I was wondering if i were to put 26" itp mudlites on ma 05 rancher 350 would it bog in the mud, how much power would i loose? Would it be a better descion if i put 25" mudlites
thanks for the info.

 

It will bog it down some and if I were to guess it will be more than you want. Stay with the 25s you will much happier. The new 25s have the larger treads so you'll still do well in the snow & mud. You'll also save a few bucks so it's a win win.

 

I would stick with the 25's which are now offerred with the XL tread. personally I would not install 26" or larger tires on anything smaller than a 400 quad.

 

I'll have to disagree a little. We had 26" mudlites on c-series on our 01 Rancher ES. The thing could crawl through just about anything in 1st and 2nd gear. Yes there was power loss, but not very much and certainly not enough to reduce the rideablility of the machine. In fact the quad was a lot more fun to ride after the new tires.

Now if you dont get into much mud water or snow you probably dont need the clearance. And when I got my MLs they didnt have the 25" tires with the deeper tread. So if the extra 1/2 inch of clearance is not needed where you ride, I would go with the 25XT's for the simple fact that you get the best of both worlds. Less engine drag and most of the off-road ability with only a minor loss in GC. But IMO the 26" MLs were no mistake and I would do it all over again without reservation.

 

i ride through a lot of thick mud and water so im kind of leaning towards the 26"s right now
thanks

still open for opions though

 

Alot of thick mud? Thats a reason I wouldnt go with 26s. You dont neccearly need bigger tires to get through alot of mud. If you are in thick deep mud. You will be wishing youd have the 25s because the 26s might be to heavy. I might be wrong. I also want to get 25-26s for my wolverine, but i know id need my pipe and get a torque stuffer to push that little power loss.

 

I run 26" Bugs with pipe, K/N, and jetting and have no problem turning them in mud. I have found the extra height helps me get through some ruts that smaller tires would not allow the bike to clear. Before my mods they did not spin as well, but did okay due to the ultra-low first gear. If you are thinking about adding similar mods, I would not hesitate to go with 26" but personally would go no taller.

 

26s

Pros: More height, more tread

Cons: Heavier, power loss


25s

Pros: Lighter, tread is still good with little to no power loss

Cons: Not as much height


IMO I would still stick to the 25s. You get the best of both worlds. I have a Suzuki Vinson 500 and noticed some power loss when I installed 26s. If your machine has 150cc less than mine I'm sure you will see lots more power loss and IMO you need all you can get with a 350cc machine.

 

How much heavier is the 26 compared to the 25 with deep tread? I wish we had some weights because I bet its not much at all. The diameter will affect it more. It will feel just a tad slower. Once your in the thick stuff, I dont think it would be that much easier to turn a deep lugged 25 compared to a 26 anyway. You will loose some take off speed and if its like mine, I lost some top end, 3MPH, but could be my speedo is way off too. If you want the GC and spend time in the mud, get the 26's. But If you still want to smoke em on dry land, go with the 25 deep lugs.

 

ITP weight comparison for Mud Lites:
25x10x12=19.5
26x12x12(deep lug))=26.7