Bead Locks

[Chris Stoffel]

The other day a horrible person told me my tyres will debead in the sand dunes so I Googled bead locks. I see a ring around on the outside of the rim but is there a ring inside the rim that pushes the bead to the rim? Is this inside ring permanently fixed to the rim? The Google pics and videos are not very clear in this.

[Prof]

Now why would horrible person tell you such a thing?
You have large tyres?

[Chris Stoffel]

I have 33 Muds. BFG. I think BFG's might be the problem. Horrible person want me to deflate very low. .5 back and .8 front. He says my BFG's will debead.

[Chris Stoffel]

Oh yes. It is on a TJ Wrangler.

[Quack]

I run 33” M/T’s (285/70/17) on a narrow steel rim with runflat bands down to 0.3 bar and have never debeaded!

Maybe others with similar experiece?

The biggest problem is the heat you generate causes the pressure to creep up, you constantly need to deflate to keep it that low.

[Mad Manny]

As far as I'm aware you need special rims to fit bead lockers.
They don't fit on any old rim...

So you'd need 5 new rims...

[Chris Stoffel]

Thanks for the replies! I thought they just drill holes in any rim. I have an electric drill if that would help? And I can cut thread as well.

[KurtG]

Thread is like cotton used to make garments. Tread is the rubber stuff on a tyre. What are you talking about, Stoffel?

[Chris Stoffel]

Thread like those grooves in nuts and bolts!

I see you need some education on flex.

[XJ Junkie]

I have 33 Muds. BFG. I think BFG's might be the problem. Horrible person want me to deflate very low. .5 back and .8 front. He says my BFG's will debead.

For the record, I never recommended that hard at the front. Usually +0.1 more in the front than the back.

[XJ Junkie]

Maybe others with similar experiece?

The biggest problem is the heat you generate causes the pressure to creep up, you constantly need to deflate to keep it that low.

Deflate when they are still hot. Problem solved.

[XJ Junkie]

Thanks for the replies! I thought they just drill holes in any rim. I have an electric drill if that would help? And I can cut thread as well.

Ideally steel rims, not alloy, with a sufficient lip to cut. It’s a precision item. Bolts alone are a few hundred bucks per rims. The good ones have an L shaped that covers the top of the section directly over the exposed bead.

A guy called Andre from A&E makes the best ones in SA. In direct comparison to some USA imports, his are better.

[grips]

Bead locks are for real competition 4x4`s. It can be problematic to get them balanced.

4x4Traction aka Ronald Hairbottle import nice internal bead locks.

We take pressures down to 0.4 with a smile on Maxxis Bighorns and Cooper Discoverer SST`s. Not that I am a Bighorn fan they are prone to sidewall cuts and does not turn out good kilometers.

Have de-beaded BF muds on a few occasions. On defense for BF`s I can mention that I have completed a Luderitz to Walvisbay Namib dune trip on BF All Terrains @ 0.6bar. Fully loaded 4x4 six days and 600 plus km of dune driving with no de-bead.

[Chris Stoffel]

Thanks. I googled the rims. Seems as if these are special rims. Can some normal rims be converted to bead lock rims?

[XJ Junkie]

Thanks. I googled the rims. Seems as if these are special rims. Can some normal rims be converted to bead lock rims?

Absolutely. Pro-White or A-Line steel wheels are the popular options.

Be careful if some of the imports. They aren’t very good as the local. Less bolts, etc.

In the USA it’s illegal to drive with them onroad in some states.