500 EXC gearing

Has anyone done any messing around with the chaincase gears on a 500 exc? Depending on snow conditions sometimes 3rd is too much to pull, or sometimes just right. I feel like all around I need something in between the 2. I have 13/17 between the bike and jackshaft and will probably leave that as I doubt other combinations will fit from the sounds of it. I have the stock 17/17 in the chain case right now.

I bought a 16 and 18 to try out. I'm thinking running it 18 top and 16 bottom to gear everything up a bit to make 2nd more usefull, and not have to rev the bike out as much on the trail. Vs. gearing it down to make 3rd more usefull and lose top end. I played around with gearing calculators and it looks like 18/16 will make 2nd very close to the same as 3rd with 16/18. Both of which are pretty much in the middle of 2nd and 3rd with 17/17. Any thoughts or actual experience on this?

This is on a 2014 500 EXC and 16 LT

007 said:

Why won’t a 14 tooth on the bikes tranny work?

I have a 16 Xc-w and have been thinking the same thing.

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I haven't actually tried it to confirm that it won't work, but it seems like most bikes have one sprocket that fits with the small amount of adjustment provided by the chain tensioner.

Tried 16 top and 18 bottom, and vice versa this weekend. With the 16/18 the bike was super slow on the trail, and spent most of the day in 3rd gear off the trail. With 18/16 it has awesome top end on the trail, and spent most of the day in 2nd gear in deeper snow, which should be about the same track speed at a given rpm as 3rd with the other setup. I'll be leaving it 18 top 16 bottom for now.

Maybe on a super deep day the lower gearing might be nice so you have 2nd gear if you get bogged down in 3rd, but the bike has no problem pulling 2nd with the 18/16. I think for most conditions and situations the high gearing is better.