Pros and cons of Hummer beadlocks

[OCNORB]

Looking at running the Hummer H1 military style wheels on the CJ-3B. Looking for input from those of you running them. A quick list of what I know.

7" backspacing to make those wide axles narrow!
16.5" tires only
9" wide
Fairly inexpensive as far as beadlocks go. (Don't know for sure where to get them-but I do know Bryson has one)
Look tough.


Scrub radius- this is changed due to the backspacing. I believe it is positive on most trucks, but with hummer rims it ends up negative. How do the rigs with HMMVW wheels handle at speed.(Say 50 mph or so) How does the steering feel??

I know some of these questions sound gay, but I am also trying to get some good tech talk going here as well as get some input.

 

[James K]

I have no personal experience with them. But I do know you can put new centers in them and set the BS to what you want. I believe 66CJdean on pirate sells them and maybe even Starworkz.

 

[crimsonride]

Negs- ugly without the centers, super offset, 16.5"s, inserts can be hard to find.

Pros-cheap (untill you recenter them). Look super cool when recentered, double bead locked, inside and out. Beefy!!!!!

Check usa 6x6 for centers. There's a bunch to choose from, there's also some other places that do centers but you'll have to do a search, I don't remember who they were.

 

[Shawn]

Harkinoff runs them and he seams to like them, maybe he will chime in.

 

[mbryson]

I've got some. I haven't driven on them yet. They look great in the garage, though.

 

[Caleb]

Check usa 6x6 for centers. There's a bunch to choose from, there's also some other places that do centers but you'll have to do a search, I don't remember who they were.

I would HIGHLY (I can't emphasize HIGHLY enough) suggest against going with USA6x6. The guy is a crook and his work is half-assed...there have been so many people with issues with his wheels (and axles) that I wouldn't waste my money with him even if I had money to burn.

66CJDean and Stazworks are the places to go for new centers (if you want to go that route. Personally I really dig the look of teh stock h1 wheel. You can buy inserts for $50 each and usually get a set of wheels for $200 (for 4) or less. Then misc hardware (new o-rings, bolts, nuts, etc) for another little bit. Basically you can have a nice set of DOUBLE beadlocks for about $100 a wheel. You apparently already know what you need to (besides the at speed question)...if you want to get your wide axles narrow again then these are a good choice...also make sure the tire you want to run comes in a 16.5" rim.

 

[mbryson]

.............66CJDean and Stazworks are the places to go for new centers (if you want to go that route. Personally I really dig the look of teh stock h1 wheel. You can buy inserts for $50 each and usually get a set of wheels for $200 (for 4) or less. Then misc hardware (new o-rings, bolts, nuts, etc) for another little bit. Basically you can have a nice set of DOUBLE beadlocks for about $100 a wheel. You apparently already know what you need to (besides the at speed question)...if you want to get your wide axles narrow again then these are a good choice...also make sure the tire you want to run comes in a 16.5" rim.

Both seemed like excellent vendors. I went with the PVC beadlocks from 66CJDean and am very happy with his service and response time. I also bought some new O-rings and locknuts at the same time. Very reasonable price and excellent service.

Wide axles narrow-----good point. Here's the gig. I'm running a Dually 60 front, which is MEGA wide and a 14 bolt rear. Sidewall to sidewall measurements are 75" in the rear and 83" in the front. I'm running a 38 x 12.50 16.5. I think the accepted (according to the Billavista articles on PBB) wheel mounting surface measurements for the axles are 67" for the 14 bolt and 76" for the front.

If I swapped to non-dually hubs, I believe I'll be right around 77" in the front, but also believe the wheel hub will stick out pretty good. At least a couple inches on each side. If I ran drive flanges, no biggie, but I kinda want to run hubs, at least until I get used to the spool in the front.


If your 3B is ready, let's throw mine on it and see how it feels. I'm pretty curious myself.

 

[Unichev]

Here is a set of hummer wheels mounted on some Mog axles which are 74.5 wide . I didnt like the looks of just the hummer wheel so I waterjetted some wheel covers out of aluminum. I put 8 big holes on the inside and 24 smaller holes on the outside which I put 1/4-20 stainless allen head bolts in. On 4 of the smaller holes, I drilled them out a little and ran a longer bolt through the covers to a small tab that I welded on the wheel. The bolts were mainly for looks. Then I had them polished.
I also have the magnesium runflat beadlock(which I cut the runflat off so I didnt puncture a sidewall when the runflat and a rock pinch the tire).

Here is a couple of links to some wheels with the runflats.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=349804
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=350887

 

[Tgure]

I just ordered 5 off Ebay for $135+ shipping. One of the cons I hear is that the outer lip of the wheels are weak and should be reinforced. I know 66CJDean makes some rebar reinforcements or rock rings for them as well as the centers and pvc inserts.

 

[OCNORB]

Both seemed like excellent vendors. I went with the PVC beadlocks from 66CJDean and am very happy with his service and response time. I also bought some new O-rings and locknuts at the same time. Very reasonable price and excellent service.

Wide axles narrow-----good point. Here's the gig. I'm running a Dually 60 front, which is MEGA wide and a 14 bolt rear. Sidewall to sidewall measurements are 75" in the rear and 83" in the front. I'm running a 38 x 12.50 16.5. I think the accepted (according to the Billavista articles on PBB) wheel mounting surface measurements for the axles are 67" for the 14 bolt and 76" for the front.

If I swapped to non-dually hubs, I believe I'll be right around 77" in the front, but also believe the wheel hub will stick out pretty good. At least a couple inches on each side. If I ran drive flanges, no biggie, but I kinda want to run hubs, at least until I get used to the spool in the front.


If your 3B is ready, let's throw mine on it and see how it feels. I'm pretty curious myself.

