Beadlocks

Well after deflating my ltb's 2 times in moab and for the 10th time this year by pulling it off the bead, I am thinking about beadlocks.

Found these Aero Beadlocks at summit which I am considering
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...755963+4294906359+4294836953+115&autoview=sku

They are only $121 each so really, even if I kill one or end up having to reinforce the outer rings, I should be ahead of the game. My largest concern is that they only use 16 bolts. My rig is not a daily driver so it is less of a concern to me if they leak a little in between wheeling trips. Biggest selling point is that I could get 5 for $600 while that would only get me 2 or 3 of most other brand beadlocks.

Thoughts on these?

Interesting...

what are mud cover tabs?...

"Mud cover tabs are incorporated into the inner ring, eliminating the need for welding."

Probably about the same cost as DIY with new steelies.

I'm not sure about the number of bolts, but I doubt they would be producing them if they didn't work...

you dont want to get the ones you just weld on your wheels?
like DIY makes?

from my experiences 16 bolts are not enough if you're using plates under 1/4"

you'll end up having to run tubes or something.

get at least 24 bolt

SOUTHTEXASXJ said:

you dont want to get the ones you just weld on your wheels?
like DIY makes?

Click to expand...

Currently have aluminum rims that i want to put street tires on anyway if I go to beadlocks. So either way I need to buy new rims if I go to beadlocks. Also, I don't trust my welding skills enough to do diy beadlocks.

Stauns?? I am running them, and I did take out one tube so far, but they replaced it no charge. I got them for $99/ea on a Groupbuy. They are a bit tedious to install (LOTS of Talcum powder needed), but seem to work pretty good. AND they lock BOTH inner and outer beads. If you do some searching I bet you could find them at a similar price.

Just a thought...

A.

AussieDave said:

from my experiences 16 bolts are not enough if you're using plates under 1/4"

you'll end up having to run tubes or something.

get at least 24 bolt

Click to expand...

what expierence is that?

There are TONS of guys running Hummer H1 beadlocks that are a 2 piece wheel, with only 8 bolts, much farther from the ring, on a 16.5" rim (much larger than a 15" rim) and the 8 bolts do just fine...

I've always thought the # of bolts in off road bead locks was excessive, and it was more of a marketing thing of "compare to the competitors 18 bolts, ours use 36!"

I know in the drag race world, specifically my experience is with what my buddies A-Fuel car, that he bought a set of beadlocks for the slicks that had like 24 bolts, and decided that was too much weight, and bought some american racing beadlocks with only 18 bolts per side, and holes where the other bolts would be to reduce weight, and saved like 10lbs per rim (also went to hollow titanium bolts at the same time) and picked up big time in the 1/4 mile... at no performance loss...

all of that said - Im going to be running steel beadlocks with 24 bolts at the end of this weekend, and I have no expierence with any beadlock not having enough clamping force (other rigs on the trail) and I have NO concern that the 24 bolt beadlocks wont be enough.

Mine are the MRW beadlocks which are a glorified DIY beadlock with a custom stamped outer rig. I also bought some wheel re-enforcements from 66CJDean on Pirate (havent installed them yet) to re-enforce the inner bead seat area on the rims to hopefully prevent bending them.

cliffnotes:
bla bla bla
I think 16 bolts will be fine
bla bla bla

20 -24 bolts is the norm.

Hummer beadlocks are a military split rim design. Different than a clamp on ring.

The more bolts you have, the better. I've seen a few folks with 24 bolt Trailreadys shear half their bolts before.

In drag racing, you are trying to keep the wheel from spinning inside the tire. With wheeling you are trying to keep the wheel on the tire from lateral forces.

I'm not a big fan of stauns. Crap can still get into the bead over time.

Dan at Ruff Stuff Specialties has a great deal.

Give him a call and ask for the naxja discount.

you could do H1 double beadlocks and recenter. Around here the rims go for about $50 each and centers are about the same.

the idea of beadlocking the steel wheels i bought for $200 w/ 33' bfgs last year has been going through my mind lately. seems very economical via ruffstuff speacialties! even finding 2 more spares would be easy and cheap enough!

no skullz tho

xcm said:

the idea of beadlocking the steel wheels i bought for $200 w/ 33' bfgs last year has been going through my mind lately. seems very economical via ruffstuff speacialties! even finding 2 more spares would be easy and cheap enough!

no skullz tho

Click to expand...

