I think you do have more articulation than the ACT. The blocks in my pictures are only 7". The back tire is off of the ground about 1/2". I think rides for fun has his500i on 9" ramps and still keeps all 4 on the ground.

 

Sorry to say but the ACT does articulate better than the IRS. When I compared mine it was against a sportsman 500. The reason the ACT articulates better compared to the IRS is the fact that there is no anti-sway bar. The IRS has a sway bar (at least on the sportsman 500). That is also the reason why the IRS has less body roll than the ACT.

Chunky boy I have ridden both types. They were not the same brand but the same type of suspension. As far as loading each down we had a spike bull elk. Weighed around 800lbs. and the IRS squatted to around 4" of ground clearence. The ACT Squatted too but didn't loose ground clearence.

Now if you understand shocks you will realize that the adjustments on the shocks do not make the shock stiffer!! The adjustments on the shocks are called pre-load adjustments. These effect the amount of sag a machine has. In other words you are pre-compressing the spring not stiffening the shock. The stock shocks are single rate shocks with no adjustments for compression, or rebound. The springs are also a single rate spring. Now if you switched to aftermarket shocks that have variable compression, rebound, and springs. Then the more the shock is compressed the stiffer it gets. So, are the adjustable shocks on the IRS better than the non adjustables on the ACT--Only in that you can control the amount of sag on the machine.

Both systems are great. Is one better or superior than the other? no, it all comes down to what type of riding you are doing and your preference in handling. Will Arctic Cat stop the ACT? I don't think so and neither does any dealer that I have talked to.

 

ttaylor, to kindly correct you. The IRS on AC has no sway bar and articulates much better than the ACT. Take a look at rides4fun's pictures. Your 400 Cat won't do that, my 375 won't do that. Trust me, heck pull your bike up on 9-10" ramps and test it for yourself. What you'll find is that your rear tire opposite the ramp will be about 4" in the air because the ACT does not flex like Arctic Cat's IRS. I've done the test myself.

EtherNut

 

Ethernut,
I basically tried to reproduce the test that Rides4fun did and shows in his pictures (see his link in his signature). I could not with my 2002 400i 4x4....not even close. At 10 inch blocks (ramps) my opposite front tire was in the air at least 8 inches.

So I am wondering "how come"? What is different from his machine to mine other than enging cc's? Strange not?

 

This is a good question. Other than the tires 26" 589MTs, they are a little bit heavier. What preload do you have your shocks set at? You can see in my pics what my ACT does on 7" blocks. I'm sure the 400i & 500i share the same suspension. I will inspect Ridesforfuns' pictures again.

 

Mudcat47537,
Shock preload set on the softest setting all around. I had my dealer set them on the middle prior to delivery (Chunkyboys settings) but found that to be too much and produced a harsh ride. Maybe another 50 miles and things will loosen up?

 

After looking at the pictures of ridesforfun again, I've noticed that his tires aren't all the way on the ramps. One of the tires is all the way up on the ramp, while the other is clearly not all the way up the ramp. So now we are back to not really knowing which will articulate better.

 

HEY DUDES , ttaylor I sorry i said any thing , but a polaris is not a cat , my neighbor has 500ho @ 400 sp not the same dosent ride at all like a CAT IRS , the ACT rides better then THE polaris , sorry guys ill keep my thought to my self from now on , sorry guys just my thoughts CHUNKY

 

Chunkyboy,
Don't be sorry for your thoughts or opinions. That's what this forum is all about. It is how we learn. We do not have to bash anybodys ride, but I think all of us value eveyones opinion and factual stories about all quads.

Keep up the replies and I will keep reading. If I don't like your replies, I don't have to read them! Thanks.

 

Stand up and be counted Chunkyboy....your doing well.