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beadlocks: weld-on vs $$$

In the last 15 years I've done a dozen or so weld on beadlocks. Honestly in the end it cost the same. It really boils down to how much time you are willing to but in to them. Weld on you have the cost of the wheels, beadlock kit, hardware (nuts and bolts), paint, valve stems, balancing beads, welding wire and a grinder. What is a weekend worth to you? Welding is a key skill need. A fair about of prep is needed.

Personally I'm not ever going to recommend someone do dyi beadlocks. For the average individual, it dose not pencil out.

OK, I'll play this game:
Buying a new wheel: $50
beadlock kit at TMI: $50/wheel
hardware: $15
paint: $5 (oh, BTW- you're not going to use all of it)
valve stems: You already have them in the wheel- $0
balancing beads: Sure, if you want to go that way. $5 of BBs
welding wire: negligible. It's not like you're using a spool of wire per wheel.
grinder: Again, negligible. I don't know anyone that buys a grinder per item they build

total: $125. Let's call it $150 to be ridiculous.

Cheapest beadlock I've seen is $275. Are you not good at math?
 
I hear good things about the dirty life beadlocks

i got my dirty lifes for less than $1k shipped to my door. that was a few months ago so idk if prices have gone up or not.

This ^^^

the dirty life ones are cast aluminum , the reason for the lower cost. steel will bend , cast will shatter if hit hard enough.

That steel wheel will be complete trash long before an AL wheel begins to see issues.

Coming from DIY beadlocks, I'd never build another set. I've had several sets. I've always fought them. They stupid heavy. They leak like no tomorrow. They're a pain to bolt the ring on.

There's several aluminum wheels on the market for awesome prices.

Dirty Life wheels from Dan McPherson (DMR Offroad) being the cheapest at like $235 each.

I paid $279 each for my Raceline Monsters with aluminum rings. Like $1100 to my door.



:/ I guess that's why most folks with big boy rigs run aluminum wheels. If you hit a wheel hard enough to shatter it, you have bigger problems."



I worry constantly but not about shattering my wheels. lol

This x 10

OK, I'll play this game:
Buying a new wheel: $50
beadlock kit at TMI: $50/wheel
hardware: $15
paint: $5 (oh, BTW- you're not going to use all of it)
valve stems: You already have them in the wheel- $0
balancing beads: Sure, if you want to go that way. $5 of BBs
welding wire: negligible. It's not like you're using a spool of wire per wheel.
grinder: Again, negligible. I don't know anyone that buys a grinder per item they build

total: $125. Let's call it $150 to be ridiculous.

Cheapest beadlock I've seen is $275. Are you not good at math?

Well, that might be for a 15" wheel. But a 17" generic black steel wheel is around $100 each these days.

Also, you're not factoring in that to people, their time is worth something. Welding, grinding, and hoping it's sealed...nah.

That, and all you end up with is a flat surface that doesn't center the tire very well.

Will Steel DIY's work? Absolutely.

Will AL's work, and possibly save you a lot of time and frustration? Very likely.

I had steel wheels and planned on DIY's on my buggy. Sooooo so glad I went with my Racelines. I got them for ~$1200 to my door. Cost I guess has since gone up some, so I'd look at the Dirty Life wheels in a heartbeat from Dan at DMR Offroad.
 
17 x 8.5/9 wheels are 100. so that puts the project at closer to 200 per wheel. not a lot of cost savings for a full weekend in the shop.
 
17 x 8.5/9 wheels are 100. so that puts the project at closer to 200 per wheel. not a lot of cost savings for a full weekend in the shop

Eggzachary.

When I bought the steel wheels I did for the buggy, they were like $60 each through Summit. Sold them and MADE money four or so years later when I noticed they had gone up.

You might be able to get them cheaper on Craigslist, or during one of Discount Tire's sales. Otherwise you're at $400 for just the wheels.

Add in $200 for a Weld On Kit.

Add in $60 for Gr8 hardware (ok maybe less depending on where you go and such).

So, we'll call it $700 once you add in some consumables, valve stems (don't come on new wheels), etc.

For some, I 100% understand that the jump from that to AL Beadlocks just isn't worth it.

But, to me the money is worth a far superior product, that only takes time as far as mounting, centers the tire, and will take a hell of a beating.
 
I'm running waggy axles also. They are narrower than stock XJ axles. With 3.5 backspace wheels I'm running 3in spacers in the back and 2inch in the front. Just an FYI

I'd like to see some numbers on this- I'm almost certain you're wrong.
 
OK, I'll play this game:
Buying a new wheel: $50
beadlock kit at TMI: $50/wheel
hardware: $15
paint: $5 (oh, BTW- you're not going to use all of it)
valve stems: You already have them in the wheel- $0
balancing beads: Sure, if you want to go that way. $5 of BBs
welding wire: negligible. It's not like you're using a spool of wire per wheel.
grinder: Again, negligible. I don't know anyone that buys a grinder per item they build

total: $125. Let's call it $150 to be ridiculous.

Cheapest beadlock I've seen is $275. Are you not good at math?


Guess your time is free.....but if you add the prep & welding & painting time up, it'll add another 100 per wheel easy.......

