so much want

Jono.ful

Jono.ful

New member
Anyone running these/know anything about them? I've gotten so used to seeing fake, bead lock-looking Ultra wheels that I did a huge double take when I saw these.
According to the site, they come in a 17x9 6 on 139.7 -13mm on a 108mm bore, but I can't find that size for sale anywhere...
Ultra_103_black_buggy_std-1000.jpg~original

...but SO MUCH WANT!
1512682_10201113790950354_737805894_n_zpsc9cb6669.jpg~original
 
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Em R Purdy! I'm not sure they would be DOT legal, not whether that is a concern or not to you. You may need to expand your search to racer supply houses.
 
Thank


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They're not DOT approved, but that doesn't matter up here in the great white North. Besides, I'm only looking for a weekend wheel. Still can't seem to find my size, but I've seen prices between $190-590.
 
Any of the ultra dealers should be able to order you the size you need. I'm betting they don't stock it due to popularity. Good looking wheel! I lke the real beadlocks!
 
dumb question here.

Non-DOT approved wheels are the same as "off-road use only". correct? this means they're not intended for every day driving. My dumb question is why are they not DOT approved? Is there a risk in running this type of wheel every day, on and off road?
 
[MENTION=81003]Jono.ful[/MENTION] - that seems like a huge price range for those wheels, I'm sure you've explored this, but Ultra has an authorized dealer search for the US as well as Canada. Your best bet would be to call up a few of the stores to see if they'll order for you (and in turn use their quotes to haggle/shop around).

VoodooTitan said:
dumb question here.

Non-DOT approved wheels are the same as "off-road use only". correct? this means they're not intended for every day driving. My dumb question is why are they not DOT approved? Is there a risk in running this type of wheel every day, on and off road?
Click to expand...

This may or may not answer your question but I'm going to put this out here to help clear up any misconceptions.
Note: I'm a civil engineer for my state's DOT and deal mostly with construction. The heavy equipment used in highway construction uses some gnarly wheels/tires/tracks and typically pushes the limits for load and wear on the road when getting equipment to/from jobs or even moving around on site. Because of this, I've spent some time digging into the legal details of this for work.

Here are some facts:
USDOT does NOT approve ANY wheel. Their NHTSA arm sets standards for safety for use on roads. As far as I know, there are no federal requirements for wheels outside of size and markings. We do however make assumptions about wheels (for design and wear purposes) because the automotive industry as a whole has adopted SAE standards (much like the construction and materials industry uses ASTM). I can't seem to find the particular SAE number that will test external bead locked wheels as unsafe, but it exists. Maybe someone else can help me find that SAE number (radial and cornering fatigue and impact). That same SAE standard deems a lot of racing wheels unsafe as well (whether for a drag strip or track).

Here are some opinions:
If a wheel is marked as "not for highway use" it is usually a CYA for the manufacturer or company selling them. As far as the actual law is concerned, I can only speak for VA, but my state's law shows NO reference for wheel requirements. In some cases you may find your state's laws to mention SAE or DOT safety standards as recommendations or guidelines; they probably won't have real laws or requirements banning bead locks.

I've known a few people to run bead locks on their daily driver (mostly jeeps and mostly very short commutes) and there are a number of safety issues that can go along with that. From what I've heard, it's not uncommon to find a loose bolt or two after logging some highway miles. The guys I know running bead locks are anal about torquing their bead lock's bolts every week or two. Some of them are so out of balance that they run balancing beads and they still don't help, but this may have a lot to do with the quality of their specific rim rather than all bead locks. If you do lose your bead at highway speeds, the results could be catastrophic for yourself and those you share the road with (just stressing the importance of carefully maintaining them if you do actually run them).

Sorry for the long winded and somewhat off-topic blather.

OA
 
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Interesting reading, thanks for the info. I have gone through the list of suppliers on Ultra's website, the shop I usually deal with has stopped selling Ultra all together. I intend to shop around, but I had hoped for some firsthand t4r.org knowledge as well.
This particular wheel comes in buggy sizes as well, I'm sure the lower end of the price range I mentioned would refer to those specific buggy sizes.
 
No need to apologize. That puts a great perspective on it. For those who want to run them it gives them ammo in their defense. Me personally, I've been deterred from wanting something with beadlocks. It's too risky and as a motorcycle rider if I were to encounter a bead in my helmet, or on the windshield of my vehicle I'd be livid.

Are Ultra's good quality wheels for on and light to moderate off-road use? I see the prices on tire rack and they seem very reasonable compared to method. Methods are pretty nice though. It's tough to make a decision without seeing them on the rig tho.
 
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I think Ford's solution is the most creative and rather brilliant compromise.

I don't know how many of you guys know this, but the Ford Raptors have optional SVT Beadlock rims from the factory. What they do to get around the very murky legal grey waters is the innovative part.

The standard SVT Beadlock rims from the factory come with a fake 12 bolt "Beauty Ring" that is just a decorative piece like the TRD Rims. But that's where the similarities end, the real innovation is that these rims in fact are pre-drilled & threaded for a 24-bolt Beadlock ring available from the factory. The rims are cast/machined with a relief on the outer edges so they double as both standard rims and true Beadlocks with the optional 24-Bolt Beadlock Ring.

The only bad part is that Ford uses a 6x135mm Bolt Pattern on their rims, while Toyota uses 6x139.7mm... which means you can't just buy the rims and slap them on our vehicles.

I kind of wish some aftermarket companies would use Ford's concept for "flexible" wheels that can be either standard "DOT Approved" rims or True Beadlock rims as well.

A short video explaining what I mean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ewMNOVynq4
 
BlackWorksInc said:
I think Ford's solution is the most creative and rather brilliant compromise.

I don't know how many of you guys know this, but the Ford Raptors have optional SVT Beadlock rims from the factory. What they do to get around the very murky legal grey waters is the innovative part.

The standard SVT Beadlock rims from the factory come with a fake 12 bolt "Beauty Ring" that is just a decorative piece like the TRD Rims. But that's where the similarities end, the real innovation is that these rims in fact are pre-drilled & threaded for a 24-bolt Beadlock ring available from the factory. The rims are cast/machined with a relief on the outer edges so they double as both standard rims and true Beadlocks with the optional 24-Bolt Beadlock Ring.

The only bad part is that Ford uses a 6x135mm Bolt Pattern on their rims, while Toyota uses 6x139.7mm... which means you can't just buy the rims and slap them on our vehicles.

I kind of wish some aftermarket companies would use Ford's concept for "flexible" wheels that can be either standard "DOT Approved" rims or True Beadlock rims as well.

A short video explaining what I mean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ewMNOVynq4
Click to expand...

Isn't there a way to change that by replacing the unit behind the rotors that houses the wheel bolts?
 
The wheel studs are part of the wheel hub (behind, and separate from the rotor), which also houses the wheel bearing, and an abs sensor. They're about $200 each
 
I'm a big fan of the beadlock look but not the beadlock price and maintainance. I went with the Method NV's and I couldn't be happier. Priced right, excellent build quality, and great looks.
 
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