I have a Polaris Sporstman 500 and am getting bigger tires for it. I currently live in Fairbanks Alaska and the mud here is the worse I have ever seen. I have read articles on the Mudrunner and the Bi claw and Tri claw tires. I just ordered a set of 26 inch Mudrunners from a local dealer but I am having second thoughts. I do not want to lift my machine and was considering ordering the 27 Tri's for the rear and 26 Bi's for the front. A friend of mine has the Mudrunners and he said he really liked them, but he went to the 27" Mudbug on the front and kept 26" Mudrunners on the rear. I would like to know any thoughts and suggestions you may have. I just put a Warn winch on the front but I would rather not have to use it if you know what I mean.

 

AKPOLARIS,On my 99-500cc Sportsman,I also had 26 inch Mudrunners.No lift kit,they only give you headaches.I currently have a new 00 Xplorer 4x4 400cc with 26 inch Mudrunners all the way around it.I installed a pair of the rubber spring spacers [costs only 13 dollars for both] in the front springs.Now I have no fender scraping at all.The Mudrunners are one of the most aggressive mud/snow tires avaiable today,and they give you a better ride on hardpack than Vampires.I cant tell you enough good things in regards to the Mudrunners,they are AWESUME.I cant comment on the Mudbugs you talk about,but make sure they are 4 ply like the Mudrunners before you ever concider them.Be careful installing to big a tire [27s] on the front of the Sportsman,its front springs are weak.I'd personally only go with 26s in the front.Mudrunners are my choice,go 26 front and rear,add the front rubber spring spacers,and you will for sure have NO suspension or driveline problems.Best of luck===BILL

00 Xplorer 400cc 4x4
If you want to come in second ''FOLLOW ME''

 

AKPOLARIS, I'm with Bill on the MudRunners. I have a set of 26's on my '99 SP500 and I love them! They'll make it steer a whole lot easier and also give you more confidence in those places where you would wonder if you should try or not.

Bill, why are you so against lift kits, have you had something tear-up? And why does adding front rubber spring spacers assure you of having NO suspension or driveline problems? EADS

 

Go to ATV Connetions main page and then to Product Review and there is a write up about 26" Mud Runners on Sportsman with no lift kit.

 

EADS,ask SWAC what the lift kit did to his Sportsman?And his quad is brand new.Go back thru the Forums and see all the complaints of driveline components breaking because of the added angle [STRESS]the lift kits put on the drivelines.To many complaints for my liking.With the spring spacers,all you are doing is stiffening the front springs so the front end wont bottom out on hard whoops.It adds no stress to the driveline====BILL

00 Xplorer 4x4 400cc
If you want to come in second ''FOLLOW ME''

 

26" Vampires on stock rims.......9.5" on front and 12" in rear. No lift. The slightly narrower tire up front really makes steering effortless as compared to wider mud tires up front. Vamps are still the best mud tire going and the ride is fine (don't listen to the banter about vampires riding rough....especially on a polaris......that suspension smooths out just about anything).

 

I'm getting off track with this, but can you mount the 26" mudrunner on stock rims? I see that P.J. went with stock rims with the vampires.
SP500

 

Yes stock rims will do fine. My biggest question is what tires to get. All the advice i have recieved is great. The biggest setback is the shipping costs to Alaska. I can get the Mudrunners for around $400. The other tires are around the same price but the shipping charges are out of the question.

 

I;d have to argue with PJ about him saying the Vampires are the better mudders between them and Mudrunners.My bro John has Vamps on his KQ.I dont see them being any better than the Mudrunners in snow or Mud,Im not saying the Mudrunners are any better either,they both are equally awesume in snow/mud.== BILL
00 xplorer 4x4 400cc
If you want to come in second ''FOLLOW ME'''

 

Bill, If the cv-joints popping is what you're referring to check this out. My neighbor and I both have '99 SP500's, I put a 2" lift (homemade from pipe for 5 bucks) on mine and a set of 26" mudrunners, his is still stock. A couple weeks ago we were both hooked up to another quad pulling him out, in the process he popped his cv-joint, and so far knock-on-wood I haven't had any driveline problems. I'm not so sure the lift is really the problem, maybe it's just when the front wheels come up a little and you are fully turned that this happens. Since this incident I've added 1/4" steering stops hoping to eliminate any chance of this happening to me. Oh BTW, when I put on my lift I also ground the bottom of the strut a little so my boots wouldn't rub. Maybe this helped me out-any thoughts?

EADS