That puts the total @ 250 per wheel.......so for an extra 25 per wheel, I can have it right now and do no work...I'll take that !
 
Well, that might be for a 15" wheel. But a 17" generic black steel wheel is around $100 each these days.
Sure about that? Summit has 7 different wheels under $75, and I haven't even tried hard.

Still, more than $100 less per wheel.

Also, you're not factoring in that to people, their time is worth something. Welding, grinding, and hoping it's sealed...nah.
It's welding, not a moon shot. It's just not difficult. It's also relaxing, as is any time spent doing Hardcore Tech type stuff.
(granted this is Junior Grade hardcore tech, but still)
This is the same mindset that says "pay someone to do it" and ends up with bolt-on crap all over a JK, and thinking you have something when you're done. Meh.


That, and all you end up with is a flat surface that doesn't center the tire very well.

It centers the tire just fine. Have you ever actually seen one of the TMI wheels?

Will AL's work, and possibly save you a lot of time and frustration? Very likely.

Till they crack from abuse. If they're not forged, they really don't need to be used in extreme applications. Porosity is a thing, and not just in welding, and with similar results.
 
.035 is what I'm using as well. getting it figured out, but good prep and beveled edges make a big difference! just got done rebuilding front bumper mounts and they came out pretty good.

What cleaner is best? alcohol?

Whatever you do, DO NOT use brake cleaner. Even if it has no CFCs. There's tons of available reference material, it's a great way to poison and perhaps kill yourself. You do wear a welding-rated respirator, and keep your head out of the smoke, I hope?
 
17 x 8.5/9 wheels are 100. so that puts the project at closer to 200 per wheel. not a lot of cost savings for a full weekend in the shop.

More like $75/wheel. You guys need to learn about Summit, it seems like.

Also, it doesn't take anything like all weekend to build a set of wheels. If you are talking mounting tires as well, then it's a wash- you will have to mount them on whatever wheels you buy. Or are you taking the tires to Wally World and hoping the mouthbreather there knows what to do with them?
 
More like $75/wheel. You guys need to learn about Summit, it seems like.

Also, it doesn't take anything like all weekend to build a set of wheels. If you are talking mounting tires as well, then it's a wash- you will have to mount them on whatever wheels you buy. Or are you taking the tires to Wally World and hoping the mouthbreather there knows what to do with them?

post a link of your $75 wheel. 17x9 6x5.5

perhaps in your infinite wisdom, google shows you different results than me.
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT use brake cleaner. Even if it has no CFCs. There's tons of available reference material, it's a great way to poison and perhaps kill yourself. You do wear a welding-rated respirator, and keep your head out of the smoke, I hope?

no shit
 
$75 a wheel sounds like a good bargain to me but I couldn't find any when I looked today. I did find some black D window 17x9, 6 on 5.5" for $104.99
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/vsw-84-7983ns/overview/

Perhaps they do preferential pricing for frequent customers. Lots of web retailers adjust pricing to fit the customer. If you get less than $104.99 for this link, post your displayed price here.
 
Sure about that? Summit has 7 different wheels under $75, and I haven't even tried hard.

Still, more than $100 less per wheel.

Please feel free to link it, since when I looked only a few weeks ago, a 17x9 steel wheel was ~$100. If it's a 15" then sure, might be less


It's welding, not a moon shot. It's just not difficult. It's also relaxing, as is any time spent doing Hardcore Tech type stuff.
(granted this is Junior Grade hardcore tech, but still)
This is the same mindset that says "pay someone to do it" and ends up with bolt-on crap all over a JK, and thinking you have something when you're done. Meh.

Yeah, I'll pass. I never said it was hard, just time consuming. It's rare that they're sealed the first go around as well.

I've done plenty enough farkin' fab, I just wouldn't care to do it.


It centers the tire just fine. Have you ever actually seen one of the TMI wheels?

Are you talking about the anti-coming thing? Last time I saw, most were still flat on the inner bead. Take a look at a Walker Evans, Raceline, etc, and you'll see the inner lip that the bead rests against.


Till they crack from abuse. If they're not forged, they really don't need to be used in extreme applications. Porosity is a thing, and not just in welding, and with similar results.

I'm not quite sure if you're serious on this one. AL (non-forged) have been run by thousands upon thousands of rigs, that beat on them like they owe them money. Yes you can get forged, but unless you're running KOH, they're overkill. Funny, but I've beat on my racelines, to the point of killing at least one tire. Wheels still look just like the day I bought them (the rings are another story).


Sorry, but if you're trying to say that steel DIY beadlocks are in any way better than AL beadlocks, you're talking out your a$$.
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT use brake cleaner. Even if it has no CFCs. There's tons of available reference material, it's a great way to poison and perhaps kill yourself. You do wear a welding-rated respirator, and keep your head out of the smoke, I hope?

1000% agree here.

I haven't had to deal with the poison stuff from brake parts cleaner (altho I ws aware of it), but I have made the mistake of welding up a friends floorboard in his car and doing a lot of up close welding with no respirator.......I was sick as a dog for 2-3 days afterwards.

Did some research and found out why...........I now have a respirator and filtered mask that I wear when welding anything.
 
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