Hello, I have a Honda 500 Foreman, the FRONT tires on it are AT205/80 R12 3*. Says 'replaces AT25x8-12.' The REAR tires are AT255/65 R12 3*, says it replaces AT25x10-12. Can you buy either by the current numbers or the old numbers it replaced? Tires need replacing. Must I replace with exactly these sizes or how do you know what you can replace with. Like, go larger or whatever. Just looking for a good price, lol. These are 4-lug tires. Seems like I see guys tricking out their ATVs with larger tires. I don't need anything fancy, stock is ok with me. Combo of trails and some hide-from-the-cops highway miles.
Just like any vehicle, you go larger, you change your final gear ratio. might pick up 1/2 of the increase in tire diameter if undercarriage ground clearance. IE go from 25” to 27”, increase clearance by 1”. but the increase in circumference is going to mess up your power. I just stick with stock sizes.
This is a 4x4, right? On a 4x4 you need to keep the front rear tire size ratio the same as factory...so since yours has 25" tires on both ends, then keep the diameter the same, you should be fine (go up or down the same amount front n rear) Just FYI, 25x8-12 means 25" diameter (tall), 8" wide, and 12" rim diameter...the rear are 25" diameter (tall), 10" wide, and 12" rim diameter. The other numbers (AT) are just in metric, 205mm wide, the side wall is 80% of 205mm tall, and 12" rim diameter, rear is 255mm wide, 65% of 255mm sidewall height, and 12: rim diameter. To me the American sizing is simpler... If you want bigger tires, go for it, the Foreman will pull it without problem, as long as you don't build a monster truck out of it...those huge "super swamper" ATVs have suspension and drivetrain issues after a while...lift kits are hard on CV joints and suspension parts too...
Yes, 4x4. Thank your for your reply. Sorry, call me thick; I am not totally comprehending the emboldened part above. What is it again that I could change when buying replacement tires? I could go bigger in what way? On my Honda, the rear tires are 10" wide and the front are 8" wide, and other specs are equal, right? For the sake of discussion, if I wanted all the tires exactly the same, that would be an ok idea or a bad idea? If you care to rewrite that for my thick head, much obliged, as my dad used to say. All of this is simply to give myself more choices in tire buying for a set of four tires on this Honda. I have two John Deere Gators next and I need to save where I can. I have a LOT of tires around here, it's pretty nuts how many, toys and various trailers. And I recently bought two rear tires for my mower and the dealer wanted $150/each and I shopped and got the identical tires for $50 each and they were not even on sale, lol. So, it's worth getting educated!
You can change the 25" up or down, but must do the same on both ends...you can go wider or narrower (the 8 or 10 part) but only to the point that something hits, at that point you can buy spacers or offset wheels to make wider tires clear, but that puts lots of extra stress on the suspension...and if you want to buy different wheels you could change the "12" part too. I'd probably stick close to the factory size myself...
Yes, that's the 8/10" part of the tire size(s) that he has on now. I've seen some hilljaxx that put the front wheels on backwards (bad idea, the factory Honda wheels don't seat properly like that) to make the front stance wider...and possibly to make wider tires fit?
Yawner to expand a bit on what brenndatomu is saying.. If you use different diameter tires between the front and rear, the tires rotate at different RPM"s and it'll cause the gearing to not mesh properly and 4WD generally will not allow for engagement.. thus disabling 4WD capabilities.
Easy enough a mistake to make when ordering online. It used to be worse with different diameters and widths on some of them in the 80s.
And if it does engage, then things will be bound up...at least to some degree or another. If you give it enough throttle then something has to give, either the front (usually) tires will slip, or something expensive will break
brenndatomu , I have a John Deere Gator diesel 4x4 that has... 25x10.00-12 front 25x11.00-12 rear I don't see anything to make me believe mine are radial. I found a set of 4 "stock Mule tires, Duro Frontier brand/model" for an ask of $200 that appear to be in good shape, don't know yet how many miles/hours on them, haven't spoken to seller... new price for 4 is about $560... 26x9.00R12 front 26x11.00R12 rear "R" means radial far as I know. Does it matter in this case? So, used front ones are 1" taller and 1" narrower than mine? Rear are simply 1" taller? If it's not rubbing, would these be an ok install? Used ones like this... Duro Tire 31-203712-2611B Duro Frontier DI2037 Tires | Summit Racing
Yes, R is radial...and that shouldn't matter...in my experience the radials just hold their shape better when over aired, and at high speeds. I see no reason that those tires shouldn't work fine on your JD...might wanna verify load capacity(?) about the only thing I can think of...
Well, heck, tires only showed up two hours ago and I claimed them and seller said pending sale already. Bummer, tires in great shape, little use. These Mule tires are the type that appear to be more robust than the Gator tires, which appear to roll with less air pressure, softer. I don't know that but it's what they look like and is what I was hoping to find. There are several plugs in these Gator tires and they have dry rot, they're old, I've had them seven years and they were several years old when I bought them. Thanks.
