BEAD LOCKS! - Pics, specs, personal reviews.

In another thread, there was a couple people looking at DOT Beadlocks. I know, people are ALWAYS talking about them. Lets get a few in here with personal experiences.

http://blogs.fourwheeler.com/6666443/editorials/whats-up-with-bead-locks/


http://www.filthymotorsports.com/Hutchinson_Beadlocks_p/hutchinson.htm

Just a couple from quick searches.

 

Here were a couple of the posts

 

3 piece 24 bolt H1's here. Tough to break apart on the trail, but well worth it for higher crack and split resistance that the 8 and 12 bolts seemed to have. 16.5" x 9.75"factory backspacing, perfect for dually 1 tons. Always ran them on the road here with no problems, as well as my Avalanche Engineering 20" single beadlocks on Michelin XML 395/85/R20. DD the 48"s for 3+years, and the H1's for about a year before tearing the Jeep down for a rebuild.

 

Links to your wheels? interested in those 20"s

 

I have beadlocks but they are not DOT approved. Are we sticking to just DOT approved here?

 

nah, most of the mods we do are NOT DOT approved!

 

Well then I guess I have 2 to review.

First up:
KMC XD222 Enduro Beadlocks


these were my first set of beadlocks. I like the way they looked. but they came in a clearcoat so you would have to remove that if you wanted to paint them. The area between the center cutout and the lug nuts was very thin walled. other than that they worked fine. took a bit of weights to balance.

Second, what I have installed now
Method Desert Truck Beadlocks


I love these wheels. So much higher quality than the KMCs. but of course that comes at a price. no clearcoat and took them straight to the powder coat. Didnt take as many weights to balance and I beat on the truck quite a bit. I feel they are a far more superior wheel than the KMC.

 

I just got the DIY beadlocks. Steel weld ons. I love them so far. I don't do much road driving though, but the tires are balanced with air soft BB's. No vibes up to 60 MPH+

 

Sold them to a buddy of mine here in town about 2 years ago. They were the fourth set built by Avalanche if memory serves correctly. Can call and see if he still has them, I'm sure he does.

 

Nice. I have been trying to sell my 3 sets of R20"s I got on the truck and out back. No one wants them! So I might as well get an appropriate set of wheels to accomodate them instead of taking the hit on the rubber.

 

R20 tires are definitely not cheap. My XML's retailed for just over a grand apiece, but had a dealer wager a bet against me that I'd never fit them on a YJ and actually DD and wheel it. He was wrong, and I got a great deal on 'em.

 

Link to the XML's? I feel the hurt on the R20"s - I still want a good set of offroads. Been looking for awhile. Want the Dick Cepek Mud Countrys in 35's but wow. Not cheapies.

 

The XML's are a military tire. The 395's are right around 300 Lbs. each With the Avalanche's with 1/2" centers and 1/2" Aluminum ring, and polymer weights were right at 380 lbs. I normally ran them at 3 psi on the road and 0 psi wheeling. Took every bit of a braced 35 spline chromoly shafted D60 front with CTM 1410 joints and D70HD Chromoly& braced rear to handle them. Needless to say after a few years of DD and wheeling duty, they were retired and sold for the current set-up. I'm not tech savvy enough for a link. General Google search will bring them up at 46" but mine measured a healthy 47.5" @ 4 psi. Under the weight of the Jeep.

 

Have any pics?

 

I'm sure I can dig a few up. It was long before my internet days. Pics used to be up on the shop's site I worked at HCORE4x4.com, and high-countryautosales.com. I can post pictures of pictures that I have that remain after a bad breakup. It was in Petersen's 4Wheel& Offroad a few years ago. ( maybe 7?)

 

I wouldnt run real beadlocks unless you plan on fulling building and abusing your truck. Its a waste of money, maintenance, and hassle if a knowledgeable cop pulls you over. However, I was told the same thing before I bought mine for my last truck.

I ran Walker Evans beadlocks for about 6 months before I sold the truck. I mounted them myself in a few hours but had a shop balance them. They took very little weight to balance with the 35 BFG ATs I mounted on them.

 

Are you talking to me? Have you seen the build I am doing? I plan on basically doing an overland when I'm complete.

I was hoping to be able to change my own tires out wherever I am. Runn low pressure while crawling and on the beaches. Then Air up and GTFO!

In my locality, I doubt any LEO's would even recognize BeadLocks. Most of them here are too city oriented.

 

I run walker Evans beadlocks on my truck. Love them. No issues. No LEO issues. On my third set of tires on them now

 

24 bolts & 42's








Front end is a full width (not narrowed) Ford Dually D60.

 

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