Chosing The Right Beadlock Wheel

Beadlock wheels are a performance item that has grown in significant popularity in recent years. You'll find them on rock crawlers, sandrails, UTVs, and on some variety of trail vehicles. Do you need them? What is involved in using them and how can they help you go farther in your pursuits beyond the pavement? We'll take a look as we give you a rundown on the considerations of using beadlocks.

When venturing off-road, it is often beneficial to run fairly low tire pressures to increase tire "squish." The lower pressure causes a larger tire footprint and increases traction in most off-road situations. On the rocks, you gain better climbing traction. In sand, the increased floatation allows you to tackle dunes better.

On a regular wheel, the internal air pressure keeps the beads of the tire pushed outward towards the lips of the wheel and maintains a seal to retain the tire pressure. As long as the tire bead stays outward against the wheel, the tire stays normally inflated.

However, when pressure is dropped for off-roading, there are two concerns for the tire. One is that the tire bead can be pushed off the wheel bead and the tire loses air pressure. Second, the tire can slip and spin on the wheel and throw the combination off balance.

A typical beadlock wheel is one that has a separate bolt-on outer ring that clamps the outer tire bead between the main structure of the wheel (with a weld-on backing) and the bolt-on ring. Unlike a regular wheel where side force on the tire can push the tire off the outer portion of the rim, the beadlock ring mechanically captures the tire bead and holds it firmly in place.

With the addition of a beadlock, you can now air down to super low pressures and be confident that the tire will stay on the wheel and not spin about the wheel.

Beadlock wheels are not maintenance free. With a regular set of wheels, you can usually mount up tires and be good to go for many miles with occasional tire pressure checks. With beadlocks, it is prudent to check all the bolts regularly to ensure they are all still intact and staying tight. When re-torquing the bolts, tightening should only be done with the tire deflated! In fact, tires on beadlock wheels should always be deflated before any work is done on them other than checking air pressure. This is a very important protocol to follow to ensure your safety - you don't want to be anywhere near a beadlock that blows off. Even when checking pressure or inflating, it's also a good idea to do so with an extended air chuck that keeps your hands clear of the bolt-on ring.

Should you need to get a tire back off a beadlock wheel, we've found it takes some effort but can be done at home. As when mounting the tires, some soapy water can make the process a little easier. After the tire has been deflated and the outer ring removed, the outer tire bead is free. The inner tire bead can be unseated by placing the wheel and tire face down on a sheet of plywood and then carefully driving a vehicle tire over the tire to push it off the wheel bead.

Overall, beadlocks are a useful upgrade for those that need to run low pressures and want to push the limits of their tire traction. Given their other characteristics to contend with, you can decide if they are a plus for your vehicle.

Beadlocks At A Glance
Pros
1. Superior tire retention
2. Easy tire mounting at home
3. Ability to run lower air pressure
4. Ability to run narrower tire on a wheel
5. Strengthens outer wheel circumference

Cons
1. Greater weight
2. Higher cost
3. More maintenance
4. Might not be street legal

Here you can see an example of a beadlock ring that has been welded to the outside of an aluminum wheel. In this case, the wheel lip was machined off and the machined ring welded in its place. The tire will be mounted and the outer tire bead clamped between this inner ring and the outer ring that is bolted on.
Here you can see an example of a beadlock ring that has been welded to the outside of an a
With a beadlock wheel, mounting tires yourself is quite easy. You'll just need to get the machined outer lip inside the bead of the tire. A little soapy water helps the wheel slide in the tire, and you may need to apply a little pressure with a small tire lever or similar tool, such as a large screwdriver or pry-bar.
With a beadlock wheel, mounting tires yourself is quite easy. You'll just need to get the
When mounting a new tire on a beadlock wheel you'll want to ensure that the tire bead seats fully on the wheel and is positioned evenly around the circumference. If the tire has significant leftover mold flash rubber it's a good idea to trim it with a utility knife so the tire seats well on the wheel.
When mounting a new tire on a beadlock wheel you'll want to ensure that the tire bead seat

In the case of OMF Performance wheels, they machine the counterbore in their outer rings to a 6 degree angle. As the ring is tightened to the wheel to capture the tire bead, the ring will start to bend inward to conform to the tire and machined wheel face. The angled counterbore surface allows the washers and bolt heads to seat squarely on the outer ring face and provide the best hold strength.
In the case of OMF Performance wheels, they machine the counterbore in their outer rings t
Outer beadlock rings come in a variety of styles from slim outer rings to those that offer greater width for a little more strength and for a unique look. Beadlock bolts should always be started by hand to ensure the threads engage correctly and it is not a good idea to use an impact wrench on the bolts as you may not get them torqued properly.
Outer beadlock rings come in a variety of styles from slim outer rings to those that offer
Sometimes the thickness of the tire bead may be overly wide and prevent the outer locking ring from fully seating metal-to-metal with the inner ring that is welded to the wheel. In such a case, metal spacer plates may be added to the machined bead area. OMF sells these 0.090-inch thick spacers to fit between the wheel and the outer ring of their beadlocks. When the tire and wheel are assembled, you want the two metal pieces tightened snug against each other.
Sometimes the thickness of the tire bead may be overly wide and prevent the outer locking

