school me on bead locks
- Thread starter sleepydad
- Start date
snivilous
Senior Member
I didn't see any pictures of people running beadlocks or much real world experience. I ran Trail Ready beadlocks on my daily driven 4Runner for a year, then swapped them to my daily driven FJ40 for like two years where they're still mounted, and have a little experience with other sets of beadlocks outside of streetable trucks.
Few notes:
-Beadlocks should be easy to balance, they are small compared to the tire and machined so should be very evenly distributed weight at a small diameter. Your tire causes 100x more balance issues. My 35s on my beadlocks needed 2oz of weight to balance (using stick on weighs on the inside).
-DOT stuff, lots of people say how illegal they are and stuff. I have yet to see an actual law saying they are illegal. Some company even had a cash challenge for awhile to show them a law where beadlocks are illegal. I have driven my 4runner and FJ around Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, California, etc. and no one even glanced twice at the beadlocks. And mine stand out with fat rock rings, not the slim type that most poser locks have. There are also a few brands that are explicitly "DOT Approved" or whatever, but as I understand it that does not mean that "non-approved" ones are illegal.
-Some tire shops are *****y (ie Discount Tire) about balancing them. I went to Big O and they have no issue touching them. Idk if they would install them, but it's easy to install your own tires.
-Bolt maintenance isn't a big issue, I just anti seize the bolts and check them occasionally. When I daily drove on beadlocks for a few years I initially was more anal and would check them a lot, now I almost never check them. I've never had a bolt get loose or back out, over thousands of street miles and a couple hundred race miles.
-I got beadlocks because it was cheaper than getting a locker and regearing etc. etc. and I did a lot of snow wheeling at the time. With beadlocks alone and no other modifications I could go further in snow than my buddy's with dual locked solid axle tacomas. If you think going to 10psi or high single digits in snow is fine, then you probably don't need them. I blew a couple beads at 8psi before in the snow, and like I said still didn't get the traction I wanted. With beadlocks I don't even bother airing down now unless I'm dropping to 4psi or lower, and it's common to go <1psi. The rim crushing the tire is ultimately the limiting factor in airing down (which I can speak from experience trying to jump a rock ledge at 4psi and bending a wheel).
Are they an expensive "mod"? Yea. Are the worth it? Unless you plan to rip around the dunes or sand at low single digit pressures probably not... With that said I think the beadlock "look" is really cool, but personally I'll never buy the poser fake ones. I've had 10x Trail Ready's now, both in 15s and 17s and no issues at all and really liked them. Debating what my next pair will be for my new buggy, though Trail Ready is hard to pass up, plus are 100% cast to machined in the USA.
Few notes:
-Beadlocks should be easy to balance, they are small compared to the tire and machined so should be very evenly distributed weight at a small diameter. Your tire causes 100x more balance issues. My 35s on my beadlocks needed 2oz of weight to balance (using stick on weighs on the inside).
-DOT stuff, lots of people say how illegal they are and stuff. I have yet to see an actual law saying they are illegal. Some company even had a cash challenge for awhile to show them a law where beadlocks are illegal. I have driven my 4runner and FJ around Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, California, etc. and no one even glanced twice at the beadlocks. And mine stand out with fat rock rings, not the slim type that most poser locks have. There are also a few brands that are explicitly "DOT Approved" or whatever, but as I understand it that does not mean that "non-approved" ones are illegal.
-Some tire shops are *****y (ie Discount Tire) about balancing them. I went to Big O and they have no issue touching them. Idk if they would install them, but it's easy to install your own tires.
-Bolt maintenance isn't a big issue, I just anti seize the bolts and check them occasionally. When I daily drove on beadlocks for a few years I initially was more anal and would check them a lot, now I almost never check them. I've never had a bolt get loose or back out, over thousands of street miles and a couple hundred race miles.
