Wheel size for beadlocks & alternatives discussion.

[OCNORB]

TLDR: 15" or 17" and why?

I have never owned or run bead-lock wheels - so zero experience. Any advice is welcome.
So I've been looking at getting a set of beadlock wheels when the '49 Willys is due for tires again soon. It seems that 15" tires are not as common anymore. Probably run 35 or 37" tires at most.

Currently runs stock old school toyota SR5 pickup wheels and 34x9.50 swampers which work well. (The previous setup was 36" TSL Swampers on 10" wheels and it popped beads off all the time). Thinking about getting steel wheels in a 8" width.

Blizzy:

 

[N-Smooth]

17" Aluminum beadlocks for me. Like you said, 15" is becoming harder to find and limits your tire choices. Aluminum because steel wheels bend way too easily.

 

[Greg]

17" also, but steel... because if it bends, you can hammer it back in shape. Aluminum only bends one way, then breaks.

 

[skippy]

Aluminum all the way! I have never broken or bent an aluminum wheel and I have damaged 3-4 steel wheels In situations that I deem unavoidable while wheeling.

 

[_Auzzy_]

17 is the common size now a days. Range anywhere from diy to forged styles

 

[1993yj]

17" steel: generally cheaper. I have never damaged a steel or aluminum wheel beyond the scraping abuse the rock ring takes.

 

[mbryson]

I've busted my alum H2 beads quite a few times. Lots of chunks/gouges and a few cracks. The wheels still hold air despite the damage. That's not related rolling a bead (necessarily) which the H2 do very well.

That said, I think a beadlock ring would hold up to some pretty serious abuse. I've been casually trying to dig up some 8 on 6.5" 17" beadlocks for quite a few months now.

 

[OCNORB]

Sounds like 17” is where it’s at.

Steel is probably more in line with our budget on this. Battle born has 9” in stock. $249 each. Most of the aluminum options I’m seeing are $400+

All the faux beadlock wheels makes the searching a process.

 

[OCNORB]

17 is the common size now a days. Range anywhere from diy to forged styles

Seems like the DIY is about 75-80% of just buying new. If you count your time for anything it seems like a bad idea.

 

[I Lean]

Seems like the DIY is about 75-80% of just buying new. If you count your time for anything it seems like a bad idea.

You can make your own with your plasma table though, which might change that number a LOT.

 

[mbryson]

You can make your own with your plasma table though, which might change that number a LOT.

So one would just need some steel wheels and Carl+?

 

[I Lean]

So one would just need some steel wheels and Carl+?

Potentially yes, but we're talking about @OCNORB here. He has his own zappy technology. 🙂

 

[Gravy]

Keep your solid steel wheels. Weld a headlock ring on, gain an inch. Cheap and easy. Still a number of 15" tires still available in the 33-35" range.

 

[OCNORB]

Potentially yes, but we're talking about @OCNORB here. He has his own zappy technology. 🙂

My zappy technology ran on DOS. I’ve not used the table in years.

Still use the plasma freehand. My regular gig kind of takes up 99% of my time so that actually did not even cross my mind.

 

[I Lean]

My zappy technology ran on DOS. I’ve not used the table in years.

Still use the plasma freehand. My regular gig kind of takes up 99% of my time so that actually did not even cross my mind.

I don't think I'd bother trying to freehand weld-on rings. That WOULD be too time-consuming for sure.

 

[Johnny Quest]

17s are sweet if youre running a bigger tire; with less sidewall, bumping from a 15 to a 17 gives up alot. Id say either find some 15" beadlocks, or do some weld on DIY rings on the wheels you have.

 

[Johnny Quest]

what bolt pattern are you running anyway?

 

[Herzog]

I don't think I'd bother trying to freehand weld-on rings. That WOULD be too time-consuming for sure.

I know a guy that did one back in the day. He used bailing wire or something to set the radius and then just cut them out. Sure they weren't perfect but I'll be damned that it worked. The bad part was that he hand drilled all the holes. That's a deal breaker right there.

 

[OCNORB]

17s are sweet if youre running a bigger tire; with less sidewall, bumping from a 15 to a 17 gives up alot. Id say either find some 15" beadlocks, or do some weld on DIY rings on the wheels you have.

Yeah. I’ve wondered if the sidewall lowering effect would be noticeable. It seems that the 15” wheel and 35”s would be equivalent to 17” wheel with 37”s.

In all honesty, there haven’t been any places that the 34” TSLs have not been enough. Although my hunch is trails have become easier due to the dastardly low rider SxS guys clearing the good boulders out of the way. Just a hunch!

 

[OCNORB]

what bolt pattern are you running anyway?

It uses 6x5.5” (Toyota, Chevy, Isuzu) pattern.