Hey guys,
I'm the proud new owner of a 2000 500 with the manual transmission, the cat is almost a week old and I alreday see the need for bigger and meaner tires (Alabama Goo). How big of tires will fit the 'Cat with out a lift. I'm looking into both SuperSwampers and Mudrunners becaue I can get them at cost... Will 27" fit or do I need to opt for just 26? Most of my ridding is in and around cotton fields in the mud.

thanks,
chuck

 

27's will fit without a lift kit. In fact I have a set on my 400 now. I have some pictures of it on my website. Link below.

 

DO YOUR 27'S RUB AT ALL?

 

Brad,
When you put the Vamps on could you tell a great deal of power loss?

chuck

 

BigCatDriver,

Yes there is a little power loss, but its not a tremendous loss. Mainly because the vampires are really heavy. I have even considered going with Douglas aluminum rims to save weight.

Paco,
The Artic Cats are blessed with a good bit of fender clearance. My vampires have only scrubbed the fenders one time. I jumped a 3 foot tall hill and nearly bottomed the suspension out. I heard the ***** scrub the bottom of the fender but it didn't even leave a mark.

 

Just by his name I already like this guy. Big Cat I have been looking for 27's on my 454 and have narrowed it down between Vamps and Tri Claws. I have heard the Claws get better traction in mud, but the Vamps are better on woody trails. The Claws are also lighter so your 500 shouldn't have much trouble at all pulling 27's.

 

I have had experience with the Vamps a few years back, and they were the most aswome tires that I had seen, they truly do their family line well,, I had a set of TSL Thornbirds on my GMC and in the mud they were wonderful. Also I can get the at Wholesale through a friend of the family.
As for power loss the 500 is not that swift of a vehicle, it has more the enough low end power to get them turning and on the job speed is almost never needed,, stop, go stop, go. All I have to do know is come up with the money for them and the wheels. I'm planning on putting 27x10-12 on the rear and 27x10-10 on the front unless the 12" will fit their also.

chuck

 

brad can you turn the 27 overin hi range
or do you have to put it in lo
I have a 400 with 25 10 12 all the way
arround and i have to pet it in lo in deep mud
with watter I put it in lo 2 gar and when
it gets up to the fenders I have to gear down to first

so does my friend with a 500 with 25/12.5
on the back and 25/10/12 on the front

 

Oh yeah Dusty,

The 400 doesn't have the low end grunt needed to really turn the tires over in high range so low is required when the mud is thick.