Well, I have a few questions reguarding bead-lock wheels.... I've never used them before so please don't hate me. lol

With bead-lock wheels do you still need to use a machine to mount slicks/tires or can you do it by hand?

Is there a differnence in the wheel design? (Bead-lock vs. standard)

What's the average weight difference?

Are you guys/girls bead-locking both sides or just one side?

I've read that the bolts need to be torqued and re-torqued often.... is anyone finding that they loosen up with time and use?

Do you find that the tires still lose air like when you use rim screws?

Thanks for your help. It's greatly appreciated.
Chris

 

all i know is that they look badass, i always wanted them for my quad because people said they never bent. you lookin at those exospeed wheels?

 

oh yeah btw finally got some new skinnies for those skinnies. thanks!

 

When you send your wheels out they cut off the old bead surface and apply your beadlock assembly. I think they typically add 9lbs per 15'' wheel. And if your gonna do it might aswell doit right and get the double beadlock. Go to Champion wheels or something they offer the hot ****

 

You can mount the slicks by hand with beadlock wheels. Well most of the sizes we use can.

There will be added weight with the beadlock ring, the welds and the bolts for each side. Weight is the sacrifice when you want a beadlock setup.

Its a good precautionary measure to check the torque on the bolts for the rings before you use them.


Here is a picture showing the difference between a regular bead vs the beadlock ring.

As you can see the original bead area of a regular wheel has been removed and in place is the beadlock ring. Instead of the bead sitting against the lip like with most tires and slicks, the tire bead sits on a mounting area with the ring on top to hold it down.

 

I don't really care for looks.... I want something that is going to work.

Good to know. So I would assume that you could prob put the tires on by hand then. Typically they get caught up on that lip which inhibits self installation.
I've checked out champion before. Seems like a few H-T racers use them as well....

 

Unless your having current wheels bead locked, why would they need to cut and weld? I would imagine that the barrel would be made to accept threads or something along those lines. Surely that would save some weight?

 

If the rim screws are done right, they will not cause a leak. if you are using mickey thompson tires, they leak from the sidewall. spray some soapy water on the sidewall and you will see what i mean. how hard can it be to build a tire that doesn't leak? my toyo tires are screwed and do not leak a bit

 

we usually put 100% silicon on the screws before torqueing them down..usually seals all leaks

 

I use to get a slight bit of air from the screws as well as the side wall. I found that too when I accidentally sprayed the sidewall....

I may give these Toyo's a shot in the near future.

 

i pumped up my slicks(MT) over a week ago and they still have air in them, with rim screws. I have bead locks on my race quad, they are nice too..

 

What about balancing? Does anyone do this? I have in the past, but I'm curious how well balanced the wheels are after this bead-lock mod....

 

I always balance mine. I clean the wheel with thinner, use stick on weights, make sure they are hammered on good, thentape them down good with 200mph tape.

 

Cant be any worse than most of the Chrome "junk" that is out on the roads now-a-days. .

Any good tire shop should have no problem balancing them . . .

 

x2

 

some guys never balance theirs and never have issues

 

hell i even balance my trailer tires. last way longer.

also use nitrogen in your tires & they will hold air better. mu MH tires i can fill up & in a few days are flat. thats why they invented tubes for slicks

 

yeah, my weld wheels woouldn't hold air worth a crap. i finally put tubes in them and haven't had any issues since

 

iv never balanced anything skinnies or slicks, do u balance the skinnies?

i have thought about doing it to see if it made a difference


what about when the tire deforms doesn't that throw off the balance?

 

I balance T/F tires, so why not yours.

SlicksMH

 

My beadlocks weigh 14lbs for a 15x9 single beadlock. I mount mine by hand and they havent leaked down in over a month (M/T). I bought my beadlock wheels for what most pay just for the beadlocks alone.
I tryed to race on unbalanced wheels ONCE what a mistake that was. Bad vibration to say the least

 

On how much HP you guys put down,beadlock is the way to go.

SlicksMH

 

I always have and always will balance my wheels/tires.

This statement is not true. It doesn't matter what is in the tire.... if air will leak so will nitorgen. I've always used nitrogen as well in any type of race car.... for MANY years now.

 

I've never had problems with non-balanced tires, although like others the MT's did leak. The 28's leak like crazy, can't wait to get some beadlocks on them to help with that lol

 

Why would you only do one side? Just so it "appears" that you're a baller? lol j/k

I've never done just one side with rim screws.... It's the same concept, so why not do both?