gbc gators

[Noel Woods]

The GBC Gators are so close a match to the Mudbugs that you can only tell the difference by reading the sidewall. I think they are a great tire that swims, muds well, and has a decent ride.
My tan Max2 usually leads the pack of amphibs when we ride. Its a little machine that seldom gets stuck, and has pulled many a larger machine out of being bound in the mud.

[jpswift1]

They do, but they're not cheap, unfortunately.

GBC Motorsports Gator Tires AR09303 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at PowerSports Place

[Surfer Dude]

That is pretty high price but without being able to go just buy 25x12x9 rawhide III's what are my other options? And personally I think the Gators would more suit what I would be doing with tires as I don't swim much. But i'll have to start saving for them thats for sure. Maybe in the spring time i'll jump with on them.

[kezef]

found these tires did not call to see availability but thought they were a good price also lists 25/13/9 as a available size Interco Vampire - ATV Direct - ATV Tires and More - www.4atvtires.com

[jpswift1]

found these tires did not call to see availability but thought they were a good price also lists 25/13/9 as a available size Interco Vampire - ATV Direct - ATV Tires and More - www.4atvtires.com

Good find. The Vampires would be a good option. They so swim too, not fast, but they move alright. I remember 6X6World member Boncrshr had them on his Hustler 950 and it seemed like that machine would go anywhere.

[mudbug3]

This is a video of Boncrshr's Hustler 6x6 950 fitted with 25/13/9 Vampire tires crossing the Texas, Sabine river.

[Surfer Dude]

What are your guys opinions on running these on a max II though with Matt O rims? 13" wide probably going to need spacers obviously and what is the actually height of the tires? Will they touch in the middle? Will need tub reformed I know but lugs touching in the middle would be a No-No. Not sure what the axle spacing ceneter to center on Boncrshr's 950 hustler is.

[Surfer Dude]

ANybody have an answer on this???? Watched a bunch of Boncrshrs videos on Youtube last night and them tires just crawl through things. And actually don't swim to bad either...

[mudbug3]

Surfer Dude


The Vampire tires grab really good if they can find traction, but in really soft mud they will high center your tub really quick. The Vampire is a 6 ply tire with softer side walls that make them ride really good at 3 psi. The forum Cory has a blue Max II with Dirt Devil's I think , and it muds pretty good and swims reasonable too. Comparing a 22" inch tire and a 25 " inch atv mud tire will not swim the same.

[Surfer Dude]

Well mudbug, So what are you suggesting as a tire to go with?? I do really want to run 25" tires indefinitely. I really like the GBC gator 25x12x9's that are like the tires you have but I'd love to try something different like the vampires. Just not sure they would fit being 25x13x9. and with actually height who knows if they are possible. And what tires swim better 22" or 25". Assumption is 25" but who knows. Thanks for your help

[mudbug3]

Surfer Dude

A Mud Bug tire sheds mud really good if you twist the throttle hard. Since a Gator tire is just about identical in tread pattern and lug shape to the Mud Bug tire , I'd chose this tire over the Vampire tire. The Forum member Junkman had 26" inch Vampires tires on his Max IV ,and he told me that when driving through mud with a hard mud bottom, the Vampire tire pulls really good through the mud, but in really soft mud he got stuck a lot more often and had to use his winch , because the Vampire tire dug down so fast. Boncrshr had 25" inch Vampires on his Hustler 950 and I had 26" inch Gator tires on my Max IV, and in really soft mud my heavier machine went through the mud a lot better than his machine with the Vampire tires. Because a 25" inch tire has more side wall height than a 22" inch tire in the same brand, the 25" inch tire will ride better and also provide more buoyancy in the water. The 25" inch tire will also provide better water speed. This all depends on the total weight of the tub and driver in it though. At the present time, Vampire tires are really hard to find. I have not checked, but I think the Gator tire and the Mud Bug tires come in a 25x12x9 size. The Vampire tire in a 25" inch size came in at 25x13x9. Since the Vampire tire have softer side walls than either the Mud Bug tire and the Gator tire, I'd choose the Gator tire over the Vampire tire for price and durability.


In soft mud conditions like this, a Mud Bug tire or Gator tire will pull better through the mud.

[Surfer Dude]

mudbug,

Thank you very much for your input. Unfortunately they don't offer the Mud Bug tires in the 25x12x9 size anymore. But as you said the GBC gators are borderline identical and they are still offered in that size. Good to know that atleast there are cons to the vampire tires and think that helps me make my final decision. GBC gators it is. You run them on matt O rims? For my aggressive driving style when showing off to them four wheeler guys I need a good bead lock to keep them tires in place haha. Also I know i'm asking a lot but do you have some good pictures of these mounted on your rig? I believe you had these on your machine correct. Or was that only Noel Woods that had them on his?

[miker89]

we have a used set of 25x12x9 gators on argo rims we would sell

[mudbug3]

[QUOTE=Surfer Dude;150093]mudbug,

( Surfer Dude - Quote ) 'You run them on matt O rims? For my aggressive driving style when showing off to them four wheeler guys I need a good bead lock to keep them tires in place haha. Also I know i'm asking a lot but do you have some good pictures of these mounted on your rig? I believe you had these on your machine correct. Or was that only Noel Woods that had them on his?


Noel Woods ran Matt's bead lock rims with the 25 " inch Mud Bugs on his Max II. I'm running the factory bead lock, K rims. I ran the Gator tires on my Max IV at zero psi and as slow as I ride ,never lost a bead, but only one time at River Run atv. This happened when I tried to use momentum to drive out of a really bad mud hole that was made by 4 wheelers with lift kits and large aggressive tirs. Using momentum and moderate tire speed I hit a hard rutt when trying to exit out and lost a bead on the right front tire. As long as I drove slow and didn't try to use speed and momentum when trying to drive out of a really bad mud hole I didn't loose any more tire beads.


Below is a video of me in my Max IV with 26 inch Gator tires. I'm the guy with the coveralls, black shirt and black cap. There was some really bad mud at Big Creek , atv park that day. Because of the many cypress knees at this atv park we all ran 5 psi in the tires to not loose a bead. Lee in his Argo 6x6 was running Matt's bead lock rims with his 25" inch, Mud bugs and lost a tire bead when he accidently ran into a cypress knee. He was running 3 psi, but when Dan and I got to the park he told us to up our air pressure to 5 psi.

This is another video of my Max IV with the Gator tires in moderate mud and swamp stuff.

[miker89]

Here is a picture of the 25x12x9 tire