Alright sprocket gurus!! I finally got a chance to ride in my first hare scamble. I did **** poor, but that's another story...anyway. Right now I have 14/38 gearing, and I definatly still need to go lower. Those woods were tight and for the short time I was running, I was constantly fighting between 1st and 2nd and couldn't find a happy range. My question is, 39 or 40 rear?? Will a 40 fit in the stock swingarm guard?? Does 40 have too much of a loss of top end?? Granted I want more low end go, but I don't want to be going slower than 65 on top. Some of you may suggest a 13t front, but I don't want to go that route as the chain is noisy enough. I'm just curious for those that have or have tried the 39 or 40 with the 14t front. Thanks in advance for the info.

 

I am running the 39 and it was a tight fit. Once I got it on the teeth grooved a path thru the stock skid plate. not much just maybe a 1/16 of an inch was all they grooved. I think a 40 would fit but would be very tight with the chain and skid. As for a top end it didnt hurt it very much at all. I am all stock exept for the sprocket and I can still run right with a buddy that has stock gearing and a WB pipe. I think the low end power gained makes of for any loss in the top end. He didnt pull away at all till just about the end and that was only by 1/2 bike but I had him in the lower gears.

As soon as my HMF gets here I think it will be a different story.

 

with a 40, its like putting a 13 tooth in the front. the 40 or 41 will not fit in the stock skid guard and you will need a new chain and new skid guard. make sure if you get the new guard it isn't just a direct replacement for stock and it fits the larger sprockets. for the scrambles i would put a 41 on to keep you in second through the tight turns. good luck.

 

This was posted once before, but I made my own chart for reference. The 14/40 is the same final ratio as the common change of 13/37. Here is the list:

Predator Gear Ratios

Front Rear Final Ratio
14 26 2.57
14 37 2.64 Stock
14 38 2.71
14 39 2.78
14 40 2.85
13 36 2.77
13 37 2.85 Common
13 38 2.92
13 39 3.00
13 40 3.07

Hope that helps you out.

 

Thanks for the info everyone. I think I will try out the 39 first, cause I don't want to hassle with buying a new chain and skid when what I have works fine. I'm pretty close to where I want to be, but I just had a slight hesitation trying to round trees in 2nd, and I thik 1 more tooth would help bunches.

 

I know you said "don't want to run a 13".......but the chain rattle comes from a slack chain that is out of adjustment..........

It all depends on your terrain, but I've found for tight woods and dunes the 13/38 is good, for fast logging roads 14/38, You could always try either of these with a 39 tooth too, but 40 isn't worth the cost factors. I took my stock 37 tooth off right aways, as I think Polaris really wanted to win the Top Speed award for their new quad right from the factory. I don't need to go 75 mph, 65-68 is plenty fast enough!

For what its worth, I've heard of 12 tooth sprockets being run in the Oregon dunes with no severe issues or problems. Yeah it may wear on the chain and chain rollers, but so? You'll need a new chain every couple years anyways, and those rear 39 or 40 tooth sprokets aren't cheap and need a new chain anyways so its an even wa$h.........

Heapster

 

Heapster,
What is your top-end then with th 13/38 combo? I'm sure you can get there fast, which is what I want. But I don't want to get smoked in the straights. Although in woods racing, how often do you have wide open for more than 1/2 a mile??? a pred with that gearing would beat them to their top end. It is cheaper to get the 13. Any more inputs on this combo?

 

Pudl, I know we gabbed about this, but now with checking prices, and thinking through what Heap stated, I might switch the front to the 13....besides, like he said before, that red sprocket has to be worth a few hp! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Guess people could shim the stock skidplate down just a bit, but then you're cutting that ground, er, stump clearance.

Pudl, by the way, you now can change your signature "waiting for a scramble", to been there done that. hehe.

 

Hey modquad,
Yeah, I was just gonna pm you and pick your brain about what heapster just said...it's making alot more sense to me too, cause if we think it's too low, keep the 13 and swap back to the 37 rear, so we can have some play in gears and only pay $20 for the sprocket.

Once again, I will prob. have to wear my NO FEAR shirt at the next scramble that says in big letters across the back....BEEN THERE, WRECKED THAT...I get to much use out of that shirt...which is really sad...lol!

 

Glad to help out fellow preddy owners......

Just last night I did a run on the asphalt "public test track" with the 13/38 gears after taking my paddles off from last weekends dune ride.

I too wanted to see how the top end was.........trust me, plenty fast enough for even a racing situation.....and yup, you get to the top speed real real fast.

Dang PRO steering system doesn't work worth sheet when the front tires aren't touching the ground........just call them big air rudders at that point.......grins.