I'm in the market for bigger tires for my 2002 500 4x4 scramler. I have been searching through several posts and know the question has been asked before. But I'm going to ask again with a hope that I can get a more direct answer.

I actually have two questions.

Q1. How big can you go on the stock rims with out having to modify anything. Hopefully the answer is going to be something like xx/xx-10 on the front and xx/xx-10 on the rear. If the brand or model is relevant please add that info also.

Q2. How big can you go on aftermarket rims with out having to modify anything. This answer is probably going to be more complicated bucause of the multiple combination of rim sizes and offsets but I'd like as much info as possible. If the brand or model is relevant please add that info also.

I'd like to hear from the people who have actually bought bigger tires and find out what worked and what didn't. I want to order a set and would hate to get something that didn't fit.

Thanks in advance....

 

I went with 26" mudlite rears and 25" Badlands fronts. My problem was that as the tires get taller the rims needed are 12". Hence my C Series 12" aluminum wheels. After I rolled the axle all the way back so it wouldnt rub on the floor boards I still only have about 3/4" clearence. As for the fronts nothing in the way go as tall as you want. I now have 17" clearence to the bottom of the running board. Though nothing is changed with out other problems. Because of the added low end traction I was breaking chains. Then went with side winder ti-molloy sprockets and chain (13-42 gearing). So far so good, though mine is olny a 2 wheel drive and I dont know if tire size plays any part of the 4 by 4 engaugement.

My 2 cents

Pics in gallery

 

I am surprised that you have 26s in back. I read other places where you have to move the footrests for 25s.

Thanks for the info.

 

dont the front tires need to be an inch bigger than the rear for the 4x4 gearing to work right?

X

 

I have seen many statements made on this subject and I have developed my own opinion that you don't have to keep the 1 inch difference.
Here is what I have done to prove my opinion to myself. If anyone else wants to explain the err in my conclusion feel free.

It started when a read a short blurp that said the difference in all polaris four wheel drive front to rear gear ratios is between 18 and 22%. So in order to prove that to my self I jacked all four wheels off the ground made a mark at the bottom of the front and rear tires, put it in 4 wheel drive and used the motor to rotate the rear wheel 1 revolution. At one full revolution on the rear the front traveled about 80% of a revolution. I figured that is logical because the front is larger in diameter it doesn't have to make a full revolution to travel as far as the rear tire. So I did the math.

3.14 *22= 69 (pi D for the 22 in diameter rear tire) circumference
3.14 *23= 72 (pi D for the 23 in diameter front tire) circumference
69/72=.95

Based on that calculation the front should rotate 95% of a full revolution to keep up with back but it was only traveling 80 %.
If the calculations and measurements were right the four wheeler should be hopping and dancing like crazy on a hard surface. Like a 4x4 truck when you make sharp turns. With the ATV still jacked off the ground I started spinning the tire in nuetral, reverse, forward both 2x4 and 4x4. While doing this stuff I noticed that the fronts will spin free forward even when it is forward gear and 4x4. That when my whole theory made sense. In reality as long as the backs have traction they are always pushing the fronts. The fronts don't actuall start to work until the backs slip enough to let the fronts catch up.

So I came up with my own theory that as long as the backs travel farther in one revolution then the fronts do in 80% of a revolution you will be fine. If this theory holds water then the closer you get to having the fronts travel equal the back travel the closer you will be to true four wheel drive. Just don't get so close that the fronts are pulling the back because as far as I could tell there is no free play in the rear wheels. and it would be logical that if you get bigger in the back and don't increase the front then the backs would have to slip a lot more before the fronts bite.

Ok now that that is said feel free to enlighten me everyone. I dont know the mechanics of the ATV but I was pretty good in math.

 

I HAVE A 99 SCRAMBLER 400 AND I PUT 25X8X12 SUPER SWAMPERS ON FRONT AND 26X12X10 ITP 589 ON BACK NO PROBLEMS I RUN A 11 TOOTH FRONT AND 30 REAR WORK GREAT ALSO PUT IN HI LOW TRANS WILL TURN IT GREAT IN HIGH OR LOW HAS HPD RACE MOD MOTOR. ALSO TO OVER COME WHEEL SPIN TO ENGAGE FRONT TIRES I WIRED THE 4WD SWITCH TO POSTIVE SOURCE SO IT DOES NOT RELY ON TRANS I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THEN . I HAD TO REWIRE BEC OF TRANS.

 

Sounds like a nice setup. Doe sanything rub witht hat combination? Did you consider 12 inch rims to give you a bigger seletion of tires?

 

hey nothing rubs turned ecentric on back axle for most clearnce uses 10x9 rear rims and 12x7 front front tires rub on shock covers a little but very minor as far as better choice for 12 inchers buy far i had hard time finding good set for rear alot of 25's but then they go to 27's actually ran 28's for about a week with floor boards off was great but not to sporty put them on from freinds explorer

 

Ended up with a set of Mud lites. Front 25x8-12 on ITP 12x7 rims and 24x11-10 on the stock rear rim. The only thing I don't like is the 8 inch tire on the 7 inch rim. It was hard to get it to seat on the rim and the tire is now flush with the rim. Looks like it wil be banged up pretty easily. Stayed with the stock gearing so far. I can still pull a wheelie by using the brake. Nothing rubs and ther eis plenty of clearance.

 

scramy 400,
Your quad looks sweet with the wheels tire combo. What do you do for lights? Is the silencer you have from HPD and do you like it? Is it too loud? I have the trail pipe with the stock silencer but will be getting the FMF or HPD spark arrrested can.