (had plenty of experience on dirt bikes) and the auto was the right choice for me.

 

Had a 500i for three years now with the FIS rear end. To date, I have had no problems with it at all. Clears all sorts of things, rides great. I've blazed a lot of trails with it, still on the original u joint boots.

I went for the manual transmission because I tend to haul loads behind the Cat, and anything that uses friction to drive is not going to like above normal loads. No regrets there, either. The Cat belt drive is one of the best, probably won't slip when things get nasty. The manual definitely won't slip, no matter what. Maybe when I'm old and gray, I might get an auto, but for now I'm a shifty rascal.

 

as showen above there is pro's and con's of both straigh axle to independent and manual to auto i personally went with the independent auto but that is cause it is what fits me it is true what was said that the arctic has the best tranny clutch combo for automatic the kawi setup just plain sux but you are going with a good solid machine in the 400 with the suzuki motor and one place i noticed a big diff for straigh to independent is in the mud if there is alot of pot holes the independent does articulate alot better then the straight axle and plus more ground clearance but on the other hand the straight axle is more trouble free also when it comes to the mud i prefered the automatic for you put it in low range and you go no worried about missing a gear or having to high of a gear

 

One thing not mentioned in the above posts is the resale value. IRS has significantly better resale value. Watch E-bay sales of ACs and note the price difference. Both my machines are IRS and I really like the feature. The IRS also seems to be a little better when riding across hill slopes. There is a ride I take friends on that has so much slope you have to squat down on the up side running board to lower your CG so you don't roll down the hill. Friend's with their Honda's seem to have a more difficult time of it with their solid axles than I do with my IRS. Can't speak to AC's ACT however.