I have the RSS beadlocks. I asked dan to put as many bolts as possible in the rings.

Ended up at 39 per wheel.

Overkill? Maybe.

KarlVP said:

Hummer beadlocks are a military split rim design. Different than a clamp on ring.

Click to expand...

jmop said:

you could do H1 double beadlocks and recenter. Around here the rims go for about $50 each and centers are about the same.

Click to expand...

I'm running 12-bolt H1s, with Performance Cryo steel beadlocks and GLO rock rings (well going to be when I get it going, really).
As great as H1s are there are a few downfalls.
Pros:
Cheap
Widely available
Double Beadlocks
8 or 12 bolt versions
Custom Rock Rings and Wheel centers
Cons:
Very Heavy
16.5" diameter
Need to recenter if you are not running full-widths and 8lug pattern.


All that said above, if I had to do it over again, I'd bite the bullet and get some 17" Stazworks or similar double beadlocks. But I've got them now and I'll run them.

What it really comes down to is; do you want single or double beadlocks?
Also, if you are going to be dropping some big coin on wheels, GO TO A 17" diameter. There are many many many more options for tires available for 17" wheels and on the cheap. You may not need it not, but in the future you'll be happy.

Stazworks would be nice but 3-4 times the cost of H1 rims, I've got $300 into my H1 rims with rock rings (I didn't need to recenter) and as long as Interco is still making tires in the 16.5 I'm golden.

Ok, well I have 34x10.50x15 LTB's which are pretty new, so I am sticking with 15's. Also, still trying to keep this cheap. Has anyone tried the ones above?


Andy, I considered stauns, but either way I am going to end up buying new rims, so I was attempting to kill 2 birds with one stone.

lobsterdmb said:

Well after deflating my ltb's 2 times in moab and for the 10th time this year by pulling it off the bead, I am thinking about beadlocks.

Found these Aero Beadlocks at summit which I am considering
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...755963+4294906359+4294836953+115&autoview=sku

They are only $121 each so really, even if I kill one or end up having to reinforce the outer rings, I should be ahead of the game. My largest concern is that they only use 16 bolts. My rig is not a daily driver so it is less of a concern to me if they leak a little in between wheeling trips. Biggest selling point is that I could get 5 for $600 while that would only get me 2 or 3 of most other brand beadlocks.

Thoughts on these?

Click to expand...

I have these on my rig. I like them.. I did bend one ring ,Hit a rock pretty hard.. They have took several other hits with no issues.. Like you I dont drive mine daily..
Short vid of them in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff6S1lP9hgw

Nick

lobsterdmb said:

Also, I don't trust my welding skills enough to do diy beadlocks.

Click to expand...

I'm not a pro by any means and mine turned out just fine. I don't necessarily believe the "pin hole" leaking theory that was attached to the wheels on the giveaway xj.

You're welding 1/4" plate to a pretty thick wheel bead. Turn the heat up and burn them in.

I have mine for sale, pm me..

hanaxj87 said:

I have these on my rig. I like them.. I did bend one ring ,Hit a rock pretty hard.. They have took several other hits with no issues.. Like you I dont drive mine daily..
Short vid of them in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff6S1lP9hgw

Nick

Click to expand...

how thick are the rings? Any problems with leaking?

RedHeep said:

I'm not a pro by any means and mine turned out just fine. I don't necessarily believe the "pin hole" leaking theory that was attached to the wheels on the giveaway xj.

You're welding 1/4" plate to a pretty thick wheel bead. Turn the heat up and burn them in.

Click to expand...

Thats part of what scared me away from the diy....

lobsterdmb said:

Thats part of what scared me away from the diy....

Click to expand...

I figured.

There are a ton of DIY locks out there, put together with amateur welders.

The only leaking I had was from a torn up bead on the tire and a little RTV fixed it.