Cowboy, AndyBasham, Irichard, any of you guys who have aftermarket tires on your AC 500 I need some help. Wanting to try a little bit larger tires. Aren't the tires on the 2001 500 Auto
26.5 x 10 x 12? Do you have better luck with your 27" tires? Do any of you know anything about the
GBC "Gator" or "Dirt Devil"? Look like an awesome tire. What about the "Mud Bugs"? Cowboy, I know you have the "Tri-claws" who makes that tire and what did they cost? Also, I believe I read a post where you said these 27" tires will fit on your factory rims. Is this true or will I have to buy new rims? I don't really want to. Any help you have will be greatly appreciated.

 

First of all, calm down. You seem alittle over excited.

2nd, The 2001 has 25x10x12 tires all around. It's the 1999 models that had 26x10.5x12 tires.

I replaced my 26" factory tires with 4 27x12x12 Tri-Claws all the way a rearound. I mounted them on aftermarket wheels, but I could have used the factory wheels if I would have chose to do so.

Sand Tires Unlimited makes Tri-Claws. You can visit them at www.mudtires.com.

As for the other tires you mentioned, they look like an OK tire. NOTHING compared to a Tri-Claw I bet, but for that price you realy can't beat them. I've seen the 28x12x12's go for $77 bucks each in Rocky Mountain ATV.

 

I have 27"x12"x12" Vamps in the rear and 27"x12"x9.5" in the front. It was like having a totally different 4 wheeler between your legs. I have wheel spacers in the front, but I would also like to have them in the rear also. Wider stance is better especially if you ride in the mountains or hills. I used my stock wheels and no regrets yet. If your thinking about putting 12" wide tires in the front then I would tell you to use 8" wide wheels for them. This year was my third hunting trip in the moutains and swamp with my Vamps and I love them. There is a lot of good tires out there, so it would be hard to go wrong if you've done any research. I have a 500 manual so the extra weight of the Vamps are hardly even noticeable. Sure is a tough tire from what I am seeing. Two other guys I hunt with decided to put them on their machines after what they saw them perform last year. Now they are very satisfied Vamp customers also. To each his own. These tires where impressive going up the hills too, pulling heavy meat trailers, with loaded racks on the machines, and my 275lbs.
Nope I don't think you would regret the Vamps.

 

Waco4whlr:
Well, Boner and Irichard pretty much summed it up for ya. I think Boner is the only one I can think of, running the 27x12x12 Tri-Claws all the way around, so that will tell ya how the 'Cat handles those. Irichard probably has the heaviest setup, with the 27" vamps, as I think they weigh in around 46 lbs. dry weight, with no wheel attached-that's pretty darn heavy. The weight kind of bothered me a bit (quite a bit) at first, so I seriously looked at the Bugs. Andy and Boner spoke up and gave me a swift kick in the butt, forced me to look into the Bi/Tri Claw combo. I'm damn glad they did. I went with the 27x9.75x12 Bi Claws up front, with 27x12x12 Tri Claws in the rear. This is an awesome setup, that I will definately buy again. Not only did they give a massive traction gain, but the ground clearance increase was nearly 2" -believe me, I checked it twice-, and the steering up front with the Bi Claws is substantially lighter than with the factory 25" 489's.

There is a slight power loss while going up hills in high range, but in low range, you can't tell a thing. I'm still towing those huge logs and such, even with my big 'Claws. They cost me something like $406 delivered to my door, in 4-5 days, from Shreverport to Pullman Washington. I'm not sure how far that is from where you live, but you'll definately save a bunch on shipping charges. Highlifter had the cheapest prices I had seen on them. Cawood tires sells them as well, but even though the price difference was only a handfull of change, seriously, they didn't seem to know what tires they were selling. James at Highlifter spent a lot of time going over several various tires with me, so I bought them from him. Yes, I would order from him again as well. Business was good, service and delivery were good as well, and they sure as hell know their stuff.

As for the Bugs, I saw a set while up at elk camp and they just looked a little whimpy to me. They seemed to handle good, but didn't do that well at all in the deep stuff, where my 'Claws just walked through all day long. If asthetics are of importance to you at all, then definately go with the 'Claws, they look mean as hell, there's no denying that! As for the other tires you mentioned, or the blackwaters even, I don't think there's any comparison here. For the mud, or anything close to it, the Vamps, 'Claws, or Outlaws are probably your best bet. One thing about the 'Claws though that I like, is the way the tread is designed, it crosses the center line with every other lug, so you get a pretty smooth ride for such a heavy lugged tire. I don't know for sure, but I've heard the Vamps and Outlaws are kind of bumpy, or choppy on the hardpack trails because of their tread design, where as the 'Claws are actually pretty smooth. Again, I don't know about the vamps or outlaws for sure, that's just what I've heard.

