Bead Lock Wheels, They’re Not Just For Looks!
Tips and Tricks To Mount ‘Em Up The Right Way
Story and Photos By: Staff Of UTV Sports Magazine
Bead lock wheels aren’t just a fad that came from racing. Although they do look cool, they serve a very simple and important purpose. On a traditional wheel, the bead of the tire is held tight against the rim lip by air pressure and friction. This works great for vehicles that aren’t depending on low air pressures for traction. As the air pressure in the tire starts to lower, so does the pressure holding the bead of the tire against the lip of the wheel, increasing the odds of popping a bead off.
An easy way to make sure that the bead of the tire stays in place while running low tire pressure is a bead lock wheel. The inside bead works just like a traditional wheel, while the outside bead is pinched between 2 flanges, locking it in place. Another advantage to running bead lock wheels is they can be mounted very easily without a tire machine or massive pry-bars. If you get a puncture on the trail, you can plug the tire to finish your ride and once home, pull it apart in the garage with a few basic hand tools and patch the tire up from the inside.
There are quite a few variables when looking for bead lock wheels to purchase. The first is always your budget. There is a difference between cheap wheels and higher-end wheels. Material composition, manufacturing process, style, etc. If you are a very aggressive driver or love to find the big rocks in the trail, we recommend you look at a better quality wheel. If you love to cruise the trails and do a little rock crawling, well, you will probably be fine with a less expensive wheel. No matter the budget, look for a wheel that is double drilled. This means there is a second set of holes drilled in the wheel for the bead lock ring to mount to. If there is ever an issue with one of the holes, whether the threads pull out or you smash a rock, you can just rotate the ring and have fresh threads to run your bolts into.
When it comes to mounting, there are a few tricks to make your life easier and create a better end result. Start by laying the tire on the ground, and make sure the side you want on the inside is facing up. We recommend soapy water (as it’s not corrosive), but you will want to lube up the tire as it makes the next step much easier. Now, slide the wheel into the tire, bead lock side first, with the bead of the tire pushed against the drop center of the wheel. With enough practice, you can literally throw the wheel into the tire. For those just starting out, we recommend you put one side it first and work the wheel in slowly. The hard part is now done.
A five-gallon plastic bucket really comes in handy at this point. Flipping the assembly over and setting the wheel on the bucket will allow the tire to droop down, aiding in making sure the bead of the tire is tight against the mounting flange of the wheel. Because there are so many variables in bead thickness, bead diameters and wheel diameters, some combinations of wheels and tires may be easier to mount than others. Making sure the tire is centered and flat on the flange is key at this stage. The rest is simply bolting down the bead lock ring, well kinda. Once you have the ring positioned over the holes, start one of the bead lock bolts by hand. Start the next bolt 90 degrees from the first and so on until you have 4 bolts started. This will ensure the rest of the holes are lined up and the bolts start easily. Tighten the 4 bolts until the inside lip of the ring touches the tire. From here, install the rest of the bolts, making sure to start them by hand so you don’t cross thread them.
There are two ways of thinking when it comes to a steel bolt going into an aluminum wheel. Those like me who like to use a dab of anti-seize on each bolt, and those that say it is a waste of time. The added layer of protection seems to be worth the added couple of minutes per wheel to me. When it comes to tightening the bead lock bolts, there is also great debate on how this should be done. We have always used the star pattern method with zero issues, but we do recommend you check with your wheel manufacturer to see what method they recommend. The last thing to do is torque each bolt before adding air. Again, Check with the wheel manufacturer to verify the torque of the beadlock bolt. Torque spec will depend on the size of the bolt as well at the quality. Continuing the star pattern, torque all the bolts down. Once done, you may have to go over them one to four more times depending on the bead thickness, and finish it off by checking every bolt by going around the wheel in a circle. It can be easy to get out of sequence in the start pattern, and forget a bolt. Once all the bolts are properly torqued, add air, make sure the back bead seats and get out on the trail.
The task of mounting beadlocks is simple and can save you a lot of time and money. We encourage you to get in the garage and try it yourself.
