i need new tires on my rancher and i want to know how big i can go without lifter kits i was thinking putting on ITP mudlites 26x9x12 in the front and 26x10x11 or 26x11x11 in the rear will there be clearence issues??

 

There are two issues with bigger tires, one being size and the other weight. Taller sizes will give better ground clearance, but at the expense of low end power. The Rancher is no slouch, but it isn't exactly a powerhouse either. The other issue is the weight of those brick heavy steel stock rims, and of course the bigger tires themselves. For a while I ran 26" Blackwaters on ITP 12X7" rums, with no clearance issues.

I now run 25" Holeshot ATR's, on very light ITP Magnum 12X7" rims (no longer available). They give me a great combination of a little increased ground clearance, and VERY light weight. And, they make the bike something like 4" wider, for a really welcome increase in stability!

 

the 26's will kill your power. they are to agressive for a rancher. i called ITP about 26 mudlites and thats what they told me. they said its too much for a rancher. i would go no bigger than 25s

 

go for it you cant beat mud lite tires my friend has a rancher and he has mudlites and his is just fine so go ahead and get them they would look even better with a lift.

 

i installed the 26 inchers on my 03 rancher 2wd and love them..no clearance problems, they handle great and grip even better..i cant tell any power loss at all. I bought the dirt devils instead of the mudlites though just because they were cheaper and have almost the same identical tread patterns and both are 6 ply..i think the 26 inch tire was a perfect upgrade!

 

how wide can i go in the back they are 9x11 rims could i go as big as 11x11 in the back

 

I JUST WENT UP TO THE 26INCHERS AND WENT ONE INCH WIDER THAN STOCK ON FRONT AND BACK..IT HANDLES GREAT. AS A MATTER OF FACT ITS EASIER TO POWER SLIDE ON HARD GROUND WITH THESE ROUGHER TIRES THAN THE STOCK ONES WERE. BUT WHEN THE GROUND GETS SOFT, THEY BITE!

 

Hey Tripplestroker,just wondering if you noticed some power losswith the 26's,or is it not enough to worry about.Looking to do the same with mine but heard stories of the power loss is not worth going to the 26's and should just go to the 25's.

02 Rancher

 

ON HARD GROUND IT ALMOST SEEMED IF I HAD MORE POWER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TIRES WOULD BREAK LOOSE EASIER AND KEEP THE RPMS UP..I DID TAKE A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS WITH IT AND HAD DROPPED THE AIR PRESSURE TO 3 POUNDS IN ALL FOUR DIRT DEVIL TIRES. I COULDNT FIGURE OUT WHY IT SEEMED TO HAVE LESS POWER THAT DAY UNTIL I REALIZED I HAD DROPPED THE PRESSURE. PUMP THEM BACK UP TO 6 POUNDS AND I CAN TELL NO LOSS OF POWER WHAT SO EVER. ALSO THE DAY OF THE TRIP I HAD GONE INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND THE ELEVATION WAS EXTREMELY HIGHER THAN HERE AT HOME..I AM SURE THAT HAD A LITTLE TO DO WITH IT AS WELL. THE AIR IS SO MUCH THINNER..BUT AS FAR AS THE TIRE SIZE GOES, I CANT TELL ANY LOSS OF POWER. I DONT THINK YOU WOULD BE DISAPPOIINTED IN THE LARGER SIZE..AND BESIDES, THE MACHINE LOOKS AWESOME WITH THESE TIRES EVEN ON THE STOCK RIMS!

 

LET ME ADD ONE MORE THING. THE ONLY TIME I NOTICED A POWER LOSS WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I SOLD THIS RANCHER TO A FRIEND AND BOUGHT A NEW FOREMAN 450S. THE RANCHER WILL RUN CIRCLES AROUND THE NEW FOREMAN..NO COMPARISON..BUT I GUESS THATS THE PRICE YOU PAY WHEN YOU GO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND A HEAVIER MACHINE..I AM GETTING USED TO THE FOREMAN AND HAVE ORDERED A POWER KIT FOR IT, BUT IT WILL NEVER RUN WITH THE RANCHER I AM SURE. I AM A BELIEVER IN THE RANCHER 2WD. ITS AN AWESOME MACHINE.