Gears have noting to do with tire size. The front, when engaged has a totally different gear ratio. You would have to change the gearing to correct this.

 

wheels do have an affect on gear ratio, final drive ratio. The tire size is the last gear in the chain of events. The differential gear ratios are different between front and back like i said before, but the FINAL drive gear ratio can be altered with tire size. But like i already said, it would look dumb and perform poorly, you would need something 4 or 5 inchs taller on the front to make up the lower geared front diff.

 

Hi fellas...I'm new here. Appreciate the input. I bought a 96 Sportsman 500 and the CV's were all ate up. I put on new CV's and a spindle nut came off on my boy. OMG he drove it home and I was sittin out front with my wife and another couple enjoying a beer and watching the sunset. He pulled up in the driveway right in font of me and my lounger and stopped. My brain said "WTF" but my heart said "oh well" because I knew it was my fault.
The new retaining clip didn't hold the nut on. Bent the brake clip, pads, rotor, and some bearings......ect.... New strut got bit up on the outside but was ok. Parts total were about $300. I'm still having problems with the nut staying on so yesterday i drilled the spindle and put in a cotter pin. Was able to grounds ridges in top on the nut and matched them up at 13.75ft/lbs and then back to 10.3ft/lbs which were the conversion from inch pounds I took from the manual. Also been having problems with the AWD. Hubs are magnetized and gapped correctly. All swithes work and light up. Mechanical speedo is unhooked but I don't think that matters. I traced wires and everything looks to be oK.
Need to check if the 3-tab clutch plates have any magnetism. I did change my tires sizes without knowing that it may affect this. I have 25x8x12 on the front and 25x11x12 on the rear. It has worked the last few years in this configuration. I’m up on jacks and it doesn’t engage at all.

 

Here is a link to rebiuld the AWD system. http://www.atvtime.com/phpBB2/viewto...003&pc_t=12521

 

I welded the inside part of the Hilliard clutch to the bearing and race just outside of it then pounded race back into hub and assembled with grease on inside bearings. Mine has been working great ever since. Don’t notice any handling issues when snow plowing and if I ever want to go back to stock I just buy a bearing and grind Hilliard clutch splined piece back down

 

got any pictures?
trying to lock 4×4 on a Polaris magnum got the quad for free just for mudding and beating on.