-I got beadlocks because it was cheaper than getting a locker and regearing etc. etc. and I did a lot of snow wheeling at the time. With beadlocks alone and no other modifications I could go further in snow than my buddy's with dual locked solid axle tacomas. If you think going to 10psi or high single digits in snow is fine, then you probably don't need them. I blew a couple beads at 8psi before in the snow, and like I said still didn't get the traction I wanted. With beadlocks I don't even bother airing down now unless I'm dropping to 4psi or lower, and it's common to go <1psi. The rim crushing the tire is ultimately the limiting factor in airing down (which I can speak from experience trying to jump a rock ledge at 4psi and bending a wheel).
Are they an expensive "mod"? Yea. Are the worth it? Unless you plan to rip around the dunes or sand at low single digit pressures probably not... With that said I think the beadlock "look" is really cool, but personally I'll never buy the poser fake ones. I've had 10x Trail Ready's now, both in 15s and 17s and no issues at all and really liked them. Debating what my next pair will be for my new buggy, though Trail Ready is hard to pass up, plus are 100% cast to machined in the USA.
WhiteBoomer04
New member
I'll just add that it took me and a buddy (who has done beadlocks many times previously on his Jeeps) six hours to mount five beadlocks (Fuel Anza D116) on my 40x13.5x17 Cooper STT Pro's that will be going on 4Runner this week.
It was quite the task, BUT I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I love doing modifications. I have no problem spending time working on my truck. Cant wait to be out crawling thru the rocks on my beadlocks
It was quite the task, BUT I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I love doing modifications. I have no problem spending time working on my truck. Cant wait to be out crawling thru the rocks on my beadlocks
What wheels and tires are those? Looks great!
sleepydad
Senior Member
thanks... all info in my build thread.
a couple of things to know. these are 33" tires. you will have trouble getting them to fit without rubbing unless you run special upper control arms and or lower control arms.
these wheels will not fit with the tundra brake upgrade, they are just the stock spare wheel. I mentioned it in my thread but I'm a lot happier now that I undid my tundra brake upgrade. the stock sized calipers have a much firmer pedal and I would not run the tundra calipers again. just my opinion.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3267654-post126.html
you also might want to take a look at this thread. I'm running these LCA's
Solo Motorsports stock length LCA's will soon be a thing!!!!
Last edited:
sleepydad
Senior Member
but I have already sent them my bank account numbers because he is a prince from Nigeria who has so much $ and just needs help in his banking.
he also claims to know of single women in my area who are ready.
Doc2012
Senior Member
If you can afford them and want them , get them. You’ll always have it in the back of your mind if you don’t.
I have been running bead locks for a very long time on my cummins chase truck. It see mostly dirt but at one point I daily drove this truck. Never had a balancing issue. And the trail ready beadlocks I have are the easiest to mount and dis mount you self. Takes a few hours but totally satisfying if you have time. It’s great to know ever single inch of your trucks especially if you like to venture off into the dirt.
I have the TRD forged wheels that I’m going to have OMF beadlock them for me next year.
Another thing you can do is find some 1 that is capable of knurling the inside of the wheel where the bead sits. A lot of wheel companies are doing this now to try and prevent wheel spin with out tires moving which is how you lose a bead.
Another benefit for beadlocks is the ring is a forged billet ring which make the outside ( where ring sits) stronger. This is for guys getting non forged bead locks. But Imagine how much stronger forged beadlocks are. Not to mention lighter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have been running bead locks for a very long time on my cummins chase truck. It see mostly dirt but at one point I daily drove this truck. Never had a balancing issue. And the trail ready beadlocks I have are the easiest to mount and dis mount you self. Takes a few hours but totally satisfying if you have time. It’s great to know ever single inch of your trucks especially if you like to venture off into the dirt.
I have the TRD forged wheels that I’m going to have OMF beadlock them for me next year.
Another thing you can do is find some 1 that is capable of knurling the inside of the wheel where the bead sits. A lot of wheel companies are doing this now to try and prevent wheel spin with out tires moving which is how you lose a bead.
Another benefit for beadlocks is the ring is a forged billet ring which make the outside ( where ring sits) stronger. This is for guys getting non forged bead locks. But Imagine how much stronger forged beadlocks are. Not to mention lighter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Similar threads
