Advise On Beadlocks

[Moon]

Talked with cruiseroutfit at rattle snake about his beadlocks and it sound like his are legal. dont know if they are funtional beadlocks and cant rember what kind they were. But I want funtional bead locks that I can have on and drive to moab or trails. 15x 10's or mabey 15x12's I have 35x12.5x15's MTR's and want/nead to widen the stance on the wag. I have 15x8's on it and I have all the claerance under the 44's I nead but nead to feal a little less tipsy and want to be able to run less presure. If ya have some for sale great or even just advise on what to get it would be great too. dont know the exact patern but they are the same as the 78 chevies and a 92 isuzu and the wag is a 87 Jeep GW

 

[muleskinner]

Check these out

 

[Shawn]

Hummer beadlocks are the only ones that I know of that are DOT approved.

 

[spencurai]

most beadlocks availible to the public except for hummers are illegal and you will take some heat from a cop eventually. the HP is learning more and more what is and is not acceptable. they are great for trail rigs but I have heard nightmares for balancing any type of beadlock...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally posted by MudSideJeeps
Talked with cruiseroutfit at rattle snake about his beadlocks and it sound like his are legal. dont know if they are funtional beadlocks and cant rember what kind they were. ...

Mine are MRT, I didn't say that they were legal, however I do carry a paper from a beadlock manufature that claims they are. Actually, the way the law is written, it DOES NOT say that beadlocks are illegal... as of yet (2 years) I havn't received a single ticket/warning.


A quote from Champion Beadlocks...
While tires have many pages of DOT regulations, wheels have only three. 1. The manufacture's name. 2. Date of manufacture and 3. Load rating must be specified. As you can see by this Beadlock wheels must meet DOT specifications. The usage is regulated by the manufacturer. Champion Beadlock wheels have been on the road in many different applications for more than 12 years successfully

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally posted by spencurai
...I have heard nightmares for balancing any type of beadlock...

No nightmares here... Discount Tire threw them on the machine and balanced them... they spun out just nice. Stick-on weights on the inside of the rim.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

When I first contacted MRT about some rims for my vehicle, they were one of the only ones producing them. I talked in depth to the salesman about the safety of the wheel. I was told that if I drove them for extended amounts of time on the road and it saw alot of miles per year... that I should go with the 36 bolt rather than the 18. I have been completly satisfied with mine, aluminum would also be nice but i have destroyed aluminum rims in the past.

I was alos warned that I must re-torque them every onth if driven as a daily driver, since it only goes out a couple times a week, I only re-torque them once every couple months...even then, they barely move at all. A little lock-tite and I bet they wouldn't move at all.

 

[spencurai]

well then what it boils down to is do you really need them?

are you having problems unseating tires at low PSI or do you just want them for the looks?

have you had traction problems where you have had to run your tires at a lower than reasonable pressure of say 10-15 lbs for a TJ?

if you want the looks the fau-beadlocks are all over the market. they look similar to a beadlock but don't actually lock the bead.

 

[pokeyYJ]

A good friend of mine has the Trail Ready aluminum beadlocks on steel wheels with 38x14.5 sx's he has NO balancing issues. They put the tires on and bolted them up to the Jeep. He runs the tires at about 15 psi. Not really a street jeep but it does get driven around moab with no problems.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally posted by pokeyYJ
... he has NO balancing issues. ...

Did he balance them at all? with stick-ons or wights on the inside of the rim?

I think anytime you start talking tires over 35-37", balancing becomes rather difficult and costly? Do any light-truck tire shops have the capability to balance a 38" tire? I know some can do 37's...but what about 38's...

 

[Moon]

Originally posted by spencurai
well then what it boils down to is do you really need them?

are you having problems unseating tires at low PSI or do you just want them for the looks?

have you had traction problems where you have had to run your tires at a lower than reasonable pressure of say 10-15 lbs for a TJ?

if you want the looks the fau-beadlocks are all over the market. they look similar to a beadlock but don't actually lock the bead.

Dude read my post again. there for a wagoneer and not for looks. and the wag might be turned in to a trail only rig some time and dont want to just buy a set now of normal rim because i need some now and just dont want to wish in the future that I would have bought bead locks.

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by MudSideJeeps

Dude read my post again. there for a wagoneer and not for looks. and the wag might be turned in to a trail only rig some time and dont want to just buy a set now of normal rim because i need some now and just dont want to wish in the future that I would have bought bead locks.

cool. just spouting information for those that may or may not be in your same situation that are reading this thread. the tremendous cost difference between a set of black crawlers and a set of black crawlers with beadlocks is tremendous......I guess what I am saying is do you REALLY need them. Does your driving style lead to blown beads?

there are several comp rigs running different classes that STILL don't have beadlocks because their driving style does not require them to have them.

you wanted advice and I offer whatever bits of advice I have....

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally posted by MudSideJeeps
...If ya have some for sale great or even just advise on what to get it would be great too. ...

Oh yeah, if I were to do it all over... I would skip the MRT's and do the DIY kits. After checking out the ones on I Lean and Vonski's rigs as well as the ones Shawn just did for his rig... they are pretty slick. Way cheaper than pre-made and you can choose your wheel...

I say go beadlocks on the waggy... don't kick yourself in the butt later...

 

[muleskinner]

I did the DIY kit last weekend. No balance issue's or anything. they are awsome (and under $300) I like how they look also.

 

[Hickey]

I say for your application, they are not needed. I have run continuously at 4-5 psi with my tires now(38's) and at 8 with my 35's and never had a problem. As for more stability, you will want wider axles, you'll be wanting to upgrade anyway if you want to whel that waggy moderate-hard. there is also an adhesive process available if you are worried about losing a bead.

 

[Shawn]

Do the same Bead Locks that RockLogice sales. These are the same ones I did and MuleSkinner is showing. Cheep and efective. Street Legal? No.

But for $300.00 These Things ROCK!!

Keep in mind this are weld in locks, so a good welder is needed. They will also increase you rim width by 1 1/2" to 2". So, the 10" rims become 12" wide

Do it and be done with it.

And if you need help, ask

 

[redrock]

a can of starting fluid and a match and a way you go or a tie down and on board air just as slick

 

[Shawn]

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2684

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by redrock
a can of starting fluid and a match and a way you go or a tie down and on board air just as slick

It's not aways about losing a bead. It's about Traction.

 

[Hickey]

Originally posted by Shawn



It's not aways about losing a bead. It's about Traction.

How low DO you go Shawn?