Tuners + Indexing + Tire Size

[SHOTGUN]

Does indexing size and pressure matter with tuners? I will be installing my channel tracks this week on my 8x8 Avenger and already have spacers and tuners on. I have measured my tires all at 5psi, I have 7 heat tires and one AT189. 4 heats measure 80" 1 heat 80.5", 1 heat 81.5, 1 heat 79.5", AT189 measures 76.5". Will the AT189 be too small to fit with the rest? I believe usually with tuners you would want to run the four biggest in the middle? This still gives me quite a differnce between tire size from front/rear on each side 80"x80" vs 79.5"x76.5" (will it pull to one side?) I measured the AT189 aired up to 7psi and it gained 0.5" to 0.75", still out from the rest. What should I do? All size and pressure were triple checked

[thorn]

Yes you want your biggest tires in the center. I am running Carlisle strykers and 4 of them were about and inch bigger than the other 4. I put them in the middle to help the machine pivot when turning and them being on the tuners allows the drive train to see them as equals to the others.

I believe you want the rear to be a bit bigger than the fronts due to the weight difference in the front to rear in general. The way under sized tire is definitely throwing a loop in the situation and personally I would find a replacement that is closer to the others. I know they are expensive, but any decent ATV tire can be ran in the centers.

This is me just looking at the Heat tires, but if you are running them in snow they don't appear to have a good tread for grabbing the grousers and you might get a lot of tire slippage. I hope I am wrong, just an observation. Proper sizing of the track goes a long way in preventing this.

Keep us posted and post some pics.

[Buzz]

Indexing matters, but the requirement of tire position becomes far less specific. If tuners are used, then you really only need the (4) corner tires to be close in size, and of those 2 tires, just position the smallest in the front.
You always want the tires to overdrive the track... you do not want the track to overdrive the tires. If the smallest tire is in the front, then the track speed will be "slightly" slower than the tread speed of all the other tires, or in this case just the rear tire. The rear tire will/can slip slightly (but under driven power via the chain) vs. under the belt/pulley effect of the track trying to make the rear tire turn faster than the chain is trying to drive it....in theory.

Of the corner tires mounted, you just need to make sure the front tire is the smaller of the two.
If tuners are not used, then you have to fully index the tires. All this means is that of your (4) tires on each side, you will have a "larger pair" and a "smaller pair." The smaller pair goes on the corners, the larger pair goes in the middle. #2 tire (largest) has to slightly over-drive #3 tire (next largest)....that way the correct side of the chain (opposite the tensioners) is what stays tensioned when the tires are turning and the track is driving. This is in addition to the smallest tire being placed in the #1 position, and the next smallest tire being positioned in the #4 position.
Another benefit of tuners is that you can make up some track tension because the larger pair no longer "has" to be positioned in the middle. The corner tires exclusively will determine track tension, so if your track is too loose, you can move the larger center-pair of tires..out to the corners, and move the original corner tires(smaller pair)...to the center. You'll tighten your track a bit. Nice to try before you commit to cutting your track in an attempt to shorten. Same holds true if your tires never were indexed, and you start to run a track and find that it is too tight. If you go ahead and measure your tires (highly recommended) and find that the smallest pair was NOT on the corners, then you can place the smaller pair on the corners and test fit the track again..before commiting to making the track longer.
Still index the corner tires even if tuners are used (which I'd strongly recommend). In your case, I would put the (4) 80" tires on the corners, and on one side place the 80.5 in #2 postion, and on the other side place the 81.5" in the #2 postion. The 79.5 and 76.5 tires will go in the # 3 position on either side, doesn't matter which.
Put a little bit more air in the rear tires vs. the front tires just to ensure the fronts are the smallest.
If tub clearance is an issue you can tweak positioning a bit more. Tuners help the ability to do this. Also, the ability to pivot on larger center tires is more a byproduct of the avenger/frontier/mudd-ox machines that have the corner axles elevated in the frame. Simply mounting the larger of (8) identically sized stock tires in the center doesn't seem to do much for pivoting. If your machine doesn't have a banana frame, you'd need significantly larger (non matching) sized tires in the center to accomplish the same sort of effect.
Hope that helps

[SHOTGUN]

Thanks for the replys, I had thought the exact same as Buzz for tire placement, seems to me that the biggest and smallest in positon 2 and 3 works for what I have because #2 carries the most weight unloaded(will help pivot and tire pressure can be reasonable for ride) and three is just along for the ride until some wieght is in the back.

[avenger8x8]

Where is the cheapest place to buy 4 track tuners 2.5" for a 2004 argo 700 avenger?

[thorn]

Where is the cheapest place to buy 4 track tuners 2.5" for a 2004 argo 700 avenger?

Adair is the only place that makes them, but I think other argo dealers sell them. I think the price will be pretty standard. You can't go wrong ordering from Adair. They are a 1st class outfit.

[avenger8x8]

I would like to get them from adair but i live in novascotia and the exchange rate is crazy right now. If i could find a set forsale in canada it would save me alot of money.