Was wondering the same thing, I have the same tires as well and 29.5 Laws (but don't want to use the laws for pulling, I break enough stuff in the mud with these tires). I know adding weight to the front end but also wondered about strapping it down some to make it sit lower and have the cv's run a little more srtaight (i use a 1.5 inch front bracket lift in the front so the cv's are on a steep angle as it is).

BTY, good luck at your pull, and let us know how you make out.

 

good luck with it.

 

I was wondering the same thing. I am thinking of entering an event this weekend myself. There is a Jamboree up in NE that I am going to and I normally enter the drags, but thought I my try the sled pull this yearas well. I have several tire options I can go with.

25" Bighorns

25" 4-Snows or wedges

25" Sand tires

26" Sand Tires

Stock Tires

StockXT tires

What do you think I should use. The track is supose to be a Dirt, maybe a little sand mixed in.

 

I have been in 2 different pulls, here is the best info I have:

pull in 4 low
set your tire pressures lower to get best traction, but not too low to spin on the rims
get your hitch or hook up point to be as high as possible, some events limit the heights so check the rules.
Use directional tires, like the Carliese ACT they bite better than the Hig horn tread style
Front shocks on lowest preload


If you have traction at the start hammer it and sit forward in the seat.
If track is gravel and loose, you may have to "ease it out of the gate" then hammer it
If the sled keeps you from doing a full pull, as you slow down bounce up and down like on a buck'n bronc and dig the front tires into the track by turning back and forth.

Tips:
don't hit the brakes, just let off the gas and have the sled and your ebs slow you down. Saw a guy on a Brute do a full pull and then cram on the brakes sled smashed right into him.
Don't accidently turn your 4x4 switch off
Don't accidently stand on your rear floor brake.
When staging or waiting your turn make sure your machine is up to operational temps and belt is warm too.
Momentum is your friend.

Have a good time! I am addicted to pulling!

 

How about hight of the tires the shorter the better or the taller the better? If I were to guess the shorterand lighter the better. I am thinkg the Wedges or 4-snows what ever you want to call them. Here is what I am thinking of running.

 

I also have a set of these in 25/8/12 for the front, what do you think about the zippers on the back and these on the front.



This pic is of a differnt size but the same tire I have in the 25/8/12

This is the only pic I could find of the size that I have and what they look like.


Yell if you need help resizing Rick/OSO

 

CC1999: Prefvious reply was right on the head. ACT are the lowest profile of the tires listed. They have soft rubber and aggressive lugs. Bighorns are harder rubber and the rubber to void ratio is worse.

At my first OL800 pull (ran a Traxter before and was never beaten, by any class) I'm debating running more air in the front tires to reduce resistance. Even in 4WD they probably do only 20% of pulling because of weight transfer to the rear.

You can only add weight to the front to the max weight for the class you're runnung, usually about 1200 lbs w/rider for the largest engine size. They'll have sand bags you can use. You will be weighed. Usually you can also run in UNLIMITED when you can add as much weight as your front rack can carry. Off the line don't gradually give it throttle, peg it full immediately. Good luck

 

CC, I know you have discussed it before, but did you say you made your skids? I like the looks of what you have on the back. Thanks for giving us a belly up peek at them (LOL).

 

Sorry I did not have a pic of my set of those front paddle tires and GBC does not make them any more,so I borrowed that pic from http://www.atvpt.com . They test ATV products.

 

turboman wrote:

CC1999: Prefvious reply was right on the head. ACT are the lowest profile of the tires listed. They have soft rubber and aggressive lugs. Bighorns are harder rubber and the rubber to void ratio is worse.

At my first OL800 pull (ran a Traxter before and was never beaten, by any class) I'm debating running more air in the front tires to reduce resistance. Even in 4WD they probably do only 20% of pulling because of weight transfer to the rear.

You can only add weight to the front to the max weight for the class you're runnung, usually about 1200 lbs w/rider for the largest engine size. They'll have sand bags you can use. You will be weighed. Usually you can also run in UNLIMITED when you can add as much weight as your front rack can carry. Off the line don't gradually give it throttle, peg it full immediately. Good luck

I havea set of Bridgestone Dirt hooks that are 25" if shorter is better. And those zipper arezized at22" but with 8-10pounds of air they balloon out to close to 25"

The front tires in this pic is a 25/8/12 Dirt hook on a c-series type 4

When you say ACT do youmean these OEM outlander tires.I thought these were called Carllile badlands.

Now what about running them back words, that should give them more bite. Would that help any. And since you mentioned profile, you are saying the shorter the better. I might still have a set of some 23" tires left from back when I had a v-force.

 

Yup. Forgot to mention run the rears backwards. Big help in traction. Yes, ACT's are the Carlisle Badlands that came on the XT 800's. The XT's had tires with deeper tread and I think stronger sidewalls than the non-XT's.

 

I have been in about six pulling contest.The one I enjoyed the most was two years ago when I was in wallace ID.I had a 400outty max and put it in the 500 and under class where their were 5 popo 500 and beat them all.Last year I had my 800max and beat up on two 800 popos amd a BF750. I think the max has a advantage in a pulling contest.

 

My dad entered his outlander 800 with 29.5" outlaws and I ran my renegade in one as well a while back. My gade got spanked by the 800max on mudlites and even my dad's outlander with outlaws. His outy with outlaws pulled it out the first time as well as the max. The second time with a lower gear on the sled it looked like a rototiller throwing big chunks and looked scary to watch and he lifted and the max won. Later in the day he broke the mainshaft in the motor that outputs to the front wheels in a tug of war with a popo which he lost after it broke u: It has been out of commision for 5 weeks waiting on parts they finally called today and said it was done $822 later. I think he's sitting out the sled pull next time or running the brute. My renegade with holeshots couldn't be aired down with all the tire spinning on the rims problems I've had and was surprised at how poorly I hooked up in comparison to the outlanders. I only made it 2/3 of the way down the track.

