Cheap, DIY beadlocks!

[inh]

http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?CatCode=25001

Just read an article on them in the march 4x4 garage magazine. Supposedly supposed to work good and they arent expensive. Just something to look in to. I know i'll be doin it when i get a set of rims i like.

 

[Brian_B]

Ok...I know nothing about this, but how does that help?

NOTE: Drill Wheels with 13/64" drill bit. Do not drill oversize.

Putting screws into the wheels does what? very

 

[inh]

Beadlocks let you run extremely low air pressure without worrying about the tire popping off the rim. The screws go through the rim and in to the tire bead.

 

[jimbo74]

yeah that isnt safe at all.... good way to destroy a rim and tire... lets purposely make holes in my tire bead!

 

[Jefe]

The screws go through the rim and in to the tire bead.

Thats an interesting way to ruin a $1000 set of tires. Two main issues come to mind. Balance and leaks. After that I've got about a dozen more reasons why this doesn't seem like a great idea.

 

[jimbo74]

if i drill screws into my tire tread, i wont need snow tires........

 

[rookieshooter]

Come on guys, this has been around as far back as I can remember. That pic of my 55 chevy if you could somehow zoom in on the back rims had self-tapping sheetmetal screws going thru the Haliburton (real magnesium) rims. and that was back in 1969 or 70. The first time I saw this was when I raced at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona Ca. back in the 60's . The screws went thru the rim and into the thickest part of the bead, it did not penetrate thru the tire. The screws were spaced evenly around the tire. I or no one that I had experiance with ever had a problem. The only problem was if you did not do this was that the extreme traction you got with the slicks at air pressures around 8psi was that the rim would actually turn in the tire. That 55 and other cars that I drove on the NHRA circuit all had that done and it was NHRA legal. NHRA at least at that time was very safty conseiance. Believe me I would not of done it in a car that was about as airodynamic as a barn door doing less then 10 seconds in the 1/4. We never experianced any leakage and that means week to week. Forgot to mention the big boys ran them on their rails. Analogy: The more things change the more they remain the same

Look at the Guy near the left front head light, any body remember that style cap? This really is an old pic.

 

[james t]

Its been done forever, its perfectly safe, and it doesnt leak. The inner liner of the tire wraps around the bead... the screws seat into the bead and you never puncture the liner. Short answer is it works really well.

 

[rookieshooter]

Well said James, between you and I, that was the long and short of it
Just wanted to add this. You can go get some sheetmetal screws from Home depot I think around a #10. I did not use self tapping sheet metal screws as stated my mistake. I used the pointed ones. I don't even think they had them back then. Use the pointed ones, I think a # 10 uses a 5/16 drill bit. Whatever, what I'm getting at is you don't have to order from summit or any other place and probably pay a whole bunch more. But test drill and screw into somthing similar, because you don't want to break off the screw in the rim. This way you can find out the right drill bit to screw combonation and length. What I call a self tapping screw are the ones with a drill type point.

 

[blueox]

It does work and if you have a cheap set of steel rims do it. I have a bent piece of steel around my garage somewhere that I used as a spacer to equally space them on a 15" rim.

oops. not for my truck but when I used to race.

 

[BeauJ]

The only problem was if you did not do this was that the extreme traction you got with the slicks at air pressures around 8psi was that the rim would actually turn in the tire.

I've seen It happen at my local 1/8 mile strip. Guy had a 69 Camaro with a built 502 and nitrous and when he went to launch off the line, his wheels just sat there and span inside the wheels. He redlined in no time and almost blew up his engine.

 

[Desert Rat]

The screws dont go through the tire, they go through a ring the sandwiches the bead of the tire to the rim, and they are expensive as hell too.

 

[Desert Rat]

Ok those screws on that link is wierd, I dont like that. My last post im talking about true beadlocks.

 

[FireZapper]

They are meant to stop the tire from spinning on the rim, not popping off.


Seen a couple people running the screws on the flat part ( on the safety bead inside) This works better at retaining the tire. But you have to get it in the right spot or you will not be able to pop the bead on if you change tires.