Well anyway, best of luck in the decision! Oh yeah, both the Bi and Tri Claws will fit stock on your existing rims, you do not have to buy different rims, unless you want a spare set for your old tires. Check out that mudmachine site Boner posted, they've got about the best pics of the 'Claws that I've seen anywhere.

Mike

 

Well, I won't be as vain as to say that the GBC's are nothing compared to a tri-claw (that sounded a little on the dumb side to me), but I thought the Dirt Devil 28" tire looked pretty good. The gators look similar to a mud bug. They do have a good price too. A 6 ply tire (not really an important factor to me) in 28" size for about $10 less than most 27" tires. Thats a pretty slick deal. I don't know much about them, but anything with a deep lug is going to have good traction. Thats pretty much a given.

As for wide tires on the front, unless you are a prime time mudder, its a waste. Boner hails from Lousiana so he has a pretty good place to use 12" fronts. I'm in the hills where the easier steering narrow fronts are quite a bit more preferred. You can fit any tire you want on your stock AC wheels. Any 12" tire will fit. As far as height, you might even be able to squeeze the 28" under there stock. From the Dirtwheels article, I think they measure about 27 1/2" in all actuallity anyway, and I know that will fit.

Depends on what you want for which tire would be best. Lots of choices, and you probably can't really go wrong either way you go. A lot of people will tell you to get this or that, but 9 times out of 10, the one they say to get is exactly what they are driving on.

Find out the good and bad points of everything, go find a place where you can take a look at it, and see what you like the best. Thats basically the best way to go about it.

At least AC makes it easy on you. Both wheels are 12" diameter and you can fit most anything on without needing a lift. Can't really say that for everyone.

 

Andy:
Oops, you might be right on that one. Sorry, won't even tell you what I thought he was asking about (hence the added blackwater bit)-they are definately not in the same category. After being kind of sick something fierce the last couple days, and vomiting blood for two of them, my head is a little "cloudy" I guess you could say. Need to get fixed up here before the weekend, have a late elk hunt to go on.

Speaking of which, hows the search for the new Remington? Still looking or kind of a possible spur of the moment type deal? I've decided I need a good varmint rifle, so I'm looking pretty seriously at the Remington Model 700 VS SF in .22-250 with a Leupold 8.5x25x50 long range with tactical dials, side focus. Fairly large chunk of change, but definately will be a great set-up.

Mike

 

Friend of mine has Mud Bugs 27", excellent tire all around, still rides reasonably smooth which for us old guys is important. Andy has a good point, unless you do a lot of mudding keep fronts a little narrower to reduce stearing pressure.

 

You could sure shoot a long ways out with that setup. Seeing as rifle season is about over and won't be anything to think about for a while, that spur of the moment Browning BAR thing has passed (like the sportsman issue has several times). Right now, the new thing that I'm looking at is either a Beretta 92FS or a Taurus 99. Taurus is the cheap way out. I just don't like the safety as much. Not as neat.

Its so easy to get looking at stuff when you don't have the money for it yet. I have insurance coming up as well as Christmas so my funds are pretty much tied up for the next month. Truck payment in a week too. Thats always fun. (as if) I just hope we get some snow in Jan. or Feb. like we did last year. It will be neat to see how the Claws do. I think they would do real good with that narrow front tire. My 495's didn't do worth a crap last year compared to my cousin's 489's. To wide of a front tire sucks hard in snow.

 

Amen, the difference in 10.5" Titan 495's and the 9.75" Bi Claws is night and day. The Claws steer twice as good as the stockers. Any surface.

 

Andy:
Yeah, I want a long range set-up, pull some sniper type action here. Couple of the guys in the gun shops are taking prairie dogs, ground hogs at 600+ yards, sounds fun. Be neat to pull some really good 1,000 yard shots as well.

Deepest snow I got into was about a foot and a half, way up in the high country. 'Claws did great in that stuff, though I'd like it a little deeper to really play. One things for sure, they do throw a nice roost in good snow!

Mike