 

If you have a 400 lb buddy, pull in unlimited, let him ride for dough, you can ride for fun. Weight is the biggest factor I know of in sled pulls.

 

here is the ACT tires that come on the 07 XT outies.

And yes reverse the thread I forgot that one.

 

Ok tchobbs, Turbo lost me a little, my falt though. I did't like the tires or the wheels that came on my XT, so they came off pretty much after one 30 minute ride on them I never looked to see what kind the were. I still have them though. My main concern with using those tires is that they are heavy, There were some sled pluller guys on Kawiriders that told me to watch my rotating mass, As I recall those ACTs are well over 30 some odd pounds each. Those zippers are under 20 each and so are the dirt hooks I was thinking of running backwards on the front. Whats your thoughts on the rotating mass.

 

cc1999 wrote:

Ok tchobbs, Turbo lost me a little, my falt though. I did't like the tires or the wheels that came on my XT, so they came off pretty much after one 30 minute ride on them I never looked to see what kind the were. I still have them though. My main concern with using those tires is that they are heavy, There were some sled pluller guys on Kawiriders that told me to watch my rotating mass, As I recall those ACTs are well over 30 some odd pounds each. Those zippers are under 20 each and so are the dirt hooks I was thinking of running backwards on the front. Whats your thoughts on the rotating mass.

Did you mention reversing the FRONT tires. That would be a waste of time. 80% of your traction will come from the rear. Personally I think the paddle tires would be worthless. Too many smooth areas with no tread. Both frt and rear have to be the same diameter you know. Unless you ran 2WD.

Lower diameter will trump tire weight, everytime.. Ligthness is great, every pound of rotating mass is the same effect as taking 10 lbs off the gross weight. But lower diameter is the same as a gear change, that's allpure gain in torque. I always compare a 3.70 rear to a 4.56 in a car. Major, major effect on low end power. Did that gear swamp on a Corvette years ago and with the 4.56 2nd gear it pulled as strong as the 3.70 1st gear.

Best of both worlds would bethe lightest tires,lowest profile, directional lugged tread and then reverse them all.

 

the ACTs are pretty light ,especially the fronts,and get real good traction imo.Dont know about pulling but i would think they'd do good. Fronts-17.3 lbs,rears-24.6

http://www.carlisletire.com/products/atv/act/index.html


the non XT's come with the badlands which are good for nothing,imo

 

More Traction trumps lower mass everyday at the pulls.
Plus you got the torque to turn the ACTs no problem.
Once you get the heavier tires rolling they are harder to stop too.

Tim

 

Things not mentioned:

Higher hitch = more downforce = more traction (length of hitch from center of axlealsoaffects downforce...keep it short unless there's a long chain on the sled) Different clubs have different limits, just go prepared with hitch height adjustment. Along with the downforce topic, stiffen up the ass end as much as possible....if it squats, your hitch height lowers and you lose traction.

Tire pressure: If you can test pull, look at your holes when you spin in. A humped up hole means too little air, and a round bottom hole means too much air. Flat holes are optimum. (This will change from a soft track to a hard track.) MAKE SURE YOUR TIRE PRESSURE IS EQUAL SIDE TO SIDE!!!! If not, you will wonder why you can't keep it straight.

Having sharp lug edgesishuge...this may be why some recommend you run them backwards...the back edgewill besharp...might explain why real pullers don't run their tires backwards, they sharpen their lugs. Tall lugs or sand tires...not a good idea.

Momentum is key...wick it and keep it wicked...it's got a rev limiter.

Please don't bounce up and down...you'll look like an idiot. If you're slowing down that much, you're done anyway.

Have fun, you'll love it!

 

Very good advise Hayseed.:ban:

 

Hayseed wrote:

Momentum is key...wick it and keep it wicked...it's got a rev limiter.

Please don't bounce up and down...you'll look like an idiot. If you're slowing down that much, you're done anyway.

Ditto. I've never seen anyone gain even 6" jumping around on the bike or twisting the handlebars back and forth.

Those Carlisle ACT are light weight tires. Good all purpose too. Rode mine 2000 miles. Had a lot left when I traded them. Maybe we could make a deal on them.

 

Guys, I am not sure what you call a heavy tire if a those ACTs are light. I have sets out there in the shed that the tire and the wheel weight less than just the ACT tire, not counting the 7-8 pound OEM riims they are mounted on.I found a set of tracker Ps in the shed, Polaris us to use them on all there quads bac sveral years ago. They are 25/8/12 fronts and rears are 25/11/10s with a 2/5 offset. That SRA type prairie offset will make them hang out wide. I have noted on some of the pro pulling setups they run those tires out real wide, would those make a good combo. Plus they are 25's not 26's like the ACTs. I have not put them on a scale yet but they feel lighter, not a lot I don't think but a little. I would guess 4 pounds each lighter than the ACTs

 

Any radial tire has an traction advantage because of its larger contact patch.

 

cc1999 wrote:

I have noted on some of the pro pulling setups they run those tires out real wide, would those make a good combo.

Wider isn't better. Setting your reartires out will make it want to "steer" you unevenly as each tire hits different track. Like if one tire hits a loose hole and the other gets good traction, you will turn. Having a wider offset on the rear axle makes it worse. If you want to have your fronts and rears bothdriving on new track, (not following one another)offset the fronts out and offset the rears in.

As always, lean OPPOSITE the way you want to go. For example, if your getting sucked to the right side of the track, lean toward the right side of the quad to get more traction on that side. This applies more when running in 2wd. I see too many people who should know better leaning the wrong way...it's just comical.