I heard in the Highlifter Forum that some of you might know how to add a locker to the front diffs of the new AC? Also Minehunter I heard you know alittle trick on how to get more top-end or more bottom end with the cluthes? Please info me alittle on this new bike because I think alot of people will stray away form the AC becaus the lack of a locker and more power, hack it doesn't even get the souped up Vinson motor. Any info on this subject would be greatly appreciated from anyone!

 

Locker, locker, locker. Still have yet to have a need for it. The non-conventional limited slip on AC's delivers power to the tire that has traction, and with the articulation of the i models, 3 wheeling should be a rarity (in those few times a quick tap of the hand brake locks it up). I tried on many occassions this weekend to get my 500i to 3 wheel and couldn't do it. The old 300's used to be able to be turned into a locker pretty easilly, by adjusting the lever. I'll let you know if I figure it out on my 500i.

I'm sure a locker is on the way, but I would recommend trying the 500i yourself on some technical trails before discrediting it because of a lack of locking.

I would totally disagree with you on the bottom end torque (having riden most out there, the 500 has excellent bottom end). However, if topend is a concern, you should consider a 650/660/700.

This question is for everyone out there...Where the heck are all these people riding that going 65-70 on an ATV is so damned important? Most places I've seen, 5-15 was ave on techical, 30 on little straights. I hope I never hit the 55 top speed on mine, let alone 65-70. If drag racing other quads and going as fast as they can go is your thing, perhaps a sports quad is in your future.

I hope Arctic Cat never strays from making the superb trail ride, heavy duty, work horse it is.

When will it end, 800,900,1000cc. What top speed will make them happy.

 

I don't care if it's the cone or eggshell design front end or just becasue it has a true indepedent rear. The locker is far superior for rock crawling, mudding or what ever you're doing. Try this, put the bike on a lift so all tires are off the ground, now put it in gear and hold one of your front tires, I bet you can hold that front tire with two fingers. That was a previous post by Andy and you know what I'm pretty sure you could. After riding a new Vinson all weekend and just cutting into a drift sideways the bike would go into the threewheel spin. The speed is not my concern by the overall torque is, I heard that Cowboy or Minehunter new a trick on how to get more lowend out of the cluthes. No one is questioning your choice here on your purchase but the question to AC is why no locker?

 

Do a search on here for "Minehunters tranny trick" or "Pulleys" and you will find it I bet. I think I just read in the 500i thread that Minehunter said that it may be possible to lock the new "i" models, do to them having the same front and rear diff.

 

yeh, I was going to try that trick tonight and see how the 2002 500i does.

In some rock crawling I was doing that test this weekend, I was unable to get it to 3 wheel. Maybe, it was because the articulation was so good, or the AC diff worked good. I don't know exactly. All I know is I was unable to 3 wheel it, in the same circumstances I was able to get other non-locked ATV's to 3 wheel in the past.

Let me pose a serious question to you.... What good is a locked diff, if the 4th wheel is in the air spinning, because articulation wasn't good enough, and it is off the ground? That's my point. Locked diffs are important, but so is good articulation. I would rather have all 4 tires on the ground with a good limited slip, than a 4th wheel in the air with locked. This was the scenario I considered when I decided to go with the AC500i even though it didn't have a full-locker. Trust me, a locked diff is an important option to get (I'll be the first one to get a locking kit when they come out), but it is only part of the traction equation. And too often on these forums it seems to be the only thing of importance that people want to know in this area of ATV's. I am only trying to raise that awareness, because there are many things that go into getting up a rock hill or through a mud hole.

I'll try the experiment tonight and let you know. Also, I'll see about the locking trick and let you know as well. catch ya later yellow

 

YellowFellow, I think your looking at the manual transmision...Right? The clutch mod is for the auto. I have recently purchased a '00 500A and took it to the creek by my house to try, because this is where I experience my two wheel drive most of the time. If your in a creek, and you try to climb a bank at an angle, rather than staight up you will have little front traction because all the weight is on the tire that hit the bank first. I haven't played with it much but I did tap the brakes and both front tires would spin...(dramatic pause) but only while the brake pressure was applied. It would not "lock up" or even come close. A dealer friend of mine has told me that you could "break in" the front end by cutting back and forth several times under power.

 

What do you mean break in the diff? That is the exact senario that I'm talking about, it doesn't matter how much articulation you have, try cutting into a bank. Where all the weight is on one front tire and I bet it'll stop and the bike will push itself till its' straight. These are the things that I worry about because most of the time you can't pick your exit out of a mudd hole.

 

I don't know what the big stink is with the locking front end,my 500m never fails to kick in when needed.Wheather on hills or pushing snow, when that extra traction is needed it's there and it lets you know it instantly.
MTNCAT

 

Same here IDAHOMOUTAINCAT, I thought I was doing some extreme riding (you should've seen some of the rock climbing and mud holes I did this weekend, performed flawlessly). But apparently, there a still some cases, mentioned by Yellow that would get us without the lock.

HEY Yellow. I just got done doing the experiment you said to try, and you are correct. I almost thought I had you for a minute or two. At first I would crank the rpms up, and I COULD NOT get that tire to stop (I had a short lived victory dance, quite pathetic actually). Well, doing it at a lower rpm, I was able to muscle it to stop (although not easy). Once I had it stopped, I could keep it stopped fairly easilly.

I then tested 2 theories of mine.

#1 About putting more movement on the 2wd/4wd lever (like with the 250/300's). So I removed the lever where it hooks up to the front diff. I then was able to move the diff "arm" a little more towards 4wd, thinking it might lock more. It did make it a little harder to stop (but not much), but still didn't lock it. So that didn't work.

#2 About applying the brake to engage the "lock" (term used loosely - pun intended). Well this did work pretty good. It was a little cumbersome for me to accomplish this (picture to yourself, me balancing the 500i on blocks, revving it, hitting the brakes AND stopping the tire - wish I had a picture of that for you).

My conclusion is that it seems to stay "locked" with the rpm's are about ~1000, so for getting out of a creek (which I have done at angles) I will try to keep a little bit of gas going. This trick especially for mud. Obviously, for slower technical stuff I will have to resort to the brake option. Unfortunately, that will throw my momentum off, but should at least get me through (although like I said, it didn't fail me the other day, no 3 wheeling). But ultimately, for those few occasions (if any for me and my riding. so far the locking kit would've only helped me up on those blocks), I'm going to be looking as you are, for a locking kit. I was really looking forward to posting an mpg of the 500i proving you wrong, but clearly I didn't get a chance to do that, as you were correct. later.

 

Thats alright, that is what these forums are for right to learn and share info. One more thing I see dirty-howie has introduced a locker for the honda sudtrak diffs, it basically is the same idea but just alittle different internals. What this does is give hope to the few of us that would like a locker in these bad bikes, another thing I read a post by Robert V and he said that Highlifter will be picking up there 500i shortly so expect some parts out of there outfit. Keep the info coming and keep everyone posted about possiblities of a locker. Thanks for the test Rides4fun!