Wheel size for beadlocks & alternatives discussion.

OCNORB

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Alpine
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:
BlizzyFeb2021.jpg
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
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

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Alpine
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

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Alpine
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.
 

Johnny Quest

Web Wheeler
Location
West Jordan
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.
 

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wyoming
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

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
Alpine
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!
 
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