Any time a beadlock wheel and tire assembly is inflated, it's a good idea to keep clear of the beadlock ring in case there is ever any malfunction or problem with the ring hardware. Many manufacturers suggest initially inflating them in a tire cage, or at a minimum using a remote air chuck. Tires should also be deflated before torquing any of the ring bolts.
Any time a beadlock wheel and tire assembly is inflated, it's a good idea to keep clear of
Beadlocks are commonly used on high power sand vehicles where significant power is applied to the drive tires or where they come in handy to keep tires on the wheels during hard cornering. Low tire pressures are used in sand to increase tire footprint and floatation. Sidewall pressures can be high when turning in sand, especially when a 4WD vehicle is going downhill and much of the vehicle weight is biased to the front tires.
Beadlocks are commonly used on high power sand vehicles where significant power is applied
Care should be taken when installing beadlock bolts. They should all be started and then tightened gradually to prevent the ring from warping. Tightening any bolt too much at once can cause "sea serpenting" in which the ring starts to warp in a wave shape and can prevent you from seating the ring evenly around the perimeter. It's best to tighten in a greater number of smaller torque increments. Also, wheels with higher bolt count will typically mount with less warping and hold the tire in place better than those with fewer bolts.
Care should be taken when installing beadlock bolts. They should all be started and then t

Don't automatically expect to take your beadlock wheels to a regular tire shop for installation. This owner dropped off his tires and wheels at a local tire store for installation. They were apparently unfamiliar with beadlocks and simply mounted the tires behind the regular wheel lip instead of sandwiching the outer tire bead between the weld-on ring and the outer bolt-on ring.
Don't automatically expect to take your beadlock wheels to a regular tire shop for install
Beadlocks are commonly found in rock crawling applications where they serve several purposes. They keep the tire on the wheel bead when running single-digit tire pressures, and they provide some strength to the outer wheel area, which often sees hard contact on the rocks.
Beadlocks are commonly found in rock crawling applications where they serve several purpos
Running in deep mud and goo can be another situation where a beadlock can help. On a regular wheel, mud and debris can be forced between the tire and wheel bead causing an air leak. It may sometimes be necessary to deflate the tire and clean the trapped material from the bead area to get the tire to fully reseal on the wheel. In extreme cases in which the bead gets wet enough, the tire may spin on the wheel and then your tire is usually out of balance.
Running in deep mud and goo can be another situation where a beadlock can help. On a regul

When you squish a tire down this far you hope it hangs onto the wheel and keeps what little air pressure it has inside. Without a beadlock on the outside face of the wheel, you can bet this tire would be completely off the wheel bead.
When you squish a tire down this far you hope it hangs onto the wheel and keeps what littl
Hard cornering in the dirt can place a lot of sidewall pressure on tires, especially those in the front. This racer ran too low a pressure or cornered a bit too hard and unseated the outer tire bead making a sharp turn.
Hard cornering in the dirt can place a lot of sidewall pressure on tires, especially those
Wheels such as this have a particularly narrow outer bead area where the tire bead sits so it doesn't take much sidewall force to push the tire off the wheel seat and it goes flat immediately. If you choose not to run a beadlock, having a wheel with a decent sized safety hump or bead area can help keep the tire on the rim.
Wheels such as this have a particularly narrow outer bead area where the tire bead sits so

Beadlocks are typically only added to the outer face of a wheel and not to the inside, but it can be done. Generally, it is sufficient to only add a beadlock to the outside as that is the area where the tire typically sees the most sidewall loading. Additionally, adding a beadlock to the inside can result in brake or tie rod clearance issues, and mounting/centering a tire on a double beadlock wheel is difficult.
Beadlocks are typically only added to the outer face of a wheel and not to the inside, but
In recent years, faux beadlock wheels have come on the scene to provide the beadlock look without the higher price, but certainly without the added bead-clamping performance. One upside to these wheels though is the fact that the outer simulated beadlock ring adds to the strength of the wheel. Note that true beadlocks can be illegal on the highway. Check your local laws for details in your state.
In recent years, faux beadlock wheels have come on the scene to provide the beadlock look