Been looking at wheels, still not sure what I am going to end up with but I noticed a lot of "beadlocking style" wheels. I assume the beadlock look is incorporated in the design but is not functional. Doesn't look too bad in my opinion.
What about real beadlocks. Do they work with any wheel or do I need to buy a wheel with them already on? What kind of wheeling benefits from beadlocks?

 

Beadlocks are expensive but are cheap insurance, IMO, of rolling the bead off a wheel. However, you can still seperate the wheel from the tire even with beadlocks. They just decrease your chances, I have the AEV ones, they are not the best out there, but I love mine. If you cant do maintenence on your rig do not buy these kind of wheels, they can be finicky and require frequent maintenence(IE check torque on locking ring)

 

You can't just add a beadlock to an existing wheel, you have to buy beadlock wheels (also sometimes called rimlocks).

Keep in mind that most are not DOT legal, but there are a few.

The idea is that when aired down on the rocks, the edge of the tire is pinched onto the wheel, so you don't break the bead and go flat. Also if you are getting mega traction under your tire and lots of torque to the wheels, you won't spin the wheel inside the tire, possibly damaging the tire and/or going flat.

 

I have AEV beadlocks and they are great. They are the only set of beadlocks that I have ever owned so I can't compare them to any other brand name, but for sure I do love them. As for being street legal, thats a tricky question. DOT compliant doesn't mean street legal and as far as I know (and I don't know) Hutchinson beadlocks are the only rim that is truly street legal and DOT compliant. Personally, if it didn't come down to how much coin I had in my pocket, I would have gotten Hutchinsons but those run over $450 a pop (the ones I wanted).

Check out this website:

hxxp://www.aev-conversions.com/products/wheels/beadlock_info.php

Hope this helps

 

That DOT legality stuff is a bunch of crap. Yup....crap....

corey d

 

This is not true. If you have an existing set of wheels,Companies like Champion will add beadlocks to them. The cut the outside of the wheel off and weld on the beadlock portion. As for the DOT thing.... Ive ran beadlocks for years on the street and never once has it been an issue.

 

Awesome, thanks.

 

you might also check out spyderlock wheels they are a great wheel and are running a buy 4 get one free deal right now. i just ordered mine a week or so ago. they will also powder coat them for you. mine just shipped out Monday had to wait for the powder coating. rookie is the screen name of the owner, and there is a thread about them in the sponsor section.

 

OK, I stand corrected... If you have a set of wheels that you are reeeaaaally attached to, you can find somebody to turn them into beadlocks.

But generally speaking, you just go buy them that way.

 

Spyderlocks. I've had mine for 2 years. No problems and look great. One negative, they are heavy.