Not quite ready yet. Thanks for the offer! I bought some wheels tonight and will hopefully have it ready by the time they get here. At the very worst I will have to have them recentered to change the backspacing if I don't like the way it handles. Is your front axle really 11" (76-67") wider than the rear?? Wow. Can't wait to see how that looks. The front I am using is 65.5"wms-wms and I am building a rear to match (might make it a little narrower).

 

[OCNORB]

I just ordered 5 off Ebay for $135+ shipping. One of the cons I hear is that the outer lip of the wheels are weak and should be reinforced. I know 66CJDean makes some rebar reinforcements or rock rings for them as well as the centers and pvc inserts.

Killer deal on those wheels. I paid a little more than that.
Yeah I looked up 66CJdean- I think I will get his rebar reinforcements. He has them for $6 each, so it's a no brainer.


As for the negative scrub radius- If I understand it right, the Hummer H1 wheels should make it easier to steer with a front locker engaged because it will exert less leverage on the steering knuckle. The down side to this is it can also cause the front tires to wear faster. I don't think this will be as big of a deal on a crawler as it is on sports cars. (I got some info about it on a sportscar site)

 

[harkinoff]

I love my hummer rims... I can run them 80mph down the freeway with no issues. They have been recentered to 3.5 "s of backspacing. The outer lip that gets bent up is not a big deal. Just take a hammer and beat them straight once in awhile.
I got my rims from USA 6x6 and have yet to have an issue from them. If there was issues, I would of found them by now from the last 2 years of my driving style. The only issue I had from Daniel is that it took for ever to get them, he made that up by sending me a 5th wheel for free.
I run my 38's at about 5psi and haven't had an issue yet (knocking on wood), I have jumped and baja'd mine at very stupid speeds at this pressure also, and do it without worring about wheels and tires...
I have a few buddies that run them on there full size rigs and love them as well. If you run them stock, you will need the dually hubs on front and a spacer on the rear or just run the rear wheels backwards until you get the spacers..

 

[KToy]

what lug pattern are these rims and where can i get somes????

i did not know the h1 rims would work on a rockcrawler and that would be nice for what i am doing to my truck.

 

[harkinoff]

what lug pattern are these rims and where can i get somes????

i did not know the h1 rims would work on a rockcrawler and that would be nice for what i am doing to my truck.

8 lug x 6 1/2

 

[OCNORB]

I love my hummer rims... I can run them 80mph down the freeway with no issues. They have been recentered to 3.5 "s of backspacing. The outer lip that gets bent up is not a big deal. Just take a hammer and beat them straight once in awhile.
I got my rims from USA 6x6 and have yet to have an issue from them. If there was issues, I would of found them by now from the last 2 years of my driving style. The only issue I had from Daniel is that it took for ever to get them, he made that up by sending me a 5th wheel for free.
I run my 38's at about 5psi and haven't had an issue yet (knocking on wood), I have jumped and baja'd mine at very stupid speeds at this pressure also, and do it without worring about wheels and tires...
I have a few buddies that run them on there full size rigs and love them as well. If you run them stock, you will need the dually hubs on front and a spacer on the rear or just run the rear wheels backwards until you get the spacers..

Thanks for the info Harkinhoff. I really don't want to change the backspacing though. Part of the justification for buying them is that it will make the overall width acceptable. Darrin on here runs the wheels on a HP D44 with no spacer. He says he had to do a little caliper grinding, but nothing too bad.

 

[KToy]

is there a link for the reinforcements and the centering parts i need after i buy the rims.

i think this idea is awsome and want to do it for one of my next upgrades.

you say the outer ring is weak... so do i pm cj or does he have a site with pics or is there a site/link with pics of the bar reinforcements and the center parts to recenter the rims ????

 

[Caleb]

Thanks for the info Harkinhoff. I really don't want to change the backspacing though. Part of the justification for buying them is that it will make the overall width acceptable. Darrin on here runs the wheels on a HP D44 with no spacer. He says he had to do a little caliper grinding, but nothing too bad.

I am pretty sure the only places on a D60 that will have issues with a stock H1 rim is in the steering, I know a lot of guys will have to whack off the stock location for the tie rod and use high steer arms that are made for the H1 rims. I dont thinkt there should be any interference on a D44. There is no reason they shouldn't work in the rear (want to explain why Harkinoff?). Unless you have Drums off a semi there is nothing that would interfere with them. We are talking about a 16.5" rim, not a 15".

 

[harkinoff]

I am pretty sure the only places on a D60 that will have issues with a stock H1 rim is in the steering, I know a lot of guys will have to whack off the stock location for the tie rod and use high steer arms that are made for the H1 rims. I dont thinkt there should be any interference on a D44. There is no reason they shouldn't work in the rear (want to explain why Harkinoff?). Unless you have Drums off a semi there is nothing that would interfere with them. We are talking about a 16.5" rim, not a 15".

I have never heard of and brake issues with a 44 or a 60, the only issue is steering clearance, thats why you run the spacers or a wacko steering arm to clear the wheel. The rear there is no issues except looking funny when really narrow, other issue on the rear may be outboarded spring clearance. Like I said before you can just run the rims backwards on the rear so it isn't so narrow..

 

[KToy]

what about recentering them??????

checked out usa6x6 and they got good rims for cheap it looks like, but someone else said they suck is this true ??

 

[mbryson]

what about recentering them??????

checked out usa6x6 and they got good rims for cheap it looks like, but someone else said they suck is this true ??

I'd check with CJ66Dean or Stazworks before going to USA6x6. Harkinoff seems like he's had the best customer experience I've heard of with USA6x6. Other USA6x6 experiences I've heard are pretty poor.