I going to be getting me some new tires here soon and I want to get some advise before I make this purchase. I would like to run 27in tires on the stock rims. My machine is 01 500/Man Cat, I have put about a hair under a 1/2 inch of spacer in the rear and about a 1/4 inch spacer in the front. I don't do jumps so I'm not worried about big air time but I don't want to lose anything in the articulation department. Should I get wheel spacers? Anybody know the bolt pattern on the 01 Cat's? I'm looking at about 60-40 mud to trail riding, any recommendations would be great. I'm kinda bouncing the 589 M/T and the Bi-Claw/Tri-Claw setup at the moment. Thanks for your help folks.

 

DakotaCat:
I'm not possitive, but I think I remember seeing in a post Boner did about a new wheel bolt pattern adapter thing, that the 'Cats used a 4/115 pattern. Seems like the adapter would allow that to switch to a 4/110, but I could be backwards on that. As for the tires, I haven't seen the new 589 M/T's yet, only the older style 589's on a Grizzly. You're in luck, the new M/T's are supposed to be a "true" 27" tire. As of yet, the 'Claws are the only thing I can think of that actually measure AT LEAST 27". I say "at least" because at recommended pressure, mine measure between 1/8"-1/4" taller. I love my 'Claws, that's for damn sure, they're a great tire-go anywhere, do anything and still maintain a very smooth ride-impressively smooth in fact for such a heavy lugged tire. The 589's I saw in action went everywhere I did, seemed to be a great tire as well. They are supposed to be pretty smooth as well. Only two other things I can say are the only complaint from the owner was that they only measured around 26" or so, for a "stated" 27" tire. Naturally, when you spend money on something, you want it to be exactly what it claims to be, a 26" might not seem like much, but it does in fact not give you as high of ground clearance as the true 27" would be. Granted, a .5" difference might seem insignificant, but I've been in a few places myself where that extra .5" meant getting through, or finding an alternate route around. A polaris owner did mention that after going through a rather nasty mud pit called "warn winch hole", he thought that my 'Claws had an easier time with the hole than the 589's. Either way, we both made it through, so in my opinion, they both worked great.

As for the wheel spacers, I would say that's pretty much up to you. For the riding I do, there is no way I could run a wheel spacer-the trees I go through are so narrow that I have a tough time fitting as it is, with wheel spacers, there'd be no way in hell I'd fit. As you know, I have the spring spacers on my 'Cat, which work great. The only rubbing you'll get with a 27" tire is a SLIGHT rub on the muffler heat shield at full articulation, just enough to knock the mud off really. Or, if you're running pretty fast down a bumpy road, get a little air, then hit really hard on the front end, the tires will knock back enough to rub the front of the floorboard guard where the fender meets down low. I've only done this a couple times. In normal riding conditions, you won't have any troubles at all.

Sorry to be so long, I hope that helps a bit, or at least gives something to think about.

Best of luck,

Mike

 

Cowboy was right, ALL Arctic Cat's have the 4/115 pattern. Banshee and Warrior rear axles have the same pattern.

I would recomend you wait for High Lifter to introduce there aluminum spacers. They will be much better than dura blue's graphic spacers.

With your spring spacers I don't see you haveing the 27" tires much if they ever do.

 

I was thinking of using spacers on the rear because my rear tires set in noticably farther than the front. And this would keep them